In a recent interview, Hop Hopkins, the newly appointed executive director of WildEarth Guardians, discusses his holistic approach to environmental conservation, emphasizing the interconnectedness of racial justice and environmental sustainability.
Susan Shain reports for High Country News.
In short:
- Hop Hopkins emphasizes the need for an intersectional approach in conservation, rejecting the separation of human and wild environments.
- He points out that environmental degradation and racial injustice are fueled by the same systems of extraction and disposability.
- Hopkins advocates for community-engaged strategies to transition workers from extractive industries to sustainable livelihoods without harm.
Key quote:
"You can't have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can't have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can't have disposable people without racism."
— Hop Hopkins, executive director of WildEarth Guardians
Why this matters:
Research shows that in the United States, Black, Hispanic and other communities of color are more likely to live near polluting industries and have less access to clean air and water. This is not just an issue of proximity to hazardous sites but also involves systemic inequalities in housing, healthcare and employment.
