The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet

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Ironically, conservation programs based on the concept that humans should be separated from nature to preserve it has led to forced eviction and harm to indigenous communities, without recognising their custodian relationship with the environment which is sustainable for both them and surrounding ecosystems. They have also suffered violence and displacement without consent or consultation due to renewable projects such as hydroelectric dams, wind energy and biofuels. Climate Refugees From the 2022 TIME100 Next honoree and the activist who coined the term comes a primer on intersectional environmentalism for the next generation of activists looking to create meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change. From the 2022 TIME100 Next honoree and the activist who coined the term comes a primer on intersectional environmentalism for the next generation of activists looking to create meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change. The Intersectional Environmentalist examines the inextricable link between environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and promotes awareness of the fundamental truth that we cannot save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people -- especially those most often unheard. Written by Leah Thomas, a prominent voice in the field and the activist who coined the term "Intersectional Environmentalism," this book is simultaneously a call to action, a guide to instigating change for all, and a pledge to work towards the empowerment of all people and the betterment of the planet. The Intersectional Environmentalist is a useful start for anyone looking to get involved with or understand more about environmental justice, and who wants to learn about it through a framework that ensures the most vulnerable are centered."— Shondaland

Before you founded the Intersectional Environmentalist platform, you studied environmental science and policy at Chapman University. What do you wish you learned as a student that was never included in the curriculum?The term began to emerge in the 1980s after the civil rights and Earth Day movements from Hazel M. Johnson and Dr. Robert Bullard.

The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet What advice would you give to the next generation of activists who want to get involved in the intersectional climate movement? Where can they start?I cannot give enough praise to the "pledge breakouts" and "chapter discussion questions" at the end of each chapter. They capture the readership in an active stance of reflexive learning which helps to highlight meaning in all the significant educational concepts. Through the pledges, the author reaches out to the just nature of humanity in her readership and in this way appeals to them to think rationally about how both human inhabitants of the planet need as much healing as the environment because both have been hurt for a very long time. Through the pledge breakouts a significant call to everyone’s commitment is made. The pledge breakouts have been strategically placed at the end of the chapters after the reader has been given all the information and left in no doubt that the logical and just thing to do is unite in advocating for the justice of all humanity and the environment. The interactive end of chapter discussion questions would also be helpful to educators who might choose to use this book as an instructional text for Environmental Justice, Social Justice or even Legal Studies. The Intersectional Environmentalist examines the inextricable link between environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and promotes awareness of the fundamental truth that we cannot save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people -- especially those most often unheard. Written by Leah Thomas, a prominent voice in the field and the activist who coined the term "Intersectional Environmentalism," this book is simultaneously a call to action, a guide to instigating change for all, and a pledge to work towards the empowerment of all people and the betterment of the planet. The founder of Intersectional Environmentalist is building toward a greener, more equitable future by advocating for both sustainability and social justice while spotlighting communities that have been underrepresented in the space... She's aiming to set the movement on the right path with her new book, The Intersectional Environmentalist."— instyle.com I've been waiting forever to read this book...to further my knowledge of the shit we do to the BIPOC community. I started to pay attention more when the Flint water crisis happened, and then, Covid happened, which made me question things. Then, the cancer cluster started dominating local Houston news for the 5th Ward residents. Now, I wanted to know more. Racist notions of white superiority have resulted in systemic inequality, and the legal system upholds this system of power” (p. 25)

This book is a good first step to learning about environmental racism. There is a lot of information, and I especially like all the resource varieties at the end to further your knowledge or participation. I also loved how she does look at the darker side of the green wave like what's happening with lithium mining and the indigenous people of South America. I wished her book was better organized and this may be the Technical Writer in me, but it annoys me to no end when I see inconsistent use of abbreviations and/or just throwing them out there without an explanation. Whatever you do, be detailed and keep it consistent. And she did use the word Intersectional Environmentalism a lot, like every sentence and sometimes multiple times in one sentence. The Intersectional Environmentalist enlightens the reader about the way issues of environmental injustice are interconnected with social injustices including racism, in the past and at present. This book effectively reveals to the reader the unamplified moments when entire communities have been put in environmental danger, neglected, and systemically silenced. The Intersectional Environmentalist captures the reader’s interest right from the start simply through how the author presents the ordinary silenced facts; like the poisoned Altgeld Gardens communities in chapter two. Considering the list of things that are plaguing the world today and how many of those have been compartmentalised in little boxes of knowledge, Leah Thomas has accomplished a great task with her intersectional environmentalist theory. When the author lays these facts bare to the reader through real examples, she calls on everyone to unite and advocate for the silenced voices. This clear appeal to the reader compels a sense of agency in them. This is how The Intersectional Environmentalist may effectively turn the reader into an environmental justice activist. This book emphatically points out to the reader that when one claims to advocate for the well-being of the planet, they need to equally consider the same for all the human and non-human inhabitants of the planet. Climate change related events are much more likely to impact those without stable housing. LQBTQ+ people are more likely to be homeless. For example 24% of homeless youth in the UK are from the LGBTQ+ community. People with Disabilities For some looking for an all-in-one kind of resource, The Intersectional Environmentalist won't feel like enough. With so many intertwined issues being presented at once, it can feel overwhelming. But for people looking for a launchpad to develop their most impactful work, this is it. Intersectional Environmentalism is 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 marginalised communities and the earth are interconnected. It brings injustices done to the most vulnerable communities, and the earth, to the forefront and does not minimise or silence social inequality. Intersectional environmentalism advocates for justice for people and the planet” Leah Thomas, Climate ActivistBefore colonialism, indigenous communities were living in balance with the land, sustaining both themselves and nature for thousands of years without the requirement for harmful extractive processes. As indigenous peoples live closer to the land, they are often the first to recognise the effects of climate change and feel the brunt of impacts the hardest, it can threaten their very existence. Few countries recognise indigenous land rights, with ancestral land often being used without proper consultation for damaging industries such as mining, logging, pipelines, large scale agriculture and more. We can't save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people, especially those most often unheard" - Leah Thomas Each chapter ends with discussion questions and an Intersectional Environmentalism pledge, urging readers to think critically about the information presented and how they may use it going forward.