environmental justice

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Biden on Environmental Justice Initiatives

Nilsen, E. (2023, April 21). Biden announces new environmental justice initiatives. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/21/politics/environmental-justice-biden/index.html

This source states that President Biden announced that environmental justice would be a part of every federal agency, and they must all take into account the environmental health impacts on communities and try to decrease the negative effects. The source also states that the Biden administration plans to decrease pollution from natural gas power plants, which decreases some of the greenhouse gas emissions.

 

This source really helped me see how the government is trying to decrease more greenhouse gas emissions and try to make communities with more environmental issues better. It’s interesting how some of the republican senators try to vote against these kinds of things because 1) they’re pretty wealthy people, they aren’t living in hovels or in really bad environmental areas like a lot of people are so they don’t really know what it’s like, so heck are they speaking out against it. Yes it does cost a lot of money, but then again, they’re probably getting their money from oil companies that they have stock in. I agree that it does cost a lot of money to do this, but it’s better to live in a good environment than have a flourishing economy where the environment has gone to hell.

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The Environmental Justice Policy

Lindwall, C. (2023, August 22). The Environmental Justice Movement. Natural Resources Defence Council. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/environmental-justice-movement

This article is stating how environmental justice is the idea that people of all colors should have the same environmental rights and environmental benefits. Because of people with low incomes (usually people of color), these people are living in worse environmental areas( for example; pollution) than the more wealthy, and this it has been shaped by hundreds of years of racism in the Americas. The source also states that people living in lower income areas are more effected by multiple environmental issues at once, leading the people living there to have higher environmental and monetary risks. The source talks about the Warren County protests, where the North Carolina government sorted oil laced with PCBs in a low income relatively black community. The public were outraged and this resulted in protests with people lying down on the ground to stop the trucks from moving. These nonviolent protests resulted in more than 500 arrests and laid the groundwork for more environmental protests in the future.

 

This is a helpful article because it explains first of all what environmental racism really is and how it’s been used throughout history. I think this article was well written and a pretty easy read. It is especially good for someone who is just starting to look into environmental justice because it explains it in simple terms and then gets progressively more complicated, which is much easier to understand than simply reading an article and not knowing what is going on. My two big takeaways was that environmental racism affects more than just people living in worse environments, but people who are living somewhere and people decide to try and ruin their environment as well, through malicious intent or not.

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One Size Fits All Policy and Environmental Justice

Donoghoe, M. (2023, June 1). US can’t achieve environmental justice through one size fits all policy. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-us-cant-achieve-environmental-justice-through-one-size-fits-all-climate-policy/

The source talks about how the US governments efforts for environmental pollution reduction in the past haven’t always been the most equitable, with lower income communities having rates of 10-15% higher pollution than other communities. It also talks about how people with lower incomes are more likely to live by areas with more pollution and higher risks of environmental hazard. It states how the US government needs to be more equitable instead of equal because not all commmunities need the same things. Because states and local governments could make these efforts more equitable, it is important to have these smaller governments actually focus on this and not brush it off.

 

This source was nice because it talked more about how the laws being passed this year still have some downsides, which is not really mentioned in any of the other articles, so it’s nice to have a differing opinion.

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Environmental Racism in Boston

Alston, P. (Host). (2023, April 13). How environmental racism is hurting communities of color in Boston [Audio podcast interview]. In How environmental racism is hurting communities of color in Boston. WGBH. https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2023-04-13/how-environmental-racism-is-hurting-communities-of-color-in-boston

This source is an interview By Paris Alston, interviewing Professor Lacee Satcher, who first explains what environmental racism is, then mentions places in Massachusetts where there is more risk for environmental hazards and places where income disparity is an issue that ties in with environmental justice. She says that many of these places are getting hotter due to asphalt heating up as well as the buildings, and then releasing the heat. These environmental issues aren’t on the community to fix, but the policy makes and the government. She adds on that asthma rates are much higher in Boston because of all the pollution, and these things need to be fixed.

 

This was a really interesting article, mainly because unlike the others, this was an interview and you really got to see the input of another person who was very knowledgeable about these things.

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Despite reforms, mining for EV metals in Congo exacts steep cost on workers.

The Washington Post (2023, August 4) Despite reforms, mining for EV metals in Congo exacts steep cost on workers. Retrieved August 20, 2023, from 

Mines for electric car metals in Congo strain workers’ health, families – Washington Post

Cobalt is an essential mineral in batteries that are used in a majority of electrical cars. The main producer of cobalt is the Congo. The mining of cobalt comes at a tremendous human cost. Hand dug mines in the Congo use child laborers in poor working conditions with many facing serious injuries and death. This is not only an issue in hand dug mines. In large industrial mines, miners face similar conditions. They can get seriously injured from mining accidents along with long term impacts caused by the nature of the work. The mines also threaten the local environment.

This is important because it shows that human suffering is still behind our green solutions. I think that it is important to show this issue. As we strive to save the planet our solutions can have real negative effects on local environments and humans to achieve this goal. It is hard to think about. Minerals and metals that are mined in places like the Congo are necessary for our transition to green energy but at the same time it also contributes to hard lives for the people surrounding these mines and working in them. 

