Across California, low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to our pollution, whether its lead in their water, particulates in their air, or proximity to toxic sites and hazardous waste. This burden comes with serious health impacts, impacts that have been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recently, an alliance of environmental justice organizations came out with an assessment of California state agencies and how they are doing when it comes to protecting not only our environment also our most vulnerable populations. Perhaps not surprisingly, in many cases there’s much room for improvement.
Terra Verde host and Earth Island Journal Managing Editor Zoe Loftus-Farren discusses the assessment and more with Ingrid Brostrom, Assistant Director of the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, and Diana Vazquez, Policy Manager with the California Environmental Justice Alliance.