ENVIRONMENTALRACISM
Prerequisite:CompletionofGEbasicsubjects(BlockA)andOneG.E.BlockB1course.Useofepidemiologyinenvironmentalhealth.Morbidityandmortalityincommunitiesofcolorandlower economicstatusduetodisproportionatedistributionofenvironmentalcontaminants.
CHS370/HS 370
EnvironmentalRacism
? Spring2013
? Roberto Flores Ph.D
? AdjunctAssistantProfessor
? Dept.ofChicanoStudies
? Robertof2@socal.rr.com
Remember:
Thissectionofthecourseistaughtfullyonline.!
Environmental Racism
?Definition:
Epidemiology Examinationofthelinkbetweenhuman exposure and health outcomes
HumanExposure
Information
Riskassessment
Estimation ofthelikelihood, magnitude anduncertainty ofhealth risksassociatedwith environmentalexposures
?Theintentionalsitingofhazardouswastesites,landfills,incineratorsandpollutingindustriesincommunities inhabitedmainlybyAfricanAmericans,Hispanics,NativeAmericans,Asians,migrantworkers andtheworkingpoor.
StatusandtrendsEvaluation of historicalpatterns Current statusand possibleFuturechangeinhumanexposuresand/orhealth outcomes
??Route
??Magnitude
??Duration
??Frequency
??distribution
??Mostexposed
??Temporalaspects
??Geographic aspects
??Demographic aspects
Riskmanagement Determinationofwhich,healthrisksareunacceptableand whattodoaboutthem
?Thesefacilitiesmaybetiedtoacommunityís
economicsurvivaltherebycompromising
residentsíabilitytoopposeìlocallyundesirablelanduses.î
Importantusesof humanexposureinformation intheassessment andmanagement ofenvironmentalhealth risks (Sextonetal.)http://www.ehponline.org/members/1995/Suppl-3/sex ton-full.html
MeasuringEnvironmentalRacism EnvironmentalRacism:Whydoesit occur?
How doesonegoabout determiningenvironmentalracismexists?
I. Whatvariablesmatter?
Independent
??Relationshipbetweensocialmovements,industry,
laborandtechnology
variables
Dependent variables
