By King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove
Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the past, but for our region’s elected officials it must also serve as an important reminder of just how far we have to go. We can—and must—do better. This year I’m spending Juneteenth thinking more critically about what role decision-makers must play in addressing the intersection of racial and environmental justice.
As the current Chair of the King County Council and a former state legislator,
I have had a distressing front row seat to witnessing the devastating impacts that environmental policies have, and continue to have, on communities of color.
Moreover, I have come to realize that environmental justice is a matter of racial justice.
Environmental justice is a matter of ensuring equal protection and equal opportunities. It is about deconstructing the systems that perpetuate shocking health disparities. It is about implementing environmental policies that will at last prioritize the mental and physical well-being of marginalized communities. It’s about being fair.
If you feel like these goals seem unattainable, you are not alone.
Communities of color, particularly in our larger cities, have been historically marginalized and subjected to discriminatory practices such as redlining, segregation, and disinvestment. These policies have led to the concentration of industries and harmful facilities in these communities. Highways, toxic waste sites, polluting factories, and other environmental hazards are often located in close proximity to BIPOC neighborhoods, causing adverse health and economic consequences
These outcomes have led to a shocking array of health disparities and socio-economic inequalities within BIPOC communities. Studies have consistently shown that these communities face higher rates of asthma, respiratory diseases, lead poisoning, and a seemingly endless list of other health problems. It is unjust and unacceptable that the air we breathe and the water we drink are contributing to the deterioration of any person’s health and well-being.
Climate change in particular directly impacts human health, and once again, people of color and our immigrant and refugee communities bear the brunt of these consequences. Increased temperatures, air pollution, and extreme weather events can make asthma, heart diseases, and heat-related illnesses even worse. It causes food insecurity and housing instability and a litany of other issues.
So how do we get out of this cycle? Education and awareness are crucial. We must educate individuals, and policymakers in particular, about the importance of environmental justice and its direct correlation to racial justice. By fostering a deeper understanding of these interconnected issues, we can begin to right our historical wrongs and mobilize a new movement to create meaningful change.
We can also summon the will to enact meaningful and tangible new policies, such as King County’s Climate Action Plan. I was proud to support this measure, particularly because the framework was developed by a community-driven process where frontline and BIPOC communities served as our Climate Equity Community Task Force.
We need to put our money where our mouth is. That’s why King County also recently allocated $20 million for climate equity projects. Nearly $2 million has been invested in a pilot program to install cooling systems in homes in White Center and Skyway. An additional $5 million is being used to install green building elements in new, affordable homes. We have developed a Green Jobs Strategic Plan. We are also now in the process of fully electrifying King County’s bus fleet, starting in the communities where underserved people are facing the greatest environmental impacts, such as South King County.
None of these changes alone can solve the problem. We can and must work together to accomplish far more at the local, state, and federal levels. Let’s work together to build a future where environmental justice is no longer a distant dream but a new reality for all. These issues cannot be ignored any longer. It’s beyond time to make things right.
King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove has represented South King County on the Council for the past nine years. He previously served 12 years in the Washington State legislature, where he chaired the House Environment Committee.
