Sustainable Communities
Overview
GreenLatinos is committed to direct engagement with communities, advocates, and policymakers in order to advocate for more efficient, equitable, environmentally sustainable places to live, work, play, and learn. We work to build momentum for creating equitable policy that addresses and makes reparations for barriers faced by Latino/a/x and other marginalized and underserved communities, both historically and in the present day.
By advancing equitable innovation and policy to support environmental and economic sustainability, advance transportation and energy equity, and improve accessibility and affordability, we can change the face and functionality of urban, suburban, and rural communities , and improve the lives of people across the US.
Clean transportation and energy infrastructure connects directly to clean air and water, and to the urgent fight to combat climate change. About 30 percent of the nation’s carbon pollution comes from transportation. Latino/a/x communities are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and public health issues like asthma, which come from lower air quality. Latino/a/x neighborhoods have low per capita energy emissions, at only 60% the rate of white neighborhoods, and yet Latinos/as/x are more likely to experience “energy poverty” – defined as inadequate access to energy.
Sustainable communities at GreenLatinos addresses the spectrum within this field, from advocating for increasing equity in transportation planning to supporting new clean infrastructure investments. GreenLatinos’ work supports the capacity of Latino/a/x communities to thrive; improving health outcomes by reducing pollution exposure, and increasing capacity for physical, social, and economic mobility by improving accessibility and access to diverse transportation modes and affordable, clean energy.
The Sustainable Communities Collective is a space for our GreenLatinos members to come together and are interested in sustainable communities, to create community and a sense of familia, to build partnerships, share information, resources, access, actions, and ways we can all get involved.
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We will use this space and time to discuss our current campaigns and urgent emerging topics related to clean transportation and energy infrastructure policy. The collective will serve as both a learning community for folks interested in learning more about the issues and a hub to develop advocacy tactics and calls to action around specific issues.
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This collective meets on a quarterly basis and has a listserv to share information. Interested in joining the Sustainable Communities Collective?
Sustainable communities collective
Achievements
​GreenLatinos is committed to centering questions of environmental justice and equity within the clean transportation sphere. Together with our partners and allies, we have pushed to elevate the voices of traditionally marginalized and disenfranchised communities as we advocate to support the construction of green infrastructure, reduce fuel emissions, and improve transit accessibility and access.