The study of how food systems contribute to environmental racism and inequalities in access to healthy food.
Environmental justice: The fair and equal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens among all people, regardless of race or socioeconomic status.
Food insecurity: The lack of access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food, which disproportionately affects communities of color.
Systemic racism: The ways in which social, economic, and political systems perpetuate discriminatory practices and policies that harm communities of color.
Food deserts: Areas where residents have limited access to affordable and healthy food options, often due to socioeconomic disparities and structural racism.
Industrial agriculture: Large-scale farming practices that prioritize profits over public health and environmental sustainability, often leading to pollution and increased health risks for nearby communities.
Polluted environments: Areas that have been compromised by environmental hazards such as toxic waste disposal sites, air pollution, water contamination, and more.
Climate change: The global phenomenon of increasing temperatures and changing weather patterns caused by human activity, which disproportionately affects low-income and marginalized communities.
Environmental policy: Laws and regulations that dictate how natural resources are managed and protected, often contributing to disparities in access to resources and protections.
Environmental racism in history: The historical legacies of discriminatory policies that have disproportionately affected communities of color, such as redlining, urban renewal, and systemic disinvestment.
Grassroots activism and community organizing: The power of people to come together to demand change and create solutions to environmental injustices.
Disproportionate exposure of marginalized communities to food hazards and toxins: This occurs when food processing plants, landfills, industrial farms or other polluting facilities are located in or near predominantly low-income or minority communities, increasing the risk of exposure to toxins and pollutants.
Lack of access to healthy and fresh food options: Food deserts are geographical areas where people have limited access to healthy and fresh food options. This is prevalent in low-income and minority neighbourhoods, where the nearest grocery store or farmer's market can be miles away.
Exploitation of farmworkers: Agricultural workers are often undocumented migrants, ethnic minorities, and are often paid low wages, denied labour rights, and exposed to harmful working conditions including exposure to pesticides.
Land loss and displacement: Indigenous land rights are often disregarded in favor of energy, mining, or other land use policies. Land grabbing and forced displacements of Indigenous communities limits their access to ancestral land, water, and food sources, contributing to food insecurity.
Racial disparities in food marketing: Food and beverage industries often target minority communities with unhealthy and sugary products, leading to a greater risk of diet-related illnesses.