The concept of ecojustice has at least two different usages among environmentalists. The first refers to a general set of attitudes about justice and the environment at the center of which is dissatisfaction with traditional theories of justice. With few exceptions (notably a degree of concern about excessive cruelty to animals), anthropocentric and egocentric Western moral and ethical systems have been unconcerned with individual plants and animals, species, oceans, wilderness areas, and other parts of the biosphere, except as they may be used by humans. In general, that which is non-human is viewed mainly as raw material for human uses, largely or completely without moral standing.

Relying upon holistic principles of biocentrism and deep ecology, the "ecojustice" alternative suggests that the value of non-human life-forms is independent of the usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes. Antecedents of this view can be found in sources as diverse...