Vibrant Environment

Every year, from September 15 to October 15, we observe Hispanic Heritage Month across the United States to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic culture to the nation’s achievements, culture, and history. Though the month has now officially come to an end this year, centering Hispanic and Latinx histories, issues, and voices in the environmental field must be a year-round effort. 

Each summer, ELI's interns complete an independent research project (IRP) where they choose a topic to explore deeper. This blog offers an insight into the chosen focus and the research outcome.

This blog was written before the Farm Bill expired.

When a court decides on an issue in a case, their written opinion contains the reasoning and resolution for that issue. As a law student, I read dozens of such decisions. Sometimes, court opinions are clear. But more frequently, as many law students across the country will tell you, they can be difficult and arcane. The most challenging sort, however, are the decisions where the law is clear, but the outcome is unfair or illogical.

Andrea had never been on a kayak before. In fact, she was terrified of the water. But after one short kayaking trip in Newton, she wanted nothing more than to share the exhilarating experience with her family. The river had sparked something in her – a new connection with the natural world.

"We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share." – Maya Angelou

Communities living near chemical plants—on the “fenceline” in policy parlance—cannot continue to be exposed to cancer causing toxic emissions.

The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, resulting in devastating climate and environmental disruption. According to the Third National Climate Assessment, the Artic is experiencing earlier spring snowmelt, reduced sea ice, widespread glacier retreat, warmer permafrost, drier landscapes, and more intense wildfires, rendering parts of the region uninhabitable. 

For decades, the East End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut, has faced the environmental, health and economic ordeal of Mount Trashmore, a three-story abandoned waste dump. In the 1990s, local community members’ advocacy helped clean up the site. Unfortunately, remediation was incomplete. The site became a magnet for illegal dumping, health hazards, disinvestment, and crime.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published its proposed Phase II National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule on July 31, 2023.

By formally recognizing the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment through two separate resolutions in 2022, the United Nations has set the stage for a more just and inclusive world. Big headlines like this often overlook all the background work necessary to make it happen. That’s what makes the 2023 UN Human Rights Prize incredibly exciting.