Engaging with the Environment

We rely on our environment to support and sustain life. Today, humans have affected almost every facet of the natural world. Crises like climate change and biodiversity loss remind us that people and the environment are interdependent.

On this page you’ll find stories of Asian American and Pacific Islanders engaging with the environment—from the local to the global level. Some have worked to conserve plant and animal life. Others have sounded the alarm about threats to human health, like pollution. Indigenous women, past and present, have used Traditional Ecological Knowledge to understand and manage ecosystems holistically so that all life can thrive.

You will also learn about how environmental changes have affected Asian Americans’ and Pacific Islanders’ lives. Their stories of migration and adaptation can guide us as we face future challenges.

People change our environment, and it changes us. Explore these stories to learn more about how Asian American and Pacific Islanders care for the world around them.