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California bill to Ban Food Chemicals is a win for environmental justice

Persellin, K. (2023, June 22). California bill to Ban Food Chemicals is a win for environmental justice. Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/06/california-bill-ban-food-chemicals-win-environmental-justice

California’s Assembly Bill 418 seeks to ban five chemicals commonly used in highly processed foods, which lower-income and colored communities have unequal exposure to; due to greater consumption of packaged foods containing these chemicals and lack of access to healthier alternatives. Attributable to long-term systemic racism and connected inequities, dollar stores and convenience marts containing food with these chemicals have traditionally been overly concentrated near or within low-income communities. These chemicals have also been linked to many health problems such as cancer, endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity.

This article discusses an important environmental science and justice issue regarding a proposed ban on certain chemicals used in processed foods in California, which relates to environmental science due to its subject of environmental policy, and public equity and health. Overall, I fully support the bill’s aim to improve food safety equitably. Banning proven harmful additives from the food system, in addition to addressing root causes of unequal access to nutrition, could produce significant long-term benefits for human and environmental wellbeing.



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Toxic Tides and Environmental Injustice: Social Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise and Flooding of Hazardous Sites in Coastal California

Cushing, L. J., & Frosch, R. M. (2023, May 2). Toxic Tides and Environmental Injustice: Social Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise and Flooding of Hazardous Sites in Coastal California . Environmental Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c07481 

As sea level rise and intense rainfall increase flood risk, disadvantaged neighborhoods face growing threats from nearby overflowing landfills and industrial zones releasing harmful pollutants. Policies to move toxic, high-hazard sites, strengthen flood defenses, and for monitoring have been called for to better protect vulnerable communities from pollution and flood risk. A study examining the release of toxic pollutants from hazardous waste sites during coastal flooding found carcinogenic chemicals dispersed with floods; with many of the polluted areas being in close proximity to low-income communities and those of color.

The article examines the impact of coastal flooding on public health. This interconnection between environmental hazards, climate change impacts like sea level rise, and issues of social equity aligns with key concepts in environmental science. I found the study’s implications alarming, but informative. It highlighted how climate impacts can worsen existing inequalities by intensifying exposures oppressed groups endure. I think that we need to equitably plan for and respond to such climate health threats and pollution dangers, as well as support open discussions about advancing more inclusive and sustainable solutions.



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Waiving California environmental rules for delta water equates to a civil rights issue

Willie, K., & Chichizola, R. (2023, March 17). Waiving california environmental rules for delta water equates to a civil rights issue. CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2023/03/delta-water-environment-rules/ 

Governor Newsom’s decision to bypass environmental regulations for water storage and usage in the Delta region includes effects such as harmful algal blooms, killing salmon populations already suffering from drought, and civil rights violations- particularly for Native American tribal members. Rules were directed to be waived in order to deliver more water to agriculture which disproportionately harms Native tribes for whom salmon are culturally significant, and violates civil rights as California’s antiquated water rights system was designed during a racist era. The authors are calling on the EPA to intervene, to ensure the Delta ecosystem and surrounding communities are protected.

This article discusses finding a balance between human water needs and sustaining the Delta environment, therefore it is related to environmental science. Personally, the article raises concerns that resonate with me, such as the failure of the state to consider all stakeholders in water policy decisions. I’m wondering why tribal people, fishing unions and communities of color have been excluded from these choices, as they are clearly disproportionately impacted by decisions that weaken protections. More so because they suffer from disproportionate health outcomes such as diabetes, heart disease and suicide.



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City planners targeted a black community for heavy pollution. Can the damage be undone?

Fears, D., & Muyskens, J. (2023, May 11). City planners targeted a black community for heavy pollution. Can the damage be undone?. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/07/oakland-freeways-environmental-justice/

Due to economically motivated discriminatory planning, construction and expansion of freeways in Oakland have disproportionately affected low-income neighborhoods- increasing pollution and health risks. The struggle for equitable distribution of resources, a healthier environment, and the abolishment of these racist policies in the city continues, with activists and organizations in Oakland beginning with the proposal of an investment in public transportation and the creation of green spaces.

The article reviews the deliberate placement of freeways and pollution-heavy industries in Black communities like West Oakland, exposing residents to harmful traffic and industrial pollution. This has led to environmental justice issues, as the community faces higher rates of health problems like asthma that can be linked to air quality. It’s upsetting to me to see how systemic racism influenced infrastructure decisions in a way that exploited and disadvantaged minority communities not only environmentally but also health-wise for decades. I hope that the city will take action to help correct this wrong from the past and also focus on assessing pollution burdens.



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Lawsuit Filed Over New Warehouse Complex in San Bernardino, California

O’Melveny. (2023, March 16). Environmental justice update (March 2023). Environmental Justice Update (March 2023). https://www.omm.com/resources/alerts-and-publications/alerts/environmental-justice-update-march-2023/ 

Environmental groups sued the county of San Bernardino, California over the approval of a new warehouse complex- claiming it violates the California Environmental Quality Act. The plaintiffs claim that Bloomington Business Park will expose a predominantly Latinx community to high levels of pollution as well as requiring the demolition of more than 100 homes- resulting in the displacement of minority families. According to the plaintiffs, Spanish-language versions of the executive summaries of impact statements and hearings were not provided by the county, causing the documents to be inaccessible to many residents. This led to their final decision to seek an injunction.

This article highlights the potential social and environmental impacts of a new warehouse complex on a marginalized community, addressing the environmental injustice of the project- which relates the issue to environmental science and sustainable development. Initially, I questioned why access to information and decision-making were not guaranteed, much less accessible. This then made me question who is majorly involved in the decision-making processes to approve such projects that disproportionately affect members of marginalized communities. I also reached the conclusion that an order to stop any continuation of the project would be the most equitable option, in agreement with the environmental groups.