LISTEN: Ufuoma Ovienmhada on toxic prisons

“I really align with the broader movement of organizers, community members and researchers who want to see our government invest in public infrastructure and resources that address core drivers of crime.”

Ufuoma Ovienmhada joins the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast to discuss environmental injustice at prisons across the U.S.


Ovienmhada, a current fellow and a postdoctoral fellow in the school of geography, development, and environment at the University of Arizona, also talks about what prison ecology means, why extreme heat is so much worse and potentially deadly at prisons, and efforts to relieve environmental burdens for people who are incarcerated.

The Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast is a biweekly podcast featuring the stories and big ideas from past and present fellows, as well as others in the field. You can see all of the past episodes here.

Listen below to our discussion with Ovienmhada and subscribe to the podcast at iTunes or Spotify.

Transcript 

A person putting a plastic water bottle into a recycling container

Opinion: It’s time we confront the ugly truth about plastic recycling

Recycling doesn’t address any of plastic’s human and environmental impacts. It’s essentially another form of plastic production, one that usually hurts low-income communities.

Rows of solar panel boards on brown ground.

Trump mulls cutting billions in funds from list of clean energy projects

The U.S. government is considering cancelling billions of dollars in funding for clean energy programs, including awards for auto manufacturing and carbon capture, according to a list of targeted projects seen by Reuters.
Empty chairs in rows inside a capitol building.

Where are the climate Republicans?

Republicans in Congress have gone from trying to develop conservative solutions to climate change to all but ignoring the issue.
a group of national guard on a sidewalk in front of a building.

Natural disasters are a rising burden for the National Guard

New Pentagon data show climate impacts shaping reservists’ mission, in potential conflict with Trump’s drive to use them for law enforcement.
aerial photo of wind turbines in fields with clouds drifting over.

What the Climate Change Act does – and does not – mean for the UK

The UK’s Climate Change Act is a landmark piece of legislation that guides the nation’s response to global warming and has proved highly influential around the world.
An industrial facility on a sunny day.
Credit: Getty Images/Unsplash+

US EPA drops planned delay in compliance with fenceline monitoring at coke plants

Residents will no longer have to wait two years to find out whether they are breathing benzene and other contaminants.
A private jet on the runway with the setting sun in the background

Will a ‘wealth cap’ help the environment? How inequality is fuelling the climate crisis

Climate goals will remain “out of reach” unless lifestyle-related carbon footprints are considerably slashed, a new report warns.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

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One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

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An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

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New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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