The Fight for Clean Air in Marginalized Communities
By: Meisei Gonzalez, GreenLatinos Climate Justice and Clean Air Advocate
Caption: View of Rocky Mountain Power's Gadsby Plant in Salt Lake City on Thursday, August 7, 2024
Utah is a state of contrasts. It’s home to breathtaking landscapes— towering peaks of the Wasatch Mountains, the vibrant sunsets over the Great Salt Lake, and the picturesque red rock formations in our southern corners. This is the Beehive State, a place I proudly call home. Yet, as I grew up across the Salt Lake Valley, I witnessed firsthand the stark disparities between neighborhoods. I was one of many kids who had to commute across the freeway to attend school on the East side of Salt Lake County due to the lack of resources and investment in neighborhoods like mine on the West side. The differences were stark—not just in opportunities and resources, but in the very air we breathed.
Utah is becoming notorious for its air pollution. Our valleys often trap pollutants, creating a “bowl effect” where the air stagnates and pollution levels rise, but the concentrations and impacts are not evenly distributed. Report after report has shown that air quality in predominantly Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities is worse than that of their white counterparts. In neighborhoods like the ones I grew up in, the air quality is often ranked among the worst in the nation—sometimes, even the world.
This is not just a natural phenomenon; human actions worsen it. Our state's push for industrialization, often at the expense of the environment, has led to new threats—most alarmingly, the drying of the Great Salt Lake. This crisis has been a wake-up call to our leaders, highlighting the serious consequences of the climate emergency.
Caption: Great Salt Lake view from Antelope Island State Park on October 8, 2022
Living in Utah, I’ve observed the ongoing battle between preserving the natural beauty of our home and the relentless pursuit of private interests that degrade our environment and compromise our health. These experiences have fueled my commitment to advocating for clean air and a healthier environment, with a focus on the disproportionate impacts felt by marginalized communities like mine.
Sadly, my story is far from unique. Across the United States, a disproportionate percentage of BIPOC communities live in frontline environmental impact zones. A 2018 study highlights that Latino communities are more likely to live in areas with poor air quality and inadequate infrastructure, leading to a higher prevalence of respiratory issues and greater vulnerability to extreme weather events—an alarming reality with serious consequences for those impacted.
This summer, as Utah faced record-high temperatures, wildfire smoke pollution, and dangerously high ozone levels, other states endured severe hurricanes and catastrophic flooding. Environmental injustices are being felt in every corner of our country.
My journey into environmental justice advocacy was born out of necessity, driven by the lack of representation and lived experience in the decisions that affected my community. The environmental movement has historically been dominated by voices that are not reflective of my community, often making decisions for our communities rather than with them. This top-down approach has too often sacrificed our well-being or unknowingly caused new harms. While my focus now lies in environmental issues, I recognize that many members of my community do not have the luxury to advocate for these causes when basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare are not being met—realities I have personally faced.
I am committed to incorporating these intersections into my work, ensuring that our fight for environmental justice embraces all the challenges our communities face. As GreenLatinos’ Climate Justice and Clean Air Advocate, I look forward to advocating for solutions together with you. I encourage you to continue voicing your concerns—never be intimidated by so-called 'expertise.' Your lived experience is invaluable and essential in shaping the solutions we need.
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