No Justice, No Green
Intersection of environmentalism and social justice issues, such as poverty, race and gender in relation to the environment
Quick Facts
Ideas to Jumpstart Your Thinking
Environmental issues are linked to social problems because we all share the same land, water, and air.
Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, environmental justice advocates for equal treatment of all people in environmental decision making. How are communities affected? Low-income neighborhoods generally have two to three times less access to healthy food than affluent neighborhoods. Communities of color make up the majority of those living within 1.8 miles of hazardous waste facilities in the U.S.
Facts
- Environmental Justice (EJ) simply means making sure everyone has a fair chance of living a healthy life
- Unhealthy environments can be anywhere (lead in water, pesticides in air, toxins in paint)
- 9 out of 10 urban residents breathe polluted air
- Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color generally have less access to healthy food
- Only 29% of LA residents live within a quarter-mile of a park.
- According to 2010 census data, people of color make up the majority of those living within 1.8 miles of hazardous waste facilities in the U.S.
- EJ means involving everyone when making decisions that affect their health
Example Topics for Your Film
- Justice in relation to food deserts (supermarket and healthy-food accessibility)
- Low-income communities that lack trees to provide shade
- The effects of waste facilities, gas excavation, air pollution, and/or energy plants on communities
A Couple of Resources to Get You Started
Ready to Get Started?
Make a documentary
- How do communities make an impact?
- How about social & environmental justice groups?
Write your own story
- What would a day in the life of a community organizer look like?
- Invent a character to make us cry, laugh, or feel inspired.
No Justice, No Green Films, Class of 2020
Winner: "No More Hunger, No More Waste"
Every year, the Second Harvest Food Bank in Orange County reduces millions of pounds of leftover food from big grocery stores by providing it to food-insecure individuals.
Runner Up: "Fighting for EJ: Health Crisis at the US Mexico Border"
The Health Crisis at the US-Mexico Border: The San Ysidro border community is threatened by air pollution stemming from traffic at the US-Mexico border port of entry and features community effort to mitigate the environmental impact.
Film by Ilan Jinich (Francis Parker School)
Finalist: "We’re Human"
An environmental film about what environmental justice means and why everyone deserves it.
Film by Kathleen Nguyen (Westminster High School)
No Justice, No Green Films, Class of 2018
What Will You Do? (first place)
by Hector Nava of Alliance Piera Barbaglia Shaheen Health Services Academy
Do You Believe? (second place)
by Allen Lopez and Diego Borjas of Environmental Charter High School
We Are The Villians (third place)
by Citlalli Jimenez, Kim Perez, Dulce Torre and Katherine Romero of Katella High School
No Justice, No Green Films, Class of 2017
Dollar Tree (best film)
by Cecilia Ribordy, Ariel Hyman, Josh Soares & Natasha Mandt-Rauch of Culver High School.
Water You Doing? (second runner up)
by Sequoia Sherriff, Zehra Patail, Kai Jacinto, Ella Del Rosario & Quinn Guy of Culver High School.