Environmentalism and Public Policy: Environmental Justice: Grassroots Activism and Its Impact on Public Policy Decision Making
2000/01/01 by Robert D. Bullard, Glenn S. Johnson · 472 citations
Social Sciences · #Civil society #Environmental Justice and Health Disparities #Environmental justice #Environmental movement #Environmentalism #Government (linguistics) #Grassroots #Injustice #Law #Opposition (politics) #Policy advocacy #Political science #Public administration #Public policy #Punitive damages #Sociology
paper · doi:10.1111/0022-4537.00184
published in Journal of Social Issues 56(3), 555-578 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2000/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Abstract
A growing body of evidence reveals that people of color and low‐income persons have borne greater environmental and health risks than the society at large in their neighborhoods, workplace, and playgrounds. Over the last decade or so, grassroots activists have attempted to change the way government implements environmental, health, and civil rights laws. Grassroots groups have organized, educated, and empowered themselves to improve the way government regulations and environmental policies are administered. A new movement emerged in opposition to environmental racism and environmenttal injustice. Over the last decades or so, grassroots activists have had some success in changing the way the federal government treats communities of color and their inhabitants. Grassroots groups have also organized, educated, and empowered themselves to improve the way health and environmental policies are administered. Environmentalism is now equated with social justice and civil rights.
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