Tag Archives: Environmental Justice

ECOS Environmental Justice Speaker Series with Dr. Aranda, May 21, 2026

Mapping Inequality: Connecting Rural Environmental Justice and Local Realities

With Dr. Alfonso A. Aranda, Professor of Environmental Studies at California State University, Sacramento.

Thursday, May 21, 2026
5:30 PM Social/6:00 PM Event

While many environmental justice (EJ) conversations focus on urban centers, rural communities face unique and often overlooked challenges. This talk will define the core principles of EJ and demonstrate how tools like CalEnviroScreen are used to identify disproportionate burdens in our region. By connecting these broader frameworks to local issues (specifically within agricultural communities) we will explore how data and community-led research can drive local action.

Dr. Alfonso A. Aranda is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Sacramento State and a scholar-activist dedicated to advancing environmental justice. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from UC Davis, where his research focused on environmental health risks in farmworker and agricultural communities. As the son of farmworkers, Dr. Aranda is committed to bridging academia and community through participatory research. He leads the Knights Landing Environmental Health Project (KLEHP) and teaches courses on environmental health and justice, critical thinking, and science.

Join us in-person or via Zoom!
– Zoom
Link to join meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155
– In-person location
Sacramento State – Downtown, 304 S St, #104/105, Sacramento, CA 95811

Celebrate Black History Month: The Extraordinary Work of Black Environmentalists

Celebrate Black History Month and learn about the extraordinary work that Black Environmentalists have done to support a healthy environment for all! Thank you to Faye Wilson Kennedy (Red, Black, and Green Environmental Justice Coalition; Sacramento Area Black Caucus) for compiling a thorough list of resources, and to all of the featured environmentalists for their continued contributions to the people and environment.

Click here for a PDF of compiled resources.

The Fundamentals of Environmental Justice in Sacramento & Beyond, Feb 19

ECOS Climate Change Committee Meeting: February 19, 2026

Jonathan London, Professor in the Department of Human Ecology, University of California – Davis

The ECOS Climate Change Committee will host Jonathan London on February 19, 2026, to discuss the history of environmental injustice in Sacramento and some of the efforts made to shape a more equitable region. Whether you are a leader in Environmental Justice (EJ) work or just beginning to engage in this conversation, please join us to build your local knowledge, advocacy toolkit, and grassroots network.

Hybrid meeting:

In-person: Mogavero Architects, 1331 T Street, Sacramento

Zoom – Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 | To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

5:30 – 6:00 PM: Social Hour. Light snacks and beverages provided.

6:00 – 7:30 PM: Featured Presentation and Q&A: The Fundamentals of Environmental Justice in Sacramento and Beyond (London)

7:30 – 7:50 PM: ECOS and Member Organization Updates

7:50 PM: Adjourn

Click here for the agenda in PDF.

Click here for more resources and info.

Make Polluters Pay Rally in Sacramento 5/27/2025

The fossil fuel industry has enjoyed some of the best profit margins in history, while externalizing the costs of their operations onto our health, communities, and our planet. They have known for decades the impacts of their industry pollution on the climate, and they continue to obstruct the energy transition. Big Oil has used these profits to corrupt our government at all levels, and Trump said the quiet part out loud during his campaign, promising big tax cuts and deregulation in exchange for millions in contributions. Now the administration is gutting agencies and programs that protect people and planet, and pursuing the “drill baby drill” agenda.

In California, the word “unprecedented” has started to lose its meaning as wildfires, floods, droughts, sea level rise, and even fire tornados hammer the golden state regularly. And as a potential Trump recession looms, social programs, environmental protection and disaster relief, among others, may face major face cuts as the state budget faces shortfalls. California is on the verge of joining Vermont and New York in creating a Climate Superfund, but we need your support!

It is past time that we hold polluters accountable for the damage they have caused, and make the major investments that our communities desperately need. It is time to Make Polluters Pay! Join us at a peaceful rally in Sacramento at the West Steps of the Capitol from 5 – 7pm on May 27th.

RSVP here

Sacramento City Council rejects anti-displacement ordinance that critics called ‘counterproductive’ December 3, 2024, CapRadio

Gerardo Zavala | December 3, 2024 | CapRadio

On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the City of Sacramento city council unanimously rejected the Community Benefits Agreement Ordinance as proposed.

In a letter to the council, the [Sacramento Investment Without Displacement] coalition argued that the city failed to amend the ordinance with three main recommendations it made in February:

  • Ensuring residents can stay in their neighborhood through minimum benefits around affordable housing, transportation, workforce development and small/local business protections.
  • Community engagement in the negotiation process.
  • Community oversight to enforce the ordinance in a way that makes sure the community gets the benefits for their neighborhoods.

Click here to read the article in full.