The Challenge

The Power of One project addresses environmental injustice and systemic inequities in Birmingham, Alabama, where excessive littering disproportionately affects low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. These areas face health and economic impacts from inadequate waste management and neglected municipal services, exacerbated by a history of systemic disinvestment in these communities. Litter not only diminishes the value of public spaces but also reinforces perceptions of neglect and inequity. Tackling this issue is urgent to improve environmental conditions, reduce disparities, and foster community pride

The Opportunity

The Power of One project leverages community engagement and education to address littering and environmental justice. By mobilizing residents as Litter Champions and fostering partnerships with organizations like Keep Birmingham Beautiful (KBB), the project empowers communities to create cleaner, healthier neighborhoods. This initiative goes beyond litter reduction, fostering long-term environmental responsibility and equity. With increased awareness of environmental justice and support for sustainability, the project is poised to create lasting change in Birmingham and serve as a model for similar efforts across the South.

Empowering Marginalized Communities Through Environmental Justice: A Toolkit

This toolkit provides a step-by-step guide for launching equity-focused environmental justice initiatives. Drawing on the Power of One project’s successes, it offers actionable strategies for addressing environmental challenges, empowering communities, and fostering sustainable change.

Assess environmental inequities, community needs, and systemic barriers, focusing on historically marginalized areas.

  1. Build partnerships with local organizations, policymakers, and community leaders to secure resources and buy-in.

Create initiatives that empower residents as leaders and advocates, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.

Leverage grants, partnerships, and local support to sustain the initiative.

Launch the program with clear goals, actively involve the community, and evaluate outcomes for sustained success.

At the end of this toolkit, you’ll find a case study of the Power of One project. This example highlights specific approaches, partnerships, and outcomes that can inspire and inform similar efforts in your community.

The Process

Start by identifying the environmental challenges facing the community, such as excessive littering and insufficient waste management resources. Focus on how these issues disproportionately affect historically marginalized neighborhoods, including communities of color and low-income areas. Use community surveys, interviews, and local data to identify systemic barriers such as inadequate funding, lack of education on environmental stewardship, and historical disinvestment.

Collaborate with local organizations, schools, environmental groups, policymakers, and advocacy organizations like Keep Birmingham Beautiful and Fresh Water Land Trust. Engage community leaders and residents to ensure the project reflects their priorities and addresses their unique challenges. Involve stakeholders in the planning process to build trust, gain support, and create a sense of shared ownership.

Develop a program that empowers community members to take an active role in solving environmental challenges. Create initiatives like the Litter Champions program to train and equip residents to lead cleanup efforts and advocate for environmental justice. Ensure accessibility by addressing barriers such as language, transportation, and awareness, and provide resources like educational materials and reporting tools.

Identify funding opportunities such as grants, local government support, or partnerships with businesses and philanthropic organizations. Use these resources to cover costs for cleanup materials, educational programs, and community engagement events. Develop a sustainable funding model to ensure the program’s long-term success and impact.

Launch the program with a focus on hands-on activities, like community cleanups and workshops. Organize town halls and public events to raise awareness and invite feedback from residents. Foster a culture of participation and responsibility by highlighting the contributions of community members and showcasing the project’s impact through social media and other communication channels.

Questions to Consider:

  • Does the program address the most pressing environmental challenges in the community?
  • Are community members empowered to lead and contribute to the project?
  • How are partnerships and resources leveraged to ensure long-term success?
  • Is the project designed to promote equity and inclusivity at every step?

Case Study: The Power of One Project

Context and Background

Clinton Woods, a Birmingham City Council member and UNUM Climate & Environment Fellow, developed the Power of One project to reduce litter and promote environmental justice. This initiative focuses on empowering residents through education and community engagement to reduce litter by 50,000 pounds annually. The project centers on low-income neighborhoods disproportionately affected by environmental neglect.

The Power of One project prioritizes educating school-aged children, inspired by the long-lasting impact of public campaigns like “buckle-up” initiatives, to instill environmental responsibility early on. By raising awareness, the project helped community members, many of whom were unintentionally littering, become more mindful and change their habits. Bi-weekly cleanup events, totaling 20–24 annually, involved weighing collected trash to measure progress and set future benchmarks. Community meetups kept participants engaged, while the Litter Champions program, offering stipends to local leaders, proved more effective than the initially planned advisory board. As the project evolves, it continues to activate participants to deepen their involvement, ensuring sustained impact.

Project Goals and Objectives

The Power of One project was designed to address environmental injustice and foster community resilience in Birmingham. By focusing on empowering residents, improving public spaces, and promoting long-term advocacy, the project aims to create lasting, equitable change. These goals reflect a commitment to equipping communities with the tools, knowledge, and leadership opportunities needed to address systemic environmental challenges while fostering pride and ownership in their neighborhoods.

  • Empower Residents: Equip community members with tools to reduce litter and advocate for environmental equity.
  • Enhance Public Spaces: Create cleaner, safer environments for all residents.
  • Foster Advocacy: Build long-term community capacity to address systemic issues.

Implementation Process
The Power of One project followed a structured and inclusive approach to address environmental challenges in Birmingham’s marginalized communities. By combining community engagement, strategic partnerships, and innovative solutions, the project tackled the root causes of littering while fostering long-term environmental responsibility. Below are the key steps taken to implement the initiative:

A diverse advisory committee was established to ensure that community voices were central to the planning process. This committee, made up of residents and local leaders, identified priority areas for cleanup and provided valuable input on project strategies.

Collaborations were formed with organizations such as Black Warrior Riverkeeper, who brought technical expertise, resources, and community connections that strengthened the project’s impact. Local businesses, churches, and the local library also supported efforts by contributing resources, such as building use, to the project and were appreciative of the efforts being made to beautify the area around their spaces.

The program recruited and trained local residents to lead cleanup efforts, educate others about litter reduction, and advocate for environmental equity. This initiative empowered community members to take ownership of the project and ensured its sustainability.

Anti-littering materials were developed and distributed in schools, community workshops, and public events. These campaigns raised awareness about the environmental and health impacts of littering, fostering a culture of responsibility and stewardship.

Regular town halls and cleanup events were organized to involve residents directly in the project. Additionally, Birmingham’s 311 app was utilized to enable real-time reporting of littering incidents, encouraging active participation and accountability.

The project tracked outcomes such as litter reduction, community participation, and public awareness. Feedback from the advisory committee and residents was used to refine approaches and address challenges as they arose

Key Successes and Challenges

All projects can expect to experience achievements and obstacles. Those encountered during the Power of One project show its innovative approaches led to meaningful community impact while also identifying challenges that required adaptability and resilience. These insights provide valuable lessons for others aiming to implement equity-focused environmental initiatives.

Successes

  • Reduction of litter in targeted neighborhoods, improving public spaces and health outcomes.
  • Empowered residents through education and leadership opportunities, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility.
  • Strengthened community partnerships and created a scalable model for environmental justice.

Challenges

  • Sustaining community engagement required ongoing communication and public recognition of contributions.
  • Resource constraints prompted creative solutions, such as leveraging partnerships for funding and materials.

Lessons Learned

The Power of One project highlights critical insights into addressing environmental injustice through community-driven action. These lessons can guide future initiatives aiming to achieve equitable and sustainable outcomes.

  • Empowering residents, particularly through programs like Litter Champions, fostered a sense of ownership and ensured the project reflected the community’s needs.
  • Prioritizing inclusive engagement strategies, such as town halls and workshops, elevated local voices and strengthened community buy-in.

  • Collaborations with organizations like Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Keep Birmingham Beautiful (KBB) and Fresh Water Land Trust (FWLT) were vital for pooling resources and expertise.
  • Partnerships expanded the project’s reach, providing technical support, materials, and increased visibility.

  • Addressing challenges, such as sustaining community engagement and managing resource constraints, required innovative solutions:
    • Recognizing and celebrating community contributions renewed interest and participation.
    • Leveraging partnerships helped overcome funding and material shortages.
  • Being prepared to pivot and adapt ensures resilience against unexpected obstacles.

  • Centering underserved neighborhoods ensured that the initiative addressed systemic barriers like unequal waste management.
  • Prioritizing community decision-making and equitable resource allocation helped distribute benefits fairly and fostered trust.

  • Public acknowledgment of community contributions motivated continued participation.
  • Celebrating milestones helped maintain momentum and reinforced collective progress.

Equity Lens Applied

The Power of One project integrated equity into every stage of its development and implementation. By prioritizing the needs and voices of historically marginalized communities, the project addressed systemic barriers and created equitable outcomes that benefit underserved neighborhoods.

  • Centering Equity: The project prioritized historically underserved neighborhoods, engaging residents as decision-makers through advisory committees and leadership programs.
  • Addressing Systemic Barriers: By tackling unequal resource distribution and fostering access to waste management tools, the project dismantled barriers that perpetuate environmental neglect.
  • Equity-Driven Outcomes: The initiative has improved public spaces, increased environmental awareness, and empowered marginalized communities with the tools to advocate for lasting change.

Future Vision

The Power of One project envisions a Birmingham where all neighborhoods enjoy clean, safe environments. By demonstrating the benefits of inclusive environmental action, it contributes to broader efforts to create a more equitable South. Through continued partnerships and community advocacy, the project aims to inspire systemic changes and serve as a replicable model for environmental justice.

  • Focused heavily in footprint for pilot but looking to expand the footprint outside of the district
  • Better ways legislatively to change laws/codes to further discourage this behavior

What Comes Next?

EPU serves as a resource to community leaders, policymakers, and advocates across the South to help them take actionable steps to accelerate positive change. These resources include, but are not limited to:

  • Research and analysis
  • Technical assistance
  • Policy development

We would love to connect with you and discuss the change you want to make. Here are ways you can contact us.

E-mail Us

We can be reached at info@unumfund.org

Visit Us

Visit our EPU Policy page for more information.

Additional Resources

See all our policy toolkits and Big Ideas for Racial Equity.