Sustainable Communities and the Challenge of Environmental Justice

by Julian Agyeman

Argues that environmental justice and the sustainable communities movement are compatible

Popularized in the movies Erin Brockovich and A Civil Action , “environmental justice” refers to any local response to a threat against community health. In this book, Julian Agyeman argues that environmental justice and the sustainable communities movement are compatible in practical ways. Yet sustainability, which focuses on meeting our needs today while not compromising the ability of our successors to meet their needs, has not always partnered with the challenges of environmental justice.

Sustainable Communities and the Challenge of Environmental Justice explores the ideological differences between these two groups and shows how they can work together. Agyeman provides concrete examples of potential model organizations that employ the types of strategies he advocates. This book is vital to the efforts of community organizers, policymakers, and everyone interested in a better environment and community health.

Genres: Environment, Sustainability

245 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Kelda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it came to transportation and land-use I was delighted to see all the connections to e.j. Duh. I usually talk about urban sprawl in a very white-oriented audience, but hadn't made the connection that lots of groups of people feel the impacts of urban sprawl, after all we're waiting for the bus together. i've been thinking of the bigger issue for people of color being that of gentrification/smart growth in the cities, and it may be the bigger issue, but i haven't strayed too far into la-la land, all the better to try to look at the whole problem at once.

and i love the concept of 'environmental space' instead of 'ecological footprint'. a ceiling and a floor! i think the 'fair share' as a pc ethic is a really good, simple way of saying it.

and, i was repeatedly struck that permaculture in theory has a lot going for it into the 'just sustainability' movement, but how it's not making that connection in practice. proactive, people-based, grassroots, changing the system. not singular on habitat-conservation but instead 'what can we do?' and the solutions are often good at saving money too.

anyway, much food for conversation!
:)

but oy! those first few chapters! academia drives me bonkers! 'just say it, yo!!'

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book because I read the glowing blurbs of it on amazon, and added it to my wish list. A mistake on my part, I think, as the book turned out to be an unfortunate example of how bizarre writing on certain topics can become when transferred into academic jargon and citation. I can't really see this book being very useful to either environmental justice activists or to sociologists interested in really understanding the environmental justice movement. The concepts are so basic to anyone already working in environmental justice, but they're dressed up here to look more authoritative - to convince whom, I'm not sure. The author's whole argument has been made many times before, and usually more quickly and elegantly at that.

[Mic Mathre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great overview of the Environmental Justice movement, it's origins and where it needs to go.