Any Planet Gore reader want to enter?
Faces of the Grassroots: Environmental Justice Video Contest
Contest deadline extended! Submit entries by April 15th!
We are sponsoring an environmental justice video contest that challenges amateur and professional filmmakers to create videos that capture the faces of the environmental justice movement. The Faces of the Grassroots contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity, environmental justice stories, and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement. Learn more about Environmental Justice.
Faces of the Grassroots contest is an opportunity to:
- tell your environmental justice stories,
- publicly exhibit your creativity, and
- connect with others working to raise awareness about environmental justice.
Videos can focus on any environmental justice activity, issue, or topic. For example:
- submit a music video about climate change and how it will affect your community,
- send us a video describing what environmental justice means to you, or
- highlight a project that made your community a healthier and happier place to live.
Awards will be given to the winning submissions in each category. The videos will also be featured on EPA’s website and may be used as public service announcements. Entries must be received by 11:59pm Eastern time on Thursday, April 15th. We will announce winners in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.
And here’s the EPA’s description of “Environmental Justice“:
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
What is meant by fair treatment and meaningful involvement?
- Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies
- Meaningful Involvement means that:
- people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health;
- the public’s contribution can influence the regulatory agency’s decision;
- their concerns will be considered in the decision making process; and
- the decision makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected
EPA and Environmental Justice
EPA’s goal is to provide an environment where all people enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to maintain a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.
EPA’s environmental justice mandate extends to all of the Agency’s work, including setting standards, permitting facilities, awarding grants, issuing licenses and regulations and reviewing proposed actions by the federal agencies. EPA works with all stakeholders to constructively and collaboratively address environmental and public health issues and concerns. The Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) coordinates the Agency’s efforts to integrate environmental justice into all policies, programs, and activities. The Office also provides information, technical and financial resources to assist and enable the Agency to meet its environmental justice goals and objectives.
I guess the good news is the more time they spend playing Sundance-judge, the less time they have for messing up the economy.