Example Of Environmental Injustice

On chapter 1 Melissa Checker’s “Polluted Promises”. She focusses on the research of Hyde Park, Georgia, and the tenacious activism of its two hundred African American people, how the community was struggling for environmental justice through mobilization and grassroots movements. The Residents are suffering with concerns in their community. She wants to know how environment movement organization has damage African and Urban activist. This community is at one time surrounded by nine polluting industries. The community was struggling to have their voice heard again and also to make their community safe. She also argues on how the Hyde Park stands for many other African American and other poor and minority communities. Hyde Park shows the post-civil

Today we’re faced with multiple forms of inequalities and injustices. None of them are in no way, shape or form are okay or justifiable. While we as a people are striving to deal with the obvious forms of injustices, there is another form that is a real quiet one, but it can be heard throughout the world that we are living in and is a severe problem that needs to be addressed. The type of injustice that I’m speaking on is called: Environmental Racism. This has been a definite issue that not only affects the environment, but it also has effects on communities, individuals and it effects the economic system in the long run as well. Environmental Racism needs to be brought up in conversations within our communities as well as our local governments, so they will not forget their remains a problem.

“ The future of African American political, economic, and socio cultural incorporation in America requires the continued expansion of rights, law, and public policy designed to bring balance to, and hopefully eradicate the historical barriers that limited, Black interests to begin with.”

When one discusses acts of racism, slander or the stereotyping of a group of people may come to mind. However, the concept of environmental racism is rarely considered. This form of racism positions dominant environmental framing as racially driven, in which people of color (i.e. minorities) are affected disproportionately by poor environmental practices. Communities of color throughout the United States have become the dumping grounds for our nation’s waste disposal, as well as home to agricultural and/or manufacturing industries that pollute the land. Government regulations and cultural practices have all contributed to environmental racism. The government’s policies have also negatively impacted low income groups as well as people of

Many minorities’ communities and low income communities in the United States have an unequal distribution of toxic contamination, either by the release of hazardous chemicals on their neighborhood or by allocating waste management facilities. This is an outcome that the landmark 1987 United Church of Christ (UCC) report on toxic waste and race claimed was not the result of mere coincidence. Evidence of disproportionate economic impact from environmental mismanagement, as well as through the regulatory response to air pollution, was already considered a decade earlier by geographers and economists, though without the suggestion of discriminatory intent (e.g., Berry, et. al., 1977; and Harrison, 1975). Ultimately, the conclusion was that race

In the research report “Coal Blooded: Putting Profits before People” by the NAACP, they explore devastating health, economic, and environmental effects of coal pollution in low-income communities and communities of color. The NAACP and their allies ranked 378 coal fired power plants nationwide based on their Environmental Justice Performance. They discovered the average income of communities surrounding coal plants are lower than the nationwide average and almost half are people of color. In addition to rankings, they have asserted coal pollution isn’t just an environmental issue, but a civil and human rights issue. “This report will help put a human face on the life and death issue of coal pollution,” stated Executive Director of Indigenous

It should be very obvious in this day and age that there is a lot of concern surrounding the well being of our planet. Whether it be climate change, water pollution, or massive buildups of garbage, there are a lot of environmental catastrophes that we face in this day and age. However, one problem that does not seem to be addressed enough is how certain groups of people are subjected to the worst of the environmental problems the planet faces. Some examples include indigenous communities having uranium poisoning in their water supply or a incinerator that creates a lot of air pollution being placed in a mostly African American community. I want to research more about the history of this phenomenon and why/how race and environmental issues have

Considering that most waste is produced by prosperous communities, it is evident that upper-class groups would rather put their trash in someone else’s living space, otherwise known as the NIMBY (not in my backyard) approach (Wright 495, 533). Critics may argue that this is not the case, because their is no substantial proof that governments have authorized the construction of hazardous waste sites specifically based on racial or economic demographics. However, in 1987, the Commission for Racial Justice of the United Church of Christ published an extensive study on environmental racism, discovering that three out of five of the largest commercial toxic waste landfills in the U.S. are located in primarily African American and Hispanic communities, with 40 percent of all hazardous waste disposal running through these factories. Also, around 60 percent of African Americans and Hispanics and almost half of all Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders live in areas with uncontrolled toxic waste sites (Cunningham, Cunningham, and Saigo 462). This evidence concludes that race is one of the most significant factors in determining where specific hazardous waste sites and facilities will be constructed. The government must work to prevent this unfair displacement of trash to preserve fairness for all

As sad as it is, environmental racism is an institutionalized practice, which immoral governments use to keep the poor poorer and living in highly polluted communities, while keeping the best areas for the White, powerful, and rich. It also has to do with immoral companies that knowing that they are hurting local citizens, they keep ignoring the damage they causing to others. For example, just recently in Porter Ranch and other vicinity, the gas company let them live in the middle of the largest methane gas leak. I am sure that they will be paying more in punitive damages and fines, than they could have spent to stop the leak and clean the area, before the public opinion denounced their crime. Sadly, right after this incident SOCAL had another

