How does your zip code affect your life expectancy? 

The impacts of climate change, toxic water, and dirty air aren’t evenly distributed. Low income and communities of color bear the brunt of these impacts. 

Today, we dive into conversation with Peggy Shepard, a pioneer of the environmental justice movement who has worked for more than three decades to shine a light on the ways damage to the natural world intersects with issues of race and class.

She co-founded WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a community organization based in New York City with the mission of ensuring that the right to clean air, water, and soil extends to all people, no matter where they live, what color their skin is, or how much money is in their bank accounts. Many of the environmental protections she helped to fight for in her community have been scaled up to the national level, benefitting people around the country and even the world.

Threshold Conversations is an ongoing series featuring interviews with environmental thought leaders on some of the most urgent environmental and social issues today.

Threshold Conversations is supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists, as well as the Park Foundation, the High Stakes Foundation, and our home public radio station, Montana Public Radio, and listeners like you.

Learn more about Threshold on our website.