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

569 reviews for:

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

It's super cool to read a book written by an alum of my high school!!!

I agree with other reviewers who have mentioned that the organization of the book can feel a bit choppy. Some of the discussion questions at the end of each chapter seem targeted toward someone just learning the material. Since the book is marketed as a "how to," I would have enjoyed more interactive, applied exercises.

Still, I took away a ton of useful, new information. I'm excited to refer to the resources guide in the future. Some takeaways:
- People of color have actually adopted plant based lifestyles at higher than average rates. 8% of Black Americans are strict vegans or vegetarians as opposed to 3% of the general population.
- Examples of global environmental racism and the dark side of green energy (wind farms on indigenous land in Oaxaca, lithium mining on indigenous land in the Atacama Desert).
- Regional textile and fabrics, what fibers are indigenous to each region, how can that be incorporated into fashion?
- The mother and father of environmental justice : hazel m Johnson and Dr. Robert Bullard
- More examples of the link between toxic waste locations and race in the US. How the new environmental legislation passed after the first Earth Day in 1970 actually directly diverted toxic waste into black brown and low income communities.
- Still, as of 2019, RACE IS THE NUMBER ONE INDICATOR of where toxic waste facilities are located in the US.

lyloster's review against another edition

3.0

medium-paced

agillen93's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

jessmferguson's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

miocyon's review against another edition

3.0

A short book that never quite gels. It's got some great general information on intersectionality and the basics of DEI, but the environment part of it isn't great. It offers the usual platitudes with little in the way of real solutions. It isn't great at presenting stats to back up its points, e.g., if you tell us "71% of African Americans live in counties that are in violation of federal air pollution standards" we need some context for that - what is it for the general population? Is it because most of them live in cities? What is it for all city dwellers? I guess I'm asking a lot of a thin book, and it's fine if you want a quick overview of the topic and want to find places to go deeper in specific areas.