In "Brilliant Imperfection", Eli Clare notes that why this ad works is because it taps into ableism. The ad works on the preconceived notion that the views will automatically understand that disability and chronic illnesses are tragedies that need to be prevented and eradicated, rather than understanding disability as a deeper cultural and personal experience.

Eli Clare's Analysis of the Sierra Club Ad

Kafer notes that while it is important environmental activists understand and work against systems that intertwine exploitation of bodyminds and exploitation of the environment that often environmental organizations in doing this work demonize illness and disability and present disability as a unmitigated tragedy. 

Alison Kafer's Analysis of how Disability in Framed in Environmental Activism

The Sierra Club had an ad campaign where they featured an image of a power plant with the words "Asthma. Birth defects. Cancer. Enough." 

University of Wisconsin - Madison

- Using disability as a symbol that oppressive violence has occurred
- Examples: Sierra Club, The Black Panther
- Alternatives

How Social Justice Movements Use Disability

Schalk, Sami. Black Disability Politics, New York, USA: Duke University Press, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781478027003

Black Disability Politics

Schalk notes that social justice activist groups have a tendency of using disability - whether it be images or disabled individuals, especially disabled children, or language around disability - as evidence that an event or experience is horrible and awful. Schalk notes that this is most readily seen in regards to activism around environmental hazards, poverty, and social neglect.

Using Disability as a Symbol that Oppressive Violence has Occurred

Example: Advertisement from the Sierra Club

- Disability Pride Approach
- Reimagining of Representation
- Schalk's Recommendation

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