This blog posting is derived from an article I recently published in the University of Missouri, Kansas City Law Review at the invitation of our Fellow and friend Irma Russell, to whom I am indebted for much guidance and counsel over decades. If by chance you are inspired by the below words to read the full piece, you can find the article here along with Professor Russell’s compelling overview for the Review’s symposium issue focused on sustainability.

In my article, I outline that for over six decades, countless environmental movements and trends have transformed our collective relationship as humans with the natural world and our policies protecting it. With environmental justice and sustainability emerging as pillar policies, they are now critical elements of the foundation of today’s – and the future’s – thriving communities.  What is interesting, however, is that both the sustainability and environmental justice movements developed separately and have not always intentionally been aligned. We now know, and have tangible examples, of the community wins that are evident when we put these two initiatives and the passionate people behind each together.

We well know that the environmental justice movement was initially born of the civil rights movement and specifically focused on explicitly identifying and rectifying disparate environmental impacts, scientifically documented, across our nation.  It gained further mainstream support at the federal level when in 1994 when President Bill Clinton issued the first environmental justice-related executive order, introducing the movement into federal policy. Fast forward thirty years where President Biden has signed three executive orders that have focused on environmental justice.

Next, sustainability, a topic of immense importance, has its own rich history with several significant milestones. Domestically, the sustainability movement took its’ moon leap with Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring, followed by the establishment of the concept with the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act. The 1972 UN Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, was another turning point, being the first global conference with the environment as its focal point. While numerous other milestones have followed since then, a recent President Biden Executive Order is a noteworthy addition. Executive Order 14057 primarily focuses on the net-zero emission target, advancing sustainability efforts in the federal government.

Both movements share significant similarities, leading to combining bits and pieces of each initiative to advance communities’ health and environmental awareness. For example, in 1991, the EPA established a connection between environmental justice and sustainability at the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit. Several communities serve as examples of the integration between sustainability and environmental justice. The EPA has introduced several projects, including the ReGenesis Project in North Carolina, two in California, the Fruitvale Transit Village, and the Westside Specific Plan.

It doesn’t stop there. The EPA has dozens of projects focused on advancing the integration of both movements to increase the health and equity of American communities. There is a New York City project involving clean buses and one in Miami, Florida, focusing on green and affordable housing. There is a project in Woburn, Massachusetts, aimed at redeveloping the Wells G and H superfund site into commercial and residential sites, and another project in Harlan County, Kentucky, converting them from a coal-centric economy to a green one. While measures must be taken to integrate these movements, the examples prove that the combination can be done successfully. Merging the movements allow communities to thrive and evolve towards a greener future. Focusing on the intersection puts both movements front and center, creating more awareness and providing Americans with better communities.

While overburdened communities have been the primary beneficiaries of environmental justice and sustainability, the intersection of these two movements benefits all communities. A powerful advocate once told a prominent law professor, “Once you open your eyes, you can never close them again.” This speaks volumes about sustainability and environmental justice movements as they’re problems that you can’t un-see once they’re there. With that said, it is pertinent that making decisions involving these two movements, whether together or separate, need to be considered carefully as we enter a more urbanized and populated world. Leveraging this intersection paves the way for a healthier, more equitable future for U.S. communities.