Environmental justice is 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. For the American Lung Association, environmental justice represents the need to focus special attention on people living in at-risk communities. Low-income and African American children consistently have higher than normal levels of lead in their blood. A large number of hired farm workers in the United States, and especially in California, are people of color.
Farm workers suffer from pesticide-related illnesses.
Environmental Justice and Diesel The American Lung Association of California is working to reduce diesel emissions in California. The association advocates replacing diesel-powered buses and trucks with alternatively fueled vehicles powered by natural gas, fuel cells, or electricity. Diesel particulates are the most significant source of air toxics and account for 70 percent of the cancer risk from toxic air contaminants statewide. This is a significant environmental justice issue because low-income residents, and quite often people of color, live in communities located near freeways, shipping yards, and other areas with heavy diesel truck traffic. Diesel emissions are also released throughout the process of fuel production, refining, distribution and dispensing.