The intersectional environmentalist: how to dismantle systems of oppression to protect people + planet

Abstract

The Intersectional Environmentalist enlightens the reader about the way issues of environmental injustice are interconnected with social injustices including racism, in the past and at present. This book effectively reveals to the reader the unamplified moments when entire communities have been put in environmental danger, neglected, and systemically silenced. The Intersectional Environmentalist captures the reader ’ s interest right from the start simply through how the author presents the ordinary silenced facts; like the poisoned Altgeld Gardens communities in chapter two. Considering the list of things that are plaguing the world today and how many of those have been compartmentalised in little boxes of knowledge, Leah Thomas has accomplished a great task with her intersectional environmentalist theory. When the author lays these facts bare to the reader through real examples, she calls on everyone to unite and advocate for the silenced voices. This clear appeal to the reader compels a sense of agency in them. This is how The Intersectional Environmentalist may effectively turn the reader into an environmental justice activist. This book emphatically points out to the reader that when one claims to advocate for the well-being of the planet, they need to equally consider the same for all the human and non-human inhabitants of the planet. Icannot give enough praise to the "pledge breakouts" and "chapter discussion questions" at the end of each chapter. They capture the readership in an active stance of reflexive learning which helps to highlight meaning in all the significant educational concepts. Through the pledges, the author reaches out to the just nature of humanity in her readership and in this way appeals to them to think rationally about how both human inhabitants of the planet need as much healing as the environment because both have been hurt for a very long time. Through the pledge breakouts a significant call to everyone ’ s commitment is made. The pledge breakouts have been strategically placed at the end of the chapters after the reader has been given all