The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet

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The author describes The Intersectional Environmentalist as "simultaneously a call to action, a guide to instigating change for all, and a pledge to work towards the empowerment of all people and the betterment of the planet." Nobody could've said it better. The exploration of the feminine connection is centuries old. Ecofeminism, a term coined by Ynestra King, is “a philosophy and a movement that exposes the dual oppressions of women and the environment as rooted in patriarchal structures” (p. 29). Under ecofeminism, the treatment of women is indicative of the treatment of the planet (and vice versa) because we live in a capitalist and patriarchal society. There are two branches to ecofeminism. Cultural ecofeminism is concerned with gender roles, biology, spirituality, and religion as a basis for their belief that women are strongly connected with the earth. Radical ecofeminism is not concerned with gender roles, but rather dismantling the patriarchy and the idea that women and the earth are commodities.

Linked also to racism, dangerous eco-fascist narratives blaming environmental destruction solely on overpopulation rather than over-consumption also risks compromising women’s reproductive rights. LGBTQ+ Communities The Intersectional Environmentalist covers a broad range of topics: feminism, anti-racism, ecofeminism, Environmental Justice, and some individual issues in the environmental movement such as fast fashion, climate change, renewable energy, and food justice. This book is perfect for people who may know about environmentalism, or anti-racism or feminism, and need to know how they fit together. Leah Thomas is at the beginning of a movement that is overwhelming in its scope, the overlap of social justice and environmentalism is important and it's huge. I'm excited to see where this movement goes, and I think having this little guide on the shelf is a good start. Leah Thomas, founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist platform, joins world leaders, policymakers, and fellow activists to convene about climate action for the United Nations’ twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties, known as COP26. Thomas is attending COP26 as a member of the press in addition to being one of the “influential leaders and thinkers” speaking at The New York Times Climate Hub, which coincides with the world summit.From the 2022 TIME100 Next honoree and the activist who coined the term comes a primer on intersectional environmentalism for the next generation of activists looking to create meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change. I really wish that the history of the environmental justice movement, in particular, was taught in my program. We learned all about the creation of Earth Day and the formation of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which occurred after the passage of environmental laws, like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. I didn’t really hear a lot about how the environmental movement really co-opted a lot of the successful protest strategies from the civil rights movement, but without the people from the civil rights movement.

Intersectionality was a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989 in her article Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex, which you can read more about here. Crenshaw also helped create critical race theory, which is a theory that examines how race and identity intersect with power structures. There are two recurring arguments to critical race theory: An essential read, this book gives voice to a movement that will define a generation."— Yale Climate Connections One way that people can educate themselves is by reading your forthcoming book, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet. Could you please tell us more about that? The Intersectional Environmentalist] shares data in an accessible, compelling, and engaging manner, and explores a variety of topics, including ableism, veganism, green energy, representation and more. It’s dense, but not overwhelming, and it also provides a “tool kit” and a supplementary reading list, to help you expand your knowledge once you finish this book. The Intersectional Environmentalist is at once a call to action, a guide to galvanize change, and a way to empower all people towards the betterment of the planet."— She Does the City The founder of Intersectional Environmentalist is building toward a greener, more equitable future by advocating for both sustainability and social justice while spotlighting communities that have been underrepresented in the space... She's aiming to set the movement on the right path with her new book, The Intersectional Environmentalist."— instyle.comI would tell world leaders that most of the climate solutions are already there. I don’t like the way solving the climate crisis is being marketed as a way to make money in renewable energy. If you look at the statistics, Indigenous peoples protect 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. So, why are we talking about these extravagant solutions when there are incredible people around the world who already have solutions to the problem? The Intersectional Environmentalist is a useful start for anyone looking to get involved with or understand more about environmental justice, and who wants to learn about it through a framework that ensures the most vulnerable are centered."— Shondaland

This book is really a history book in some ways; it talks about eco-feminism and intersectional theory. It talks about the ‘father’ and ‘mother’ of the environmental justice movement. Readers will hear from diverse people around the world about how they practice environmentalism and explore these perspectives from a nuanced approach. Displacement may be caused directly by extreme weather events such as flooding, hurricanes and droughts, but also due to secondary events driven by climate instability like conflict, economic failure and political unrest. Estimates vary but it has been suggested there may be 200 million climate migrants by 2050. More protection and recognition of climate refugees is essential for the future. Alongside empathy and fair solutions from the countries in the Global North rather than heightening hostility. Women Intersectionality is now more broadly used. It highlights how aspects of a person’s social and political identities (e.g. gender, sex, race, class, sexuality, religion, disability, physical appearance and more) combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege. It is a concept that transfers significantly into environmentalism and the impacts of the climate and ecological crisis. In 1969, Ohio’s Cuyahoga River engulfed into flames from flammable oil, gas, and toxic waste and millions took to the streets. Shortly after on April 22, 1970, Earth Day happened. At Earth Day, a movement of 20 million Americans, largely led and attended by white people, called on the government to improve environmental policy. According to Arturo Sandoval, Earth Day created long-term issues because environmentalists thought they could succeed without people of color and that upper-middle-class citizens were enough to get the job done. The successes of Earth Day, which include the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the passage of the Clean Air Act, and the passage of the Clean Water Act, did not protect all Americans equally. The Intersectional Environmentalist enlightens the reader about the way issues of environmental injustice are interconnected with social injustices including racism, in the past and at present. This book effectively reveals to the reader the unamplified moments when entire communities have been put in environmental danger, neglected, and systemically silenced. The Intersectional Environmentalist captures the reader’s interest right from the start simply through how the author presents the ordinary silenced facts; like the poisoned Altgeld Gardens communities in chapter two. Considering the list of things that are plaguing the world today and how many of those have been compartmentalised in little boxes of knowledge, Leah Thomas has accomplished a great task with her intersectional environmentalist theory. When the author lays these facts bare to the reader through real examples, she calls on everyone to unite and advocate for the silenced voices. This clear appeal to the reader compels a sense of agency in them. This is how The Intersectional Environmentalist may effectively turn the reader into an environmental justice activist. This book emphatically points out to the reader that when one claims to advocate for the well-being of the planet, they need to equally consider the same for all the human and non-human inhabitants of the planet.

Before colonialism, indigenous communities were living in balance with the land, sustaining both themselves and nature for thousands of years without the requirement for harmful extractive processes. As indigenous peoples live closer to the land, they are often the first to recognise the effects of climate change and feel the brunt of impacts the hardest, it can threaten their very existence. Few countries recognise indigenous land rights, with ancestral land often being used without proper consultation for damaging industries such as mining, logging, pipelines, large scale agriculture and more. What advice would you give to the next generation of activists who want to get involved in the intersectional climate movement? Where can they start? The LGBTQ+ community are also likely to suffer more from the consequences of climate-related disasters. For example, being denied relief and facing discrimination. During hurricane Katrina trans people faced discrimination in emergency shelters including being turned away. For some looking for an all-in-one kind of resource, The Intersectional Environmentalist won't feel like enough. With so many intertwined issues being presented at once, it can feel overwhelming. But for people looking for a launchpad to develop their most impactful work, this is it. Climate change related events are much more likely to impact those without stable housing. LQBTQ+ people are more likely to be homeless. For example 24% of homeless youth in the UK are from the LGBTQ+ community. People with Disabilities