Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive – Our Conservation Vision

As Waterkeepers, we advocate to protect everyone’s right to access clean water. Water, air, wildlife, public lands are part of our collective commons…publicly owned resources that need to be protected for the benefit of all.

We believe that:

• access to clean water is a basic human right
• all people have a voice in decisions that affect their environment and health
• no group of people should disproportionately bear the burden of pollution

Unfortunately there is an unjust reality across our country and our region. Injustice remains where people do not have equal access to clean water. Where communities are negatively impacted by pollution. Where health and quality of life are compromised and where these impacts disproportionately affect communities of color.

Environmental injustices threaten our communities. Racial, social and economic injustices also threaten our communities. These and other injustices threaten an equitable future for millions of people. And they threaten our vision for a clean water future for all.

We reaffirm our commitment to being a diverse, equitable and inclusive conservation organization; however, we realize that we must do better and we pledge to do so.

We will:

• listen, learn and strive to understand and correct injustices
• respect and invite everyone in our communities to help define our work
• seek outcomes that are achieved through collective participation
• ensure that our actions are guided and informed by people of color
• uplift voices from environmental justice communities
• fight for a clean water future for all
• identify and address our own biases, explicit and implicit

“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” Translated from the Sanskrit