Environmental Justice, Studies, and Sustainability

Written By Nina Argel

Interested in entering the field of Environmental Justice, Studies, and Sustainability? Here are some opportunities for youth interested in these career paths. 

Below you can find student-led organizations to join, non-profits and organizations, and online courses about these topics.

The Flint Michigan Water Crisis, redlining in Richmond, Virginia, and Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” are all examples of environmental injustices.  

  • What is environmental justice? Environmental injustice refers to the disproportionate and unfair distribution of environmental burdens, such as pollution and hazardous waste, which often target marginalized communities, leading to unequal health and social impacts.

  • Systemic racism is at the core of environmental injustice →  according to the Climate Reality Project, “Black and Latino individuals and families breathe 56–63% more pollution than they produce. All while white people breathe 17% less. And that’s just one example.” These environmental injustices are achieved through policies and actions that put low-income and communities of color in harmful situations, like locating them near more pollution, taking away more trees from their neighborhoods, etc. 

  • Environmental and climate justice is a civil rights issue, which is why it’s extremely important for the youngest generations to join the fight against these issues. These are people’s lives, rights, and homes; Earth is the home to all living things, but it’s cruel and unfair for individuals to be targeted with such unjust exposure to significantly more harmful environmental consequences. 

Student-led Organizations to join (some are usually looking for individuals to apply for leadership opportunities)

  • The Political Environment Inc → a youth-led non-profit working to combat systemically rooted environmental injustice and inequality | (instagram: @thepoliticalenvironment) | opportunities: collaboration, activists, and possibly contributors to their new initiative “because they can’t” | level: based in Dallas, Texas, functions globally 

  • Growth Beyond → Student-led organization working to support Sustainable Development Goals | (instagram: @growth.beyond) | opportunities: could email/DM for some | level: online, global

  • Inspirate → an organization emphasizing environmental awareness and creating environmental development | (instagram: @earth.inspirate) | opportunities: looking for team applications | level: online, global 

  • Climate Cardinals → youth-led non-profit organization focused on climate and the environment, has 10k+ volunteers in 80+ countries | (instagram: @climatecardinals) | opportunities: multiple team applications, applications to start a chapter, volunteering opportunities | level: global

  • Our Water Planet → youth-led non-profit focused on water equality | (instagram: @ourwaterplanet) | opportunities: team applications | level: online, global

  • Earth Unhurt → youth-led blog dedicated to raising awareness about climate change and reducing environmental footprints | (instagram: @earth.unhurt) | opportunities: team applications (in art, writing, editing, graphic designing, social media, etc.) | level: online, global

  • Clarkstown for Climate → youth-led non-profit bringing environmental awareness to Clarkstown, NY and to the world | (instagram: @clarkstownforclimate) | opportunities: DM for more | level: Clarkstown in Rockland County, NY; online 

  • Ecophile → an environmental conservation organization | (instagram: @ecophileorg) | opportunities: seasonal team applications | level: online, global 

Online Courses: (price and duration vary; most are usually free but you might have to pay for the certificate – it depends) 

Nina Argel
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