Environmental factors such as clean air and water are fundamental to all human health and well-being. But environmental benefits and burdens are not evenly distributed in society or in Vermont. Use the links below to learn about environmental justice in Vermont.
First, let's look at how environmental benefits and burdens can impact our health. Then we will understand how health disparities and environmental injustice impact the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities living in Vermont.
This table shows examples to help you understand how environmental benefits and burdens impact human health. For example, having clean air benefits health, whereas polluted air can lead to asthma.
| Environmental Benefits | Environmental Burdens | Health Burdens |
|---|---|---|
| Clean air and water | Polluted air and water | Polluted air can lead to asthma and polluted water can lead to a variety of illnesses. |
| Access to nutritious, safe and affordable food | Lack of access to nutritious, safe and affordable food | Lack of access to nutritious, safe and affordable food may result in food insecurity or malnutrition. |
| Adapting to climate change | Exposure to extreme weather events/climate change — wildfire smoke, flooding, extreme heat, extreme cold | Exposure to weather events caused by climate change, like wildfire smoke or extreme heat, can be linked to health effects like asthma, heat-related illnesses and other illnesses. |
| Access to green space | Limited access to green space | Limited access to green space can lead to spending less active time outside or enjoying a neighborhood park. Less time outdoors can lead to physical and mental health impacts. |
| Access to affordable, safe and healthy housing | Old housing stock (for example, with lead and asbestos hazards), unaffordable housing | Limited access to affordable, safe and healthy housing can lead to illnesses or symptoms that are made worse by conditions in the home, such as air quality, mold, pests, or the inability to heat or cool the home. |
Health disparities are preventable differences in health between groups of people.
These inequities can lead to environmental injustice, where some communities are more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards than others.
In Vermont, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are more likely to experience environmental conditions that can affect their health, including:
These data reports explore environmental health disparities in Vermont and highlight opportunities to improve health equity. Use the buttons below to explore the data.
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