TIFO’s founders, board members, staff, and volunteers all have a fierce belief in a simple purpose: that all people have the right to live and work in a healthy environment.

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The reality is that most hazardous industries have left high-income countries like the United States, seeking pollution havens in low-income countries with absent or poorly enforced environmental regulations, resulting in environmental and health disparities for some of the world’s most economically vulnerable people. Often, these environmental issues are inextricably related to severe poverty, endemic malnutrition and disease, violence, social injustices, and climate change.

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The more recent and rapid development of 'green' energy has resulted in massive increase in mining for lithium, copper, cobalt, and other minerals. It seems obvious that the existential threat posed by climate change should not be addressed by shifting additional injustices onto marginalized communities, yet this is an emerging pattern. Vulnerable communities shoulder the burdens of mining and resource extraction, including severe environmental degradation and chronic health impacts, subsidizing the cost of cleaner energy. A truly equitable solution  supports communities in self-determination of their role in mining development and protection of their environment and health for generations to come.

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Our projects are firmly rooted in collaborative approaches to addressing health issues associated with environmental contamination. People must be able to make a living, but it should not be at the cost of their health or the health of their families. To achieve our mission, we work in multiple impact areas.