A guide leads the bus tour

Community Experiences

Start of page content

The Environmental Justice Bus Tour

Learning from the Community

The Environmental Justice Bus Tour offered a close look at the environmental burdens many South Side residents have lived with for decades, from contamination near the former Kelly Air Force Base to truck traffic, cement dust, toxic vapors in homes, gaps in air monitoring, and industrial sites located near homes and playgrounds

For the Department of Resilience & Sustainability, it was an important opportunity to listen and learn alongside community partners whose organizing, lived experience, and leadership continue to shape the push for stronger protections, cleaner air, and more equitable environmental action in San Antonio.

Learn more about the Bus Tour with coverage from Public Citizen and Deceleration

Cheyenne Rendón of Society of Native Nations describes what it’s been like for generations of her family to grow up in the former Kelly Air Force Base’s “toxic triangle.” Image and caption: Marisol Cortez, Deceleration

What is "Environmental Justice?"

Environmental justice means everyone should be able to live, work, and play in a healthy environment. In practice, it recognizes that some communities have faced a heavier share of pollution, environmental hazards, and climate risks, often because of long-standing inequities. Environmental justice is about addressing those unfair burdens and making sure all people, especially those most affected, have a voice in the decisions that shape their neighborhoods, health, and future.

The Environmental Justice Bus Tour

Video: KSAT Covers the Bus Tour

Watch this two-minute news clip from KSAT to get a quick look at the Environmental Justice Bus Tour:

The Environmental Justice Bus Tour

Video: The Impact of Peaker Plants on the South Side

DeeDee Belmares of Public Citizen speaks outside CPS Energy's Milton B. Lee peaking unit on San Antonio's South Side neighborhood, during the Environmental Justice Bus Tour.

Originally featured in Deceleration