“Some neighbourhoods, at any given time, can be up to 22 degrees hotter than other neighbourhoods.” — Cheyenne Flores, Philadelphia Office of Sustainability
In Hunting Park, a low-income neighbourhood in Philadelphia, extreme summer heat is not an abstract climate projection—it’s a lived reality. With far fewer trees and far more pavement than wealthier areas, the urban heat island effect intensifies temperatures and traps heat long after the sun goes down. Many homes are older and poorly insulated, driving up electricity use just to keep indoor temperatures bearable. As a result, utility bills climb, placing additional strain on households already navigating financial pressure.
This is what climate injustice looks like on the ground: environmental conditions that compound social and economic inequities, leaving some communities far more exposed to risk than others.
When Environmental Harm Becomes Personal
“The environment is where we live, where we work, where we go to school, where we play and where we pray. The environment is what is around you. It’s your home. So healthy, safe, comfortable living conditions: can we advance that while we protect the larger home of the planet? I would say yes, we can and we have to.” — Mitch Chanin, 350 Philadelphia
Heat is only one part of the story. Hunting Park residents also live with ongoing air pollution, including emissions from nearby refineries. These pollutants can have serious, long-term health impacts, particularly on children’s cognitive development. Lynn Robinson, a local teacher and community resident, had already seen students struggling with learning challenges linked to environmental conditions. When she learned that the city’s transit authority planned to build a new industrial facility in the neighbourhood, the decision felt both shocking and familiar.
“I found out about it from a flyer put on my door,” she recalled.
Despite sustained advocacy and years of organizing, community members were ultimately overruled and the gas station was built. The experience reflected a pattern seen far beyond Hunting Park: decisions that affect people’s health and environment are often made without their meaningful participation.
Moving Beyond Band-Aids
Health concerns. Extreme heat. High energy costs. Polluted air. Hunting Park is not alone in facing these challenges. Similar dynamics play out in low-income and racialized communities throughout North America and around the world. What makes Hunting Park remarkable is not just the scale of the problems, but the response.
“Imagine there is a stream and there is a village. And there is a factory that is upstream pouring pollution into the water,” explains Rev. Allen Drew, Regional Organizer with the Climate Witness Project. “There is a church there, and they recognize their calling to love their neighbour as themselves… But that’s inadequate. That’s ignoring the fact that there is a factory upstream that is pouring pollution into the water.”
For faith leaders and community organizers in Hunting Park, caring for those harmed by environmental injustice also means addressing the systems causing that harm. This has led to organizing efforts centred on neighbourhood leadership, clean energy initiatives, workforce development, and community gardens—approaches that respond to immediate needs while working toward long-term change.
A Story That Resonates Far Beyond One Neighbourhood
The story of Hunting Park reminds us that climate justice is inseparable from housing, health, energy, and dignity. It shows what becomes possible when communities refuse to accept harmful conditions as inevitable and instead choose hopeful, collective action over despair.
At World Renew, we continue to learn from communities like Hunting Park as part of our broader commitment to climate justice around the world. While every context is different, the core truth remains the same: lasting change happens when local leaders are supported, voices are honoured, and faith is translated into action.
