Michigan: A State of Environmental Justice? focuses attention on the byproducts of growth and development in the state of Michigan and describes who wins and who loses. Over the years while growth and development have been good for some, it has been devastating for others; the byproducts of growth and development have threatened the lives of people who breathe polluted air, who are exposed to contaminated water, and whose children play on polluted soil. People affected by toxins must organize to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from environmental harm.
Let us be clear right from the beginning. We are not against economic growth and development; we are against certain kinds of economic growth and development--i.e., growth and development that expose people to unnecessary harm. We feel it is possible to have economic growth and development with environmental protection. All of this is explored in Michigan: A State of Environmental Justice?