I have always been so ardent about the environment and its impediments. As a kid brought up in a modest home, I acquired a character, a norm rather, of picking up litter during recess and campaigned for recycling bins in our school. Growing up my comprehension of conservation and environmentalism intensified, but equally evolved. With this, I saw that environmental issues not only meant saving, planting more trees and protecting local and wild animals but inseparably linked to social justice. Well, this discovery has since shaped my fervent perspective and activism on environment-related issues.

The first time I came across this notion was through an article I read online about environmental policy and it discussed perilous waste facilities in the 3rd world countries and the term environmental xenophobia came up. These facilities were largely situated in low-income communities, marginalized communities and communities of colour. The people from these communities faced speculative risks of health-related problems due to exposure to pollutants. This arose a realization that ecological degradation and social inequality are an exact replica.

Narrowing down on the gap

With this new comprehension, I, with the help of a dedicated and devoted team decided to bridge the gap of environmental justice working on a common goal and addressing the environmental issues. Our first project was simply collecting waste around schools and the communities around them and advocating for cleaner and less contaminated water in a neighbourhood bedevilled by industrial pollution. Well, this meant that meetings had to be held, and data had to be collected and presented to the locals and area chiefs and elders. Not everything comes on a silver platter of course as this was very excruciating but the fruits that were bore brought tangible changes to the community.

Sustenance initiatives

The salient lesson I learnt from this is that the voices of those who advocate for environmental changes in these marginalized communities are diminished and affected by environmental xenophobia and social injustices associated with the same. True justice would only be served when the voices of these communities are listened to and those afflicted buoyed up. Our group has made it a pact to support these disregarded communities by rolling out initiatives to campaign and educate the people of these communities through social media platforms. We have also created a website where their stories can be shared to create more awareness of the same.

Challenges faced

Addressing the issues of environmental injustice is way more complex than perceived as it means one would need to navigate through a series of economic, political and cultural factors. The immensity of these problems is overwhelming but as a Swahili proverb says “Haba na Haba hujaza Kibaba” hypothetically meaning that it’s okay to start small as all action counts at the end of it all. Working with diverse groups had been the tipping point in making these dreams a success.

Continuing the fight

The future, auspicious as it is, We still remain committed to this fight against environmental xenophobia and social injustice. We are currently working on upcycling waste into valuable materials and these include, organic waste to manure and waste paper to other recyclable products among others. These initiatives would not only address the problem of fake fertilizers as addressed by many local farmers in our country but would also mean a cleaner environment thus fostering climate change.

Conclusion, An exhortation to action

Getting to understand the interchangeable link between environmental and social justice has transformed my perspective on climate change and activism. It has also taught me that sustainability cannot be addressed without addressing the systemic inequalities that exist in our societies. Everyone has a role to play whether it’s advocacy, creating awareness, education or even taking direct action for big changes to be realized and contributing to a more equitable world.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *