The Power of Narrative in Environmental Justice

Environmental justice has had remarkable success grabbing headlines and capturing consensus in a world full of competing local and national interests. Environmental narratives fill the headlines and have been highly successful in mobilizing diverse groups in common cause and advocacy for equitable distribution of environmental benefits, burdens, representation, and decision-making. One very powerful tool in this movement is narrative storytelling.

• Authentic Experiences : Stories remind us that everyone has unique and valid experiences to share. In a world of fast-paced headlines and social media, stories invite us to slow down and listen authentically.
• Connecting Emotionally : Environmental justice information often conveyed through mainstream media can be fact-based and depersonalized. However, stories told by advocates “on the ground” allow us to appreciate a different kind of expertise. They connect us emotionally to the movement, making it more relatable and impactful.
• Challenging Authority : Before environmental justice gained mass recognition, stories—whether in pamphlets, surveys, slogans, or visual art—conveyed mostly localized experiences of environmental racism, and economic stratification. These narratives challenged the authority of scientific, political, economic, and academic institutions.
• Dual Perspective :storytelling operates with a dual perspective: understanding how to survive normative cultures that create toxicities while strategically connecting with financial and activist supports with socio-economically disenfranchised groups, that also hold wisdom on ecological mutualism, strategic resistance, and the desire for improved futures.
• Empowering Education:  educators model the wisdom of environmental justice through storytelling. Young person Greta Thunberg’s two books, “No Person is too Small” and “The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions” exemplify a generational commitment to advocacy. Through sharing personal narratives, students often find their unique voices and communicate both passionately and effectively about environmental justice.

Tales that Told it All

Both environmental memoir and non-fiction have played crucial roles in shaping our perceptions and motivating action toward environmental issues. Compelling narratives bring both visibility to issues and drive change. Effective environmental campaigns often in part derive from inspiring and often tragic personal stories that go beyond perfunctory information dissemination—they inspire action, foster a sense of responsibility, and empower individuals to make a difference.

Remarkable early narrative contributors to the field included Rachel Carson and Hazel Johnson, two influential pioneers in the realm of environmental management and justice:  Rachel Louise Carson (1907–1964) was an American marine biologist, author, and environmentalist. Her groundbreaking book, “Silent Spring” (published in 1962), is considered one of the most influential environmental texts of the 20th century. It had a tremendous Impact: “Silent Spring” raised public awareness about the harmful effects of pesticides, particularly DDT, on wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.

(Photo: Rachel Carson)

Carson’s work, which she called “the poison book” led to increased scrutiny of pesticide use and ultimately contributed to the banning of DDT in the United States. “If we are living so intimately with chemicals—eating and drinking them, taking them into the very marrow of our bones—we had better know something about their nature and their power.” Carson’s scientific background and elegant writing had wide audience appeal. She was adept at weaving the interconnectedness of nature and humanity; her message was that in service and stewardship of our environment we all benefit.

(Photo: Hazel Johnson)

“It’s like living in hell” Hazel Johnson (1935–2011) testified in describing the effects of toxic pollution and hazardous waste in her community. Johnson stood her ground and became known affectionately as the “mother of the environmental justice movement.”. Johnson’s commitment to improving the environment began in her own community of Altgeld Gardens, a public housing project on the South Side of Chicago. She discovered that Altgeld Gardens had the highest cancer rate in the city due to environmental factors.

(Photo: Altgeld Gardens)

The housing project was built on a landfill surrounded by toxicity, leading to air, water, and land pollution. Taking matters into her own hands, Johnson founded the People for Community Recovery organization. She educated Altgeld Gardens residents about toxic waste, empowered them to play a positive role, and provided workshops on recognizing environmental hazards. Johnson believed in environmental change on a global scale. She collaborated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and urged President Clinton to sign the Environmental Justice Executive Order. Johnson was fearless in her activism. She protested highly capitalized, and government supported private landfill corporations threatening her community’s health. Hazel Johnson’s dedication to a cleaner and safer environment for future generations is widely recognized and her work continues to be a role model in the ongoing fight for worldwide environmental justice.

Both Rachel Carson and Hazel Johnson exemplify the power of individual action in shaping environmental policies, advocating for justice, and leaving a lasting impact on our planet.

Effective Environmental Campaigning Strategies

Campaigns generally involve specific calls to action and are tailored to the target audience. Generic appeals tend to be less effective. For instance, instead of saying "Save the environment," a more impactful call to action has been "Reduce single-use plastics by using reusable bags." Behavioral Insights are essential in building action insights that most often nudge people toward eco-friendly choices. Often, they highlight the individual’s agency and positive impact they may have on a global scale through individual change.