It is important that achieving environmental justice becomes an aim that is universal. This is because minorities and those with a lower socioeconomic status bear the burden of environmental hazards. Environmental hazards can impact the quality of the air, water, and land. Exposure to these environmental hazards can occur through inhalation, ingestion, and absorption. Thus adverse health outcomes may result. Because minorities and those of a lower socioeconomic status typically bear the burden of environmental hazards, they are at an increased risk of adverse health outcomes. This is especially harmful to vulnerable populations including children and the elderly. This is seen in the environmental justice case, Maynas Carijana vs.

Hazards and pollutants are apparent in a variety of outcomes. Possible outcomes include asthma, cancer and chemical poisoning (Gee and Payne-Sturges 2004: 1647). Furthermore, “Although debated, the main hypothesis explaining these disparities is that disadvantaged communities encounter greater exposure to environmental toxins such as air pollution, pesticides, and lead” (Gee and Payne-Sturges 2004: 1647). Therefore, disadvantaged groups, such as people of color and the poor, experience greater environmental risks. Additionally, “Blacks in particular are exposed to a disproportionate amount of pollution and suffer the highest levels of lead and pesticide poisoning and other associated health problems” (Jones and Rainey 2006: 474). People of color, essentially, compete to live healthily. For example, African-Americans and Africans alike, struggle with the negative affects of oil refineries and unresponsive governments. The same can be said for Hispanics in California and the natives of Ecuador, who are forced to cope with the pollution of the Texaco oil refineries (Bullard 2001: 4). Environmental racism not only exploits natural resources, it abuses and profits from the communities involved. Governments and polluting facilities will continue to capitalize on the economic susceptibilities of poor communities, states, nations and regions for their “unsound” and hazardous operations (Bullard 2001: 23).

There were many issues involving this case. The first being the dispatcher failed to give an accurate depiction of the scene and did not give the full description of the suspect to the responding officers, Garmback and Loehmann. They were unaware that Rice was a child. This led the Officers to believe that they were dealing with an active shooter, so when they arrived at the scene they pulled up within feet of Rice while he was seated, running over a curb. Officer Garmback failed to follow proper tactics when driving the vehicle and violated department policy by not telling dispatchers he arrived at the scene. When the police car made it to the scene Loehmann jumped out and fired his weapon close range. Both officers failed to render first aid to Rice, they just stood over his body and watched. This left people to wonder if the cops have been properly trained to assess a situation and follow the proper procedures the department have in place.

Native Americans have been subjected to injustice since the beginning of the “discovery” of the New World. Whether it’s been through what is defined as genocide by some people, or being pushed out westward by the government and having land stripped away. This maltreatment has shaped the views of many people about Native American’s rights. The topic of Native Americans has interested me because there has been so much injustice committed against them, yet there have been little to no attempts to amend them. I have never encountered a Native American and it made me realize how scarce their race is at this point in time. This realization made me keen on researching the discrimination Native Americans have been put through and what people have been doing to stop it. Through my research, I found that there is quite a large controversy about whether or not the mass killings of Native Americans were considered Genocide. Native Americans are still being stripped of their holy lands, such as the Dakota Pipeline, ruining their beautiful culture and history in the process. Native Americans have been subjected to mistreatment, however there remains a large population of people that don’t think about the inequality they are exposed to. The injustice being committed needs to be read about in order to understand and improve the conditions that Native American tribes live in.

Modesto Mayor Ted Branvold, in recently come to my concern that Modesto is one of the most polluted cities in the United States and this pollution is a problem that’s causing health problems in the Modesto community so in order to help resolve this problem I want you to issue pamphlets to city residents to help reduce individual population, having residents also businesses use recycling bins, and have community leaders advocate a healthy lifestyle choices to prevent or cure health ailments caused by the pollution. This problem directly affects me and other, and me personally because I have relatives in Modesto who could be affected by this and others as the pollution causes negative health effects. Send out mandatory pamphlets detailing how to reduce individual pollution so Modesto residents can clean water, electricity, paper, and have diet changes lessen their own individual pollution. Forced Recycling among community and businesses in Modesto will clean water, save money, use fewer resources, and less energy. Make community leaders advocate healthy lifestyle options and end bad health habits to prevent health problems in Modesto.

Entrepreneurs who provide cleaning services for the home and for the home will easily meet all their cleaning and sanitation needs. The harmful effects of environmental pollution will make your office and your home environment look dirty and stained. Everyone knows that a clean environment is the best possible habitat. For people who do not have the time to spend time cleaning their offices or homes, your best chance is to hire a professional and competent contractor to take responsibility for cleaning and cleaning your area.