San Jose Spotlight Guest Op-Ed
By Erin Zimmerman
The modern environmental movement now recognizes the inextricable link between environment and race. We cannot solve the climate crisis without addressing systematic racism.
Environmental racism is the disproportionate burden of environmental hazards placed on people of color.
In the United States, the biggest predictor of if you live near a hazardous waste site is the color of your skin. Santa Clara County and San Jose are no different. Santa Clara County has 23 superfund sites—the highest number of any county in the United States—and hundreds of other sites that don’t qualify but are still threats to human health and safety...
Luckily, the state Legislature is packed with bills that address environmental racism…Senator Josh Becker, who represents the northern part of Santa Clara County and San Mateo County, has proposed several significant environmental bills. Senate Bill 596 isn’t specifically focused on environmental racism, but puts California’s cement industry on the path to reducing its substantial climate footprint. San Jose had three cement factories.
Senator Becker is also supporting the creation of a used electric vehicle market for disadvantaged communities with SB 771.