Defining Environmental Justice
Learning Module 1
In this module you will work to answer the question “what is environmental justice” and share your understanding of the concept with a creative work.
To get started, please read these articles:
Principles of Environmental Justice
Then complete the activities below in order or as directed by your educator.
Exploration
10 Minutes
1. Review the gallery walk photos to the right.
2. Reflect on the following questions:
- What does it mean for something to be “fair” or “just”?
- How do these images make you feel?
- What are your thoughts about these images?
- Can you connect with these images?
Building Background
40 Minutes
Additional Materials Needed: a notepad, post-its or index cards and something to write with, or a digital tool like Plectica
1. Read the five articles included here
2. Select words or phrases in each article that you feel relate to the idea of “environmental justice”.
3. Write those words on your cards.
4. Review the words and put them into groups. You can group them in any way you choose.
5. Give each group of words a descriptive label.
Diverse Points of View Discussion
20 Minutes
Discuss/consider the following questions:
- What themes or patterns emerged from the list group label activity?
- Is it possible to fully define the scope of environmental justice in a couple of sentences?
- What key ideas need to be included in a definition of environmental justice?
- What are some things that you notice that are unfair/unjust about the environment today?
- How did things come to be unfair/unjust?
- What perpetuates environmental injustice?
- What can we do to restore fairness/justice?
Synthesize Understanding
20 Minutes
Represent what is meant by environmental justice in a creative way.
Examples:
- Write a poem
- Create a collage
- Create and acrostic
- Write an essay
