Environmental Justice Lab (EJL)

The study of environmental justice is the study of environmental inequality. Environmental inequality refers to the uneven distribution of environmental burdens (such as being exposed to toxins and waste disposal sites) and benefits (like access to clean water and safe neighborhoods) across space and time. EJL examines how space and place affect human and environmental well-being. 

We aim to promote more sustainable communities by democratizing access to environmental resources, promoting shared governance, and increasing equity and community participation in decision-making processes around liveable healthy places, water security, food access, climate change adaptation, disaster preparedness, and more. This lab raises the questions as to why marginalized communities are on the frontlines of environmental harm and how we can transform our communities so each and all can thrive, advancing research that educates and advocates for the interests of people and sustainable communities in West Virginia and greater Appalachia.