California Student Environmental & Food Justice Movements

Many California public school students lack exposure to any formal, academic curriculum that emphasizes environmental awareness and activism. This may result in a population of adults who believe they know more about the environment than they actually do, lack the skills to compete in an expanding green job market, lack creativity and the ability to problem-solve, suffer from obesity, depression, anxiety, and attention disorders, and unknowingly contribute to the ever-increasing problems of air and water pollution, land and habitat destruction, and other environmental injustices. Community organizations and university programs are filling this much-needed gap in student environmental education, as they involve youth in understanding the principles of environmental activism, justice, and sustainability. But who are these students who are being informally educated to become tomorrow’s environmental pioneers? It is these students who can provide a greater understanding of the motivations, life experiences, and community impact of environmental and food justice activists.