Season 2 - Episode 2 - Environmental Justice: Dignity Rights, Disparities, and Outlook

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This week Chris was joined by James May (Distinguished Professor of Law, Washburn University) and Dana Johnson (Chief Movement Advisor, Strategic Movement Collective, LLC). The topic for this episode is environmental justice and dignity rights. Taping this made us think of the golden rule, you know the one that most of us learn around Kindergarten, "treat others as you want to be treated". Policy choices over decades have led to environmental justice areas and associated elevated health impacts. Objectively, there's just too much activity going on in these areas, with highways often built through the middle, amplifying the problem with mobile source emissions. 

There have been a flurry of changes at the federal level on EJ, but the main drivers for policy improvements are still state programs and community groups. Industry has an opportunity here to show that they understand these issues, and are taking tangible steps to reduce their impacts and maximize benefits to the community. To be a "good neighbor" means embracing these issues for the long haul, and objectively presenting environmental, economic, and social impacts to all major projects at the proposal stage. 

This episode is not always optimistic, not always easy to hear, but it is an important conversation with two experts in their fields. Enjoy.