About Us
“When we remove any species from its habitat or disrupt any of its neighbors…we may be dooming that species to extinction….”
— Edward C. Fritz, Realms of Beauty: The Wildnerness Areas of East Texas
Some of our founding directors showing off their new merch outside of the new Rao’s cafe in Port Arthur, TX.
On the Gulf Coast frontlines of East Texas, we have the largest petrochemical buildouts in the nation as well as the largest LNG infrastructure globally.
These companies are some of the most profitable in the world — their CEOs, owners, and stakeholders make millions, billions, and trillions — while our own cities increasingly fall into decline and our own people live in sickness and in poverty.
Over 20% of Jefferson County — where most of the petrochemical plants (and us) are based — lives below the poverty line: Many people here have chronic health conditions, like asthma, and are worried about the carcinogenic effects of constant chemical exposure and explosion events on themselves and their families.
Here in Southeast Texas, we are also home to an ecological miracle — the Big Thicket, or the 2nd most biodiverse place on the planet.
If you know where to look, you can find rare carnivorous plants, sea turtle nesting sites, migratory bird corridors, and critically endangered native flora and fauna - like the Texas Trailing Phlox, or the (now-extinct) Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.
At Climate Justice Texas and Climate Justice Texas - Community, we start dialogue about our environment in a way that is engaging, exciting, and low pressure — so that everyone can feel that they can play a role in starting the climate conversation in the place that a lot of the conversation is generally about.
We are so excited to continue to grow our teams of staff, volunteers, board members, advisors, and generous donors and investors — and we hope that you will feel encouraged to join us on our mission to “keep the climate cool” no matter where you might be.
Membership FAQs
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Our main CJT cohort is made up of young adults (which we qualify as 18-35 year olds for demographics purposes) but we are community-inclusive and everyone is welcome to join! Members or attendees under 18 may have to have a parent or guardian with them or sign a release form, depending on the event.
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Yes! Completely free.
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We are based in Nederland, TX just outside of Beaumont, TX — but we host events in and around Jefferson County, Orange County, Hardin County, and Tyler County. We also often work with organizations based in the Houston, TX area and Lake Charles, LA.
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You might sometimes hear our team members refer to Climate Justice Texas and Climate Justice Texas - Community using just their acronyms “CJT” or “CJT-C.” This is just because it’s easier and makes us feel ~cool~.
Location & Land Acknowledgement
Our HQ is in Nederland, Texas (go Big Ned) just outside of Beaumont, TX (not to be confused with Bomont, TX - the danceless town from Kevin Bacon’s “Footloose”….although we are very similar in terms of general aesthetic and religious fundamentalist vibe down here.
We explore and grow native beauty in Jefferson County, but also in the surrounding counties of Hardin County, Tyler County, and Orange County.
Native Land Acknowledgement: Gulf Coast
We give thanks to the Karankawa and Atakapa-Ishak tribes. Read more about them here and here.
Native Land Acknowledgement:
Big Thicket
We also give thanks to the Alabama-Coushatta tribe, which calls the forested land of the Big Thicket their home. Read more about them here.