In The Community
We’re in a time where many are fighting to improve the current state of our society for a better future. Political affiliations, racial divides, virus health hazards--these are issues at the forefront of many minds. Youth leaders like Diana Fernandez are working to ensure we can continue to address these and other issues, housed on Earth.
“[Climate justice] is often a white-led movement—even though it should be the minorities and BIPOC folks on the frontline,” youth activist Diana Fernandez said. “They’re the ones impacted by the environment the most.”
Climate activism is growing as sustainability awareness spreads. Fracking is now a widely recognized issue, beyond first being brought to light by indigenous people. Green consumerism is on the rise and has an expensive price tag.
Greta Thunberg is a household name as a sustainability leader--but why not Mari Copeny, a youth activist who began raising awareness of the water issue in Flint, Michigan at eight-years-old? Or Autumn Peltier, a Canadian Indigenous youth named Chief Water Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nations in Ontario, Canada. Or, what about Xiye Bastida, a Mexican-Chilean climate activist who received the 2018 “Spirit of the UN” award. Environmental racism runs deep and Generation Z is working to bring BIPOC representation to the sustainability movement.
Environmental justice is a reaction to environmental racism. Zero Hour, is a youth-led climate justice organization where Fernandez works. The organization fights this form of racism through the People’s Platform, that calls for all to work together in retrofitting housing for sustainability needs to creating affordable mass transit systems to restorative work like trees on Indigenous land. Zero Hour works to diversify the voices in climate and environmental justice conversations to preserve a livable future.
Sustainability is about maintaining a balance between the economy, society, and the environment. However, it’s marketed exclusively to groups that can afford newly fabricated and/or up-cycled, environmentally-friendly products like organic foods and natural supplements.
“What can help make a difference is the inclusion of minorities and low-income communities that can’t afford those items, Fernandez said. “It’s about making a sustainable living available to the majority, not just the one percent.”
Fernandez feels sustainability is about taking action, not solely about consuming new sustainable items. She believes sustainability products shouldn’t come with a high price tag as these brands aren’t playing an appropriate role in the environmental movement.
“I can’t afford an electric car or these cute zero waste things that you have in your house,” vegan educator Destiny DeJesus said. “But [how BIPOC contribute to sustainability], is we turn lights off when we leave the house. We’re the ones taking public transportation. We’re saving plastic bags and reusing them.”
DeJesus is a coordinator with Veggie Mijas, a collective where the BIPOC community can gather, discuss, and learn about a plant-based lifestyle. It’s common for many to choose a plant-based diet due to the environmental impact of the meat industry. But DeJesus made this adjustment to live a healthier life. Growing up in a Puerto Rican household in New York, eating empanadas and pasteles she learned how to alter these meat-based dishes for her vegan diet. Replacing beef with mushrooms in her empanadas has been difficult for her elder relatives to understand.
“It’s hard to tell someone who has lived 60 or 70 years, ‘now we’re eating plants,’” DeJesus said. “They’re not very receptive to that because they think, ‘oh you need the Puerto Rican chicken soup.’”
DeJesus claims she can “veganize anything.” She’s been able to convince her Nana to eat vegan staples like quinoa, but veganism doesn’t interest half her family. Her vegan journey started after moving to Texas. Attending vegan events, she realized she was one of a few persons of color in attendance. So, she started the Veggie Mijas Dallas Chapter.
“Veganism, in general, is very white-washed,” says DeJesus. “When you [search online] ‘vegan,’ you’re going to see a bunch of pictures of white athletes and yoga people. Because the face of veganism is so white, I was like ‘we need to create our own space for vegans of color because we experience different things.’”
Fernandez’s family understands her climate activism as wanting to preserve their home. Through her work of fighting climate injustice, specifically in their community, her parents view this as a way of protecting the Latinx community. Fernandez’s parents grew up in Cuba in the ’90s, where she said the impacts of climate change weren’t the first things on their minds.
“There’s much more of a conversation about climate [in the United States],” Fernandez said. “But, there is a lack of understanding about sustainability and the climate movement because of language barriers.”
Many minority and low-income communities aren’t involved in the climate movement. Limited income makes it difficult to afford pricier green products like organic food. Minority communities often face a language barrier to receiving information and resources. Many climate organizations are failing to provide resources in Spanish or to outreach in Latinx communities.
Although these spaces are primarily occupied by white people, it doesn’t mean sustainable BIPOC leaders or businesses don’t exist. Fernandez mentions she was attracted to This is Zero Hour because their diverse representation includes Latinas.
DeJesus says there are a handful of Latina eco-businesses in the Dallas area, while her social media feed is full of young Latina climate activists.
