Churches urged to study race and environment 

Washington, D.C., January 19, 2007 – Churches across the country are being encouraged to discuss the links between race and environment.  A recently published resource from the National Council of Churches USA (NCC), “Environmental Racism: An Ecumenical Study Guide,” is available to congregations for use in their church education programs.

 “It is important to recognize that seven out of ten African Americans still breathe air that does not meet federal air quality standards and that a disproportionate number of communities of color have toxic waste sites in their backyards,” says Cassandra Carmichael, director of the NCC’s Eco-Justice Programs.

“The National Council of Churches is committed to justice for all of God’s people and for all of God’s creation,” says the Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell, NCC’s associate general secretary for justice and advocacy. “A disproportionate number of communities that are impacted by environmental pollution are communities of color.   As Christians, we must commit ourselves to addressing environmental racism so that all of God’s people can live in a healthy and secure environment.”

The “Environmental Racism: An Ecumenical Study Guide” can be downloaded by signing into the NCC Eco-Justice network at: www.nccecojustice.org/network .  

For more than 25 years the NCC has focused on creation care with particular attention on environmental racism over the last 20 years.   As part of its work in this area the NCC helped host hearings on toxic pollution in the late 1980s and supported two National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summits.

NCC Eco-justice contact:  Cassandra Carmichael , 202.481.6928, cassandra@toad.net .

NCC News contact:  Dan Webster, 212.870.2252, NCCnews@ncccusa.org .