Environmental Justice
What is Environmental Justice?
We're glad you asked! Environmental Justice means ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, economics, gender, ability, religion and documentation status has access to clean and healthy air, water, food, housing, work and place spaces, and the health, wealth and happiness that this brings. The Environmental Justice movement is an inter-generational, multi-racial and international movement that promotes environmental, economic and social justice by recognizing the direct link between economic, environmental and health issues and demanding a safe, clean community and workplace environment.
Wow- that's a lot! What does TreesDurham do for environmental justice?
TreesDurham works to make our tree canopy healthy, sustainable and socially just for all residents of Durham, regardless of the color of our skin, our economic resources, our lived experiences and more.
Why is this needed?
Durham's communities of color bear the heavy burden of environmental injustice: living surrounded by polluted air, water and soil, denied the clean, cool air and shade provided by trees and targeted by developers for reductions in access to open space, trees and forests.
Poor communities of all colors are targeted by developers, particularly those from other cities, where large tracts of nearby forests are replaced with vast developments that trap people in their cars, generate heat, and cost the city money to maintain over time, resulting in higher taxes for citizens long after developers are gone.
Trees create cool, healthy cities and communities.
Environmental Justice means everyone benefits from trees and forests, and the health, wealth and happiness they provide.
We're glad you asked! Environmental Justice means ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, economics, gender, ability, religion and documentation status has access to clean and healthy air, water, food, housing, work and place spaces, and the health, wealth and happiness that this brings. The Environmental Justice movement is an inter-generational, multi-racial and international movement that promotes environmental, economic and social justice by recognizing the direct link between economic, environmental and health issues and demanding a safe, clean community and workplace environment.
Wow- that's a lot! What does TreesDurham do for environmental justice?
TreesDurham works to make our tree canopy healthy, sustainable and socially just for all residents of Durham, regardless of the color of our skin, our economic resources, our lived experiences and more.
Why is this needed?
Durham's communities of color bear the heavy burden of environmental injustice: living surrounded by polluted air, water and soil, denied the clean, cool air and shade provided by trees and targeted by developers for reductions in access to open space, trees and forests.
Poor communities of all colors are targeted by developers, particularly those from other cities, where large tracts of nearby forests are replaced with vast developments that trap people in their cars, generate heat, and cost the city money to maintain over time, resulting in higher taxes for citizens long after developers are gone.
Trees create cool, healthy cities and communities.
Environmental Justice means everyone benefits from trees and forests, and the health, wealth and happiness they provide.
Environmental Justice, Trees and Health
Adults who live in neighborhoods without trees have more asthma and higher blood pressure. They are more likely to develop diabetes, dementia and Alzheimer’s. They pay more in health costs, while at the same time miss more work to take care of the health of themselves and their families. Treesless neighborhoods are usually within our communities of color, whose residents already make less, have less access to health care and are more likely to be front line workers. Increasingly, new neighborhoods contain no viable trees, leaving families and low income people breathing dirty, hot air and suffering from the poor health that results. Living without trees makes health inequity worse.
Environmental Justice, Trees and Crime
Neighborhoods that aren't shaded by trees -in Durham our urban areas and communities of color- experience more extreme heat events, have more violent crime, and show lower community cohesion. It costs more to cool houses in tree less neighborhoods, resulting in more economic stress and lower housing stability. Living without trees makes housing inequity worse.
Environmental Justice, Trees and Kids
Kids whose schools have fewer trees score lower on tests, have higher incidents of ADD/ADHD, experience more anxiety and have lower confidence in themselves. Kids that live in neighborhoods without trees and parks must play in hot streets, fight through more asthma, and experience with more bullying. Living without trees makes childhood disparity worse.
Environmental Justice and Trees
Neighborhoods without forests are hotter, dirtier, and more likely to flood. Their residents are poorer, sicker, and victims of more crime. They pay more in medical and electricity bills, while their homes have lower value and need more maintenance. Their kids have lower confidence, lower grades and experience more violence. This is the Environmental Racism that our communities of color and poor communities face every day, right here in Durham. This is Wrong. Environmental Justice is Justice