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It’s #EarthDay2021 
and it really needs to be pointed out how many environmental campaigns either ignore that #disabled people exist or are willing to sacrifice our health, safety, & wellbeing in the name of “saving the planet.”
What do I mean? Examples like:
and it really needs to be pointed out how many environmental campaigns either ignore that #disabled people exist or are willing to sacrifice our health, safety, & wellbeing in the name of “saving the planet.”What do I mean? Examples like:
Straw bans, getting rid of plastics, telling people to stop shopping online & “shop local,” pushing for “car free zones,” stigmatizing disposable products & things like packaged precut produce...
Every one of these puts disproportionate burden on the #disabled population.
Every one of these puts disproportionate burden on the #disabled population.
Trust me: #disabled people DO care about climate change, especially because we bear a disproportionate level of the effects of that as well.
But campaigns that HARM disabled people in the name of solving climate change? That ain’t it y’all. And here’s the thing:
But campaigns that HARM disabled people in the name of solving climate change? That ain’t it y’all. And here’s the thing:
Most of these lifestyle changes for individuals actually do very little to change the overall effects of climate change anyways. Why?
Because the bulk of the issue is caused by large corporations and macro-level policies.
Because the bulk of the issue is caused by large corporations and macro-level policies.
No amount of straw bans or charging for grocery bags can offset the damage of corporate polluters and large scale energy and environmental policy.
But they CAN and DO harm already marginalized populations, like #disabled people.
But they CAN and DO harm already marginalized populations, like #disabled people.
Does that mean that you *shouldn’t* make personal lifestyle changes to take better care of the earth? Not at all. Plant a pollinator garden, shop at the local farmers market, use that reusable water bottle... by all means, you can make whatever changes you feel able. You do you!
The problem comes when we try to legislate bans (like the straw-bans, or cities that want to enforce car free zones,) when we stigmatize things like using disposable products as bad/irresponsible, and when we lay blame on *individuals* for the climate crisis.
Be careful of letting your feelings about “doing your part” in fighting climate change distract you from getting involved in the ACTUAL fight. Even if we all planted a tree and bought cute canvas grocery totes, it wouldn’t be enough. It’s going to take serious political activism.
But most of all, please please please be aware of whose voices have been excluded in your activism.
The burden for addressing climate change should not fall disproportionately on the most marginalized among us.
And that includes #disabled people.
The burden for addressing climate change should not fall disproportionately on the most marginalized among us.
And that includes #disabled people.
Environmental activism that throws the health, safety, and wellbeing of #disabled people under the bus in the name of saving the planet has completely missed the point.
You can’t create a better world unless it’s a better world for ALL of us.
You can’t create a better world unless it’s a better world for ALL of us.
