Final exam - compare contrast ecological and environmental justice Flashcards
Intro
Environmental justice and ecological justice are two important approaches to creating a fairer and more sustainable world.
While both aim to address harm and promote justice, they focus on different subjects: environmental justice emphasizes human rights in the face of environmental harm, while ecological justice includes the rights of ecosystems and non-human life.
This essay argues that although both are important, environmental justice is more practical and urgent because it directly connects to inequality, health, and real-world policy solutions.
BP1 - Environmental Justice
Environmental justice focuses on how environmental harm disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
This includes unequal exposure to pollution, lack of access to clean water, and being left out of environmental decision-making.
It’s grounded in social justice, highlighting how race, class, and location determine who faces the worst environmental risks.
In many cities, lower-income neighborhoods are closer to factories or highways, leading to worse air quality and health outcomes.
At a local event called Sunfest, I once participated in a recycling program and saw firsthand how public efforts can reduce waste and raise awareness, especially in busy, high-traffic community spaces.
BP2 - Ecological Justice
Ecological justice takes a broader view, arguing that animals, plants, and ecosystems have rights too.
It challenges human-centered thinking and pushes us to see the Earth as a shared system where all life matters.
Eco-radical movements, like deep ecology and Earth First, call for protecting nature even when it’s not directly linked to human benefit. While powerful in theory, this approach can be harder to apply in everyday life or government policy because it often clashes with economic development and human needs.
BP3 - why environmental is better
Environmental justice feels more urgent and realistic because it deals with issues people face right now—like unsafe drinking water or toxic waste in their neighborhoods.
It’s also easier to rally public support for justice when people’s health or livelihoods are at stake.
While ecological justice is morally important, especially for long-term sustainability, it’s often too abstract to drive immediate change.
By focusing first on environmental justice, we build public understanding, political will, and collective action—which can later expand to include ecological justice as well.
Conclusion
Both environmental and ecological justice are necessary for a truly fair and sustainable future.
However, environmental justice is a more practical starting point because it speaks directly to human suffering and inequality.
Addressing those issues first lays the groundwork for a deeper respect for all life on Earth.
In the end, a just society must care for both people and the planet—but it starts by making sure no one is left behind.