There are varied approaches to narrative practice based environmental justice. These multi-channel approaches use social media, community events, and workshops to reach a wider audience. Consistent messaging across platforms is paramount to reinforcing a campaign's impact. For instance, saving money campaigns that emphasize how environmentally friendly actions can lead to cost savings. These resonate well with broad audiences often bringing in otherwise skeptical individuals. The “America Saves” campaign encouraged homeowners to adopt energy-saving practices based on real cost projections. Sharing relatable stories of individuals or communities affected by environmental challenges can evoke empathy and inspire action. And documentaries including “Years of Living Dangerously” and “Before the Flood” have effectively used storytelling to raise awareness about climate change. Painting positive visions of a more sustainable future show how collective efforts can lead to cleaner air, healthier ecosystems, and a better quality of life for all. In times of crisis (such as energy shortages or extreme weather events), campaigns can be particularly effective. Urgency prompts immediate action.

Selected Environmental Memoir and Nonfiction

Complementing organized environmental advocacy are the writers whose books usher us into spaces where we come to understand the implications human inflicted damage has caused to our fragile ecosystems.

“Rising" by Elizabeth Rush takes readers to the physical and cultural edges of the country, from marginalized communities like Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, to the glass castles of Facebook and Google in Silicon Valley. As high tide and massive storms become the new normal, those at the coasts, especially those with lower incomes, are most at risk of flooding and displacement due to climate change. Elizabeth Rush explores how we cope with this knowledge and the impending reality of climate refugees¹.

“The Ends of the World" by Pete Brannen a science journalist examines the planet's five mass extinctions over millions of years. Using fossil records from around the world, his book provides insights into our past and portends our future. Brannen’s humor adds a personalized slant to major earth lifeform extension events.

"How to Give Up Plastic" by Will McCallum opens our viewfinder from the sea to the streets, where we see plastics pollution is a major global challenge affecting plant, animal and human life. McCallum provides an actionable guide for the individual, the private sector and governments in how to manage the debris.

“The Diversity of Life" by Edward O. Wilson the “father of biodiversity”will take you on a beautiful journey through world ecosystems and species.

“Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and biologist. Kimmerer takes the reader on an exploration that couples both her heritage, and her people’s relation to the land. A meditative study full of wisdom of humanity’s reciprocal and integral relationship with the plant life that surrounds us.

“The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey” by comedian Derick Lugo: Lugo has no hiking experience but decides to hike the entire 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail. This is a travel memoir full of humor, foibles and the people he meets along the way.

“Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place” an essay collection by Terry Tempest Williams: In the shadow of her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis, daughter Williams, reflects on her family’s proximity to1950’s atomic bomb testing in Utah. She tells a story of mystery - of the flora and wildlife infected with radiation, and the tragedy it wrought. Compelling observations, and heartbreaking insights of the impact of manmade weapons designed to manage a violent world through peace and power, and how unintentionally, they destroyed the family and natural world of those they sought most to protect.

Enjoy reading at least one, and hopefully a few of these wonderful books!

Final Take

“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?” Rachel Carson’s words remain as relevant today as when she first wrote them in 1962. Our lives and memories are entwined with the natural world. A few of my own inseparable memory reel vignettes play before me: a huge full harvest moon rising over the Atlantic ocean on a warm September night, the light so bright it casts shadows of my husband and I on the sand as we walk along the beach:

Traveling Interstate 70 through the Rockies, the car window frames idyllic views of snowcapped mountains surrounded by brilliant blue-skies, and sun washed pines everywhere. Their scent fills the air: New York City during a winter storm, the city hushed, empty avenues blanketed in snow, Street lamps casting golden light across the falling snow; the following morning, a trek to Central Park and sledding with our children down Cedar Hill.

(Photo: Cedar Hill, Central Park New York)

For now, I’m going to heed the call of nature and head over to the park for a walk with my dog Henry James.

(Photo: Central Park, New York)

Do you have something you want to publish? Narrative Mindworks membership is your platform. Questions? Contact us: info@narrativemindworks.org

Notes:

Empowering people to act: How awareness and behavior campaigns can .... https://www.iea.org/commentaries/empowering-people-to-act-how-awareness-and-behaviour-campaigns-can-enable-citizens-to-save-energy-during-and-beyond-today-s-energy-crisis.

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rachel-carson

https://www.chipublib.org/blogs/post/hazel-m-johnson-mother-of-the-environmental-justice-movement/

Changing the Narrative around a Changing Climate | The Pursuit .... https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2019posts/changing-the-narrative-around-a-changing-climate.html

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/sep/28/top-10-nature-memoirs-sarah-thomas-the-ravens-nest

How to Build Better Calls to Action - Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/how_to_build_better_calls_to_action

https://www.earthday.org/history/