What is Intersectional Environmentalism?
Leah Thomas, an environmental scientist and sustainable lifestyle thought leader, defined Intersectional Environmentalism as “an inclusive version of environmentalism that advocates for both the protection of people and the planet. It identifies the ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimize or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people + the planet.
The DL:
Environmentalists for Black Lives Matter: Amidst the protests in wake of George Floyd’s Death, Leah Thomas coined the term “Intersectional Environmentalism” to bring awareness upon the interconnection between social and environmental justice. This shined a spotlight on how minority and low-income communities were statistically more likely to live in neighborhoods exposed to environmental hazards, including more air pollution, and more often lacking access to green spaces.
A movement: The term has grown into a community called the Intersectional Environmentalist, aimed to dismantle systems of oppression at the intersection of social and environmental justice. Check our IntersectionalEnvironmentalist.com or @intersectionalenvironmentalist on IG for more information and resources on how to support this exciting work.
Why it Matters:
Injustices are often deeply rooted in interconnected systems: We can’t have environmental justice without social justice—the two are intertwined. As social justice advocate Van Jones stated in a recent TED Talk, “the root of these problems is the idea of disposability itself... In order to trash the planet, you have to trash people.” People are not disposable, nor are earth’s resources.
Our purchasing decisions are intersectional: How we decide to spend our money touches on a multitude of dimensions—your health, the livelihood of the people making your stuff, the environment, and often less seen, the lives of those in the margins. Your choices have power beyond yourself.
