Environmental Justice

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Sustainability 

To be effective, sustainability must be economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially just. Our office works at the intersection of the economy, the environment, and social justice, advocating for climate action, waste minimization, sustainability education, and resource stewardship on behalf of the planet and its people.

It is important to us that we continuously strive toward intersectional environmentalism - an inclusive form of environmentalism that advocates for the protection and advancement of the planet and all its people. Intersectional environmentalism challenges us to identify ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected. In doing so, we work toward building a culture of environmental justice at FSU and beyond. 

Environmental Justice 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines environmental justice as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." We recognize that sustainability is not separate from racial justice. The two are intertwined as many BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities are affected by higher rates of environmental harms or environmental racism. A more sustainable society must necessarily be a more just society. This is why we strive to advance equity and justice for marginalized communities in the sustainability movement and our global society. 

We invite our campus community to join us in learning more about intersectional environmentalism and environmental justice and to take action toward ensuring access to clean water, air, soil, and food for everyone. 

RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

RECOMMENDED READING

We recommend checking these books out from the FSU Libraries system or the Leon County Public Library.

Recommended Reading

  • The Quest for Environmental Justice by Robert Bullard
  • New Perspectives on Environmental Justice: Gender, Sexuality, and Activism by Rachel Stein
  • Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
  • From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement by Luke Cole
  • Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality by Robert Bullard
  • All We Can Save by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
  • The Rise of the American Conservation Movement - Dorceta E. Taylor
  • Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States - Carl A. Zimring
  • Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility - Dorceta E. Taylor
  • Waste: One Woman's Fight Against America's Dirty Secret - Catherine Coleman Flowers
  • Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors - Carolyn Finney
  • Rooted In The Earth: Reclaiming the African American Environmental Heritage - Dianna D. Glave
  • Cultivating Food Justice: Race, Class, and Sustainability - Allison Hope Alkon & Julian Agyeman
  • Silent Spring - Rachel Carson
  • Cradle to Cradle: Remaking The Way We Make Things - Michael Braungart and William McDonough
  • The Omnivore's Dilemma - Michael Pollan
  • Our Stolen Future - Theo Colburn
  • Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming - Paul Hawken
  • The Intersectional Environmentalist: How To Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet - Leah Thomas
  • Business Lessons From a Radical Industrialist - Ray Anderson

Environmental Justice Books Published Since 2020

  • Educator and Activist: My Life & Times in Pursuit of Environmental Justice - Bunyan Bryant
  • Before the Streetlights Come On: Black America's Urgent Call for Climate Solutions - Heather McTeer Toney
  • Fighting to Breathe: Race, Toxicity, and the Rise of Youth Activism in Baltimore - Nicole Fabricant
  • The Pandemic Divide: How the Pandemic Increased Inequality in America - Gwendolyn L. Wright et al
  • Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want - Ruha Benjamin
  • Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists - Leah Penniman
  • Evolution of a Movement: Four Decades of California Environmental Justice Activism - Tracy E. Perkins
  • Reconsidering Reparations - Olúfhemi O. Táíwò
  • Environmental Justice and Resiliency in an Age of Uncertainty - Celeste Murphy-Greene
  • Reframing Climate and Environmental Justice - Lars Otto Naes & Amber Huff
  • Reparative Environmental Justice in a World of Wounds - Ben Almassi
  • Environmental Justice in a Moment of Danger - Julie Sze
  • A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and its Assault on the American Mind - Harriet A. Washington
  • Climate Change from the Streets: How Conflict  and Collaboration Strengthen the Environmental Justice Movement - Michael Mendez
  • Unsustainable Inequalities: Social Justice and the Environment - Lucas Channel
  • The Contamination of the Earth: A History of Pollutions in the Industrial Age - Francoise Jarrige & Thomas Le Roux
  • Struggles for Climate Justice: Uneven Geographies and the Politics of Connection - Brandon Derman

Sustainability & EDI Training

Sustainable Campus staff offers the Sustainability & EDI training course at least once a semester. The course is designed to help us reframe our definition and perspective of sustainability and focus on the people to better integrate social justice into all sustainability efforts. During the session, we review and discuss a series of case studies that highlight the overlapping nature of environmental and social justice. We also shed light on how these movements interact and influence each other and lay the groundwork for stronger connections and collaboration between allies.

Learn more . . . 

Sustainability Trainings »

TAKE ACTION: ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES FROM FSU AND BEYOND

The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Office within Human Resources provides anti-racism resources including: books and articles, resources for kids, online resources like blogs, social media accounts, YouTube channels, TED Talks, and videos.

In addition, here are a few other resources to get started in anti-racism work:

Diversity & Inclusion at FSU

As detailed in the Strategic Plan our approach starts with a belief that diversity is about more than a particular head count: it must reflect the quality and depth of interactions.  With programs like Unconquered Scholars, FSU is redefining what inclusion can mean on college campuses. These efforts have led to us being named one of only fifteen “Diversity Champion” universities nationally recognized by INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine. By valuing, celebrating, and leveraging the differences and similarities within our community, we create a fertile environment for problem-solving that fosters creativity, invention, and compassion. 

For more information about diversity and inclusion at FSU, please visit diversity.fsu.edu.