Activists in the Pacific Northwest have warned for years that communities of color and other marginalized groups are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, and less well-positioned to take advantage of jobs and other benefits likely to result as the region's economy moves away from fossil fuels.
For evidence, look no further than the fire that ripped through Southern Oregon last September. People in the relatively affluent town of Ashland received faster and clearer warnings to evacuate than people in less-well-off neighboring towns Talent and Phoenix, say grassroots-organizing groups in the area.
It was only in Ashland, a wealthier area five miles down Interstate 5 from Talent, that residents were told to evacuate, activists said after the fire. Jackson County’s emergency alert system left out many communities, they said, including Talent, a community with mobile home parks and other low-income housing and a median household income of $40,400. Ashland’s median household income is $56,315.