“We’re doing the work, we're just not getting any credit for it,” says DeJesus. “We’re not the ones driving electric cars and living in fancy Pinterest looking eco-friendly houses that we can post on social media. We’re doing the hard, dirty work in our communities, but no one is seeing it.”
The “work” is by already living a sustainable lifestyle to save money. DeJesus mentions BIPOC communities perform daily acts of sustainability like not running the A/C when out or running the water for too long. She acknowledges that it’s a privilege to not be sustainable.
“Those little things are super important,” DeJesus said. “We don’t have the agenda of saving the environment because we’re just trying to survive…we’re doing it for economical reasons as opposed to environmental reasons and because of that we’re not being highlighted.”
- Texas-Based Latinas Making Texas-Sized Waves in American Politics ›
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Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a reality we face today. And unfortunately, its effects are not distributed equally, with marginalized communities often bearing the brunt of environmental degradation. Now, sustainability isn't just a trend, it's a call to action.
And while we may not be able to single-handedly reverse the effects of decades of environmental damage, we can make a difference by adopting sustainable habits in our daily lives. Let's face it, going green can be daunting. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start and what impact our individual actions can have. But the truth is small changes can add up to big results.
So, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the climate crisis, remember that you're not alone. There are countless resources and communities out there to support you on your journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle. After all, sustainability is not just about sacrifice, it's about innovation and creativity in finding solutions to the challenges we face.
Here are some practical and achievable tips that can help you reduce waste, conserve energy, and promote a healthier planet.
Reduce, reuse, recycle!
Our mamás have always been ahead of the eco-friendly game – they knew how to work their magic by turning cookie tins into sewing kits and ice cream tubs into frijoles storage. It's time for all of us to hop on board and make sustainable choices by cutting back on consumption. Remember the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. By doing our part to minimize waste and find new uses for old things, we can make a big impact and keep those landfills in check.
Support brands that implement sustainable practices in their supply chain
Sustainability goes beyond not creating waste or emissions - it’s also ensuring that garment workers are fairly compensated for their work. From beginning to end, the entire lifecycle of a garment shouldn’t cause harm to the environment or the workers producing that garment. We love brands like Selva Negra and Wasi Clothing that are Latine-owned and sustainable!
Adopt zero-waste lifestyle practices into your routine
Some of our favorite examples of this include bringing your own bags to the grocery store, composting garbage at home, and creating less trash by purchasing packaging-free foods or products. You can usually do this by buying from farmer’s markets that typically use less packaging overall, or by buying from bulk food stores and bringing your own reusable packaging. It’s all about making less trash!
Give garments a second life
Here’s a not-so-fun fact: around 57% of all discarded clothes end up in landfills, producing half a million tons of microplastics each year. So next time you're eyeing that fancy new outfit, think twice about the true cost of fast fashion. Thrifting is a great way to give clothing a second life cycle, and some of our favorite ways to do this are by purchasing used clothing to upcycle it into newer pieces that fit your style. This way the fabric gets used again, and you get to fire up your sewing machine to show off your fashionista skills. Not into sewing? No problem! Thrifting is still a great way to use clothing that is already out there and make sure it doesn’t become trash at the end of the season.
Take public transit or use alternate ways to get around when possible
Public transit, ride-sharing, riding a bike, and even just walking are all excellent ways to get from point A to point B without hurting the environment.
BYOC - Bring your own cup
Love a morning coffee but always get a disposable cup? Try bringing your own to your outings to save on the trash (and money). This also applies to refusing disposable cutlery, using reusable straws, refusing receipts (opt-in for e-receipts when possible - they’re amazing), and avoiding wasteful single-use packaging.
Replace your hygiene products - or make your own
There are a few options when it comes to getting more eco-friendly period products, but we love reusable silicone soft cups or period panties. Going chemical-free for your pads, tampons, and opting for an aluminum-free deodorant also makes a huge difference not only for the environment but for your body as well - we’ll say thanks but no thanks to the unnecessary exposure. Into DIYs? You can make your own products at home, including soaps and more if you’ve got the knack for it!
Eat less meat
We know this one can be tough for some (we all love our carne asada) but meat production is one of the top emitters of greenhouse gases. Animal agriculture accounts for more greenhouse gas than all of the world’s transportation systems combined. Can’t go fully meatless? No problem! We recommend a Meatless Monday to start off with and work your way up from there.
Follow social media accounts to inspire your sustainable journey
We find that just seeing more things in our feeds reminds us to be more environmentally conscious. After all, we’re all in this (earth) together. Here are some of the accounts that keep us feeling inspired:
- How “Eco-Chic” is Driving Tulum’s Environmental Devastation ›
- New Report Confirms We're Almost out of Time to Avoid Climate Catastrophe ›
- That $8 Fashion Nova Top Is Wreaking Environmental Havoc - Luz Media ›
