A clean environment. A constitutional right? | S.1 E. 68 The Green Amendment with Maya van Rossum

The Sustainability Journey

Existing laws have clearly failed us, writes Mark Ruffalo in his foreword.

Longtime activist Maya van Rossum therefore has an interesting proposal. A green amendment. Protect our rights in the constitutions, at a national and state level.

In her provocative and interesting book, she describes the damages inflicted to communities, the extent of destruction brought in the name of the extractive capitalism and the incapability of lawmakers to protect environmental rights.

Communities and people are not disposable. And she explores as well the connection with climate justice, being poor communities of immigrants, Latinos and people of color the most affected as Kerry Evelyn Harris clearly points out in her foreword.

Maya has been at the forefront of the Delaware River protection and has been the leader of the Green Amendment movement. In the book, she discusses 2 case studies of Pennsylvania and Montana, where the legislation has been enacted and has provided landmark cases. A number of states are following.

As Maya points out “Living in the United States, people don’t realize that while we recognize and protect speech, property, and gun rights, we don’t meaningfully recognize a right to drink clean water, breathe clean air, or live in the stable climate and healthy environments essential to supporting and sustaining healthy lives”.

Is the Green Amendment a viable solution?

Listen to the episode and have your say!