The intersection of equitable ecosystems and social justice takes on increasing importance as the climate crisis deepens. Jalonne L. White-Newsome, CEO and Founder of Empowering A Green Environment and Economy, understands the importance of these intersections as a strong advocate for environmental justice.
White-Newsome brought his perspective to the University of Wisconsin Arboretum Virtual Conference – Building an Equity Ecosystem on Tuesday evening.
“I’ve worked on equity and justice issues for over 20 years and this conversation tonight has got me thinking broadly,” White-Newsome said, “because I’m going to tell you, the truth is known, I’ve really never used the word the ecosystem is very much related to justice and equity, but when you think about it, there are people who live off the land who are disproportionately affected when our ecosystems are affected.
Because of the relationship between the ecosystem and humans, White-Newsome said it’s important to protect and help those who have been disproportionately impacted by substandard ecosystems.
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the 17 principles of environmental justice is a document written in 1991 in National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit. The document aimed to create a more equitable process in maintaining ecosystems and managing the impacts they have on low-income communities and people of color.
These 17 principles set out many requirements, including a call for everyone to be involved in environmental policy decisions and recognition of protection from any potential environmental hazard, including toxic waste or contaminated food and water.
White-Newsome has made his education, philanthropy and research achievements clear – the current environmental crisis is emerging and causing much more damage to communities of color due to a lack of resources, funding and support. government attention.
Growing up in Detroit, White-Newsome said she experienced firsthand the negative implications of redlining and ultimately a poor ecosystem. With limited access to green spaces, temperatures were often much higher in these environments. These higher temperatures have had dangerous health effects, especially for older populations.
White-Newsome said the poorly constructed infrastructure and ill-equipped ecosystems she experienced in Detroit allowed devastating floods to quickly destroy homes and kill those caught in them.
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While there is still a lot of work to be done in the area of environmental justice, White-Newsome said there has been increased action to undo some of the damage.
For example, the Environmental Protection Agency came out with a Environmental Justice Index, a quantifiable method to measure and compare risks related to race, income and environment. This is an important first step in addressing the vast inequities that exist when it comes to ecosystem health impacts, White-Newsome said.
White-Newsome said even with this data, wildly inequitable ecosystems persist. Ways to fix it, she said, are through policy changes, prioritizing certain groups, practicing asking questions to authorize change, and engaging with the right people.
