Hi <<First Name>>,

Nathalie Peña here, wellness writer, digital associate at Power Shift Network, and a newly minted member of The Lounge by GNI. I’m excited to talk to you about a topic that means a lot to me: the relationship between the sustainability we practice in our homes and the climate justice we must demand in the world around us. 

When we talk about sustainability, we mean the individual choices we make to contribute to a better planet: the products we choose, the ways we reuse and recycle, and the companies we support. Incorporating sustainable practices into our self-care helps us learn and unlearn how to maintain a healthier home, body, and planet. Climate justice, however, is an act of community care — and specifically an act of acknowledging that the climate crisis affects QTBIPOC (queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities most, and we urgently need to do something about it. 

Building sustainable habits at home has been my jam for five-ish years now. Using shampoo bars and charcoal water filters are some of the small escapes that make me feel like I’m performing a duty to the planet while taking extra care of my body. But practicing sustainability in these ways is just scratching the surface of community care. While using eco-friendly products can lead to great change (and trust me, I love talking about them), an important next step is shifting our focus to environmental and social justice.

Here’s how to elevate your day-to-day sustainable practices into a commitment to fight for climate justice: 🌍

1) Recognize that climate justice is social justice. 
Fighting for our planet by actively being anti-racist shows support for marginalized folx. Disabled, queer, Indigenous people, and other people of color face the greatest risk from the climate crisis. Pipelines near Indigenous territories taint water supplies, disabled folx lack accessibility during climate disaster evacuation procedures, and hazardous waste facilities overtake communities of color. When we choose to support sustainable businesses, we are not only helping our planet survive, we are also supporting the health and livelihood of our Black and Brown neighbors. 

2) Join communities that help you learn, explore, and demand climate justice. 
When you join a coalition fighting for the same cause, it will light a fire in you to participate more than you ever have. This can happen in small ways, like the Slack channel devoted to sustainability and climate justice in The Lounge, and in larger ways, like Power Shift’s Network Members Organizations. The beauty of the climate justice movement is that many organizers value the power of slowing down. Rest is an integral part of the movement in order to avoid burnout and continue the fight towards environmental justice. 

3) Support QTBIPOC leading the way in this space.
The next time you need an eco-friendly product, do some extra research on QTBIPOC who run eco-conscious businesses (here's a list to get you started) that can fill the need. Adjust your socials to center environmental justice activists who are constantly sharing resources and learnings. My favorites are Diandra Marizet, Intersectional Environmentalist, and Queer Brown Vegan who I consistently turn to when seeking new info in the space. Activists are more accessible than you think and are willing to include you in the movement because the power of community will help in the fight for climate justice.