Insist on environmental justice

The EPA defines environmental justice as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." That means the environment is everyone's business. Dumps should not be placed primarily in low-income neighborhoods, as they often are now. Chemical plants should not primarily pollute the land, air and water in low-income communities, as they often do now. Financially wealthy countries should not dump their trash on financially less wealthy countries, as we do now.

Here are a few things you can do to insist on environmental justice:

* Visit the EPA to learn about land, water and air pollution in your community.

* Read more about Margie Eugene-Richard who has been working for environmental justice in Norco, Louisiana for many years. Her work is a model and inspiration for us all.

* Learn more about the ways toxins and pollution in the environment can affect your health. Visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

* Decrease the negative impact you have on the environment by doing the following: REDUCE the amount you use. REUSE whatever you can. RECYCLE so that the raw materials can be reused, reducing the need to produce more. RESTORE, to replace what you used.

The earth is a gift to all of us. Let's take care of it, so that we and our children can continue to live and thrive on it.