ABSTRACT

Green social work is a holistic perspective that seeks to secure the well-being of people and the planet through reforming socio-political power structures (Dominelli, 2012). It is an eco-centric perspective that respects not only humans, but also values the natural environment in its own right within the ecosystem. Humans are in a symbiotic relationship with the environment, but the impact humans have on the ecosystem often put the environment and humans at great risk and have created a global, ecological crisis. Unrestricted, environmental problems often lead to more complex ecological crises. For example, the production and use of toxins contaminate soil, air, and water, causing insufficient and/or unsafe access to food and water for all living species. Such ecological problems also create social and political conflicts as people try to access and control what is left of the viable, natural resources; these can lead to unprecedented levels of human suffering and forced migration (Basher, 2008; Besthorn and Meyer, 2010; Dominelli, 2012; Willett, 2015b). The ecological crisis is complex, requiring global, interdisciplinary, and community-based responses (Schmitz et al., 2012). While the ecological crisis affects the whole ecosystem, the specific impacts these hazards have on vulnerable and historically marginalised people are the focus of environmental justice work (Dominelli, 2012).