Key cases
In what year did the Warren County PCB protests happen?
1982
What type of justice means sharing environmental benefits and harms fairly?
Distributional justice
How many EJ Principles were written in 1991?
17
What does Critical Environmental Justice focus on that traditional EJ sometimes overlooks?
It focuses on power, structural inequalities, intersectionality, and deeper systemic change.
What forms of resistance did Warren County residents use to fight the PCB landfill?
Peaceful marches, road blockades, and mass arrests.
What type of justice is about everyone having a fair say in decisions?
Procedural justice
Which EJ Principle says the Earth is sacred?
Principle 1
What does intersectionality help us understand about people’s experiences with environmental injustice?
That overlapping identities (like race, class, gender) can create compounded disadvantages.
According to Burwell & Cole, how did the Warren County community change after the protests, even though the landfill was built?
They built long-term political networks and helped launch the EJ movement nationally.
Which type of justice means respecting cultures and identities?
Recognitional justice
Which Principle says Native sovereignty and treaties must be respected?
Principle 11
Why is scale important in EJ?
Problems happen at local, national, and global levels.
How do Indigenous scholars (like Gilio-Whitaker) critique the EJ framework when applied to Native struggles?
It can overlook sovereignty, settler colonialism, and unique Indigenous perspectives.
What type of justice is about fixing past harms?
Restorative justice
Which Principle says victims of EJ should get compensation and healthcare?
Principle 9
What does “expendability” mean in EJ?
That some groups are treated as disposable or less valuable, making them more likely to face harm.
Why is Warren County remembered as important for EJ?
It’s called the birthplace of the EJ movement.
Which type of justice connects EJ to bigger struggles for fairness in society?
Social justice
What do the EJ Principles ask individuals to do about waste and resources?
Consume less, waste less, and reprioritize lifestyles
How does Critical EJ connect to Black Lives Matter?
Both expose how systemic racism and inequality shape people’s lives, and both call for justice and transformation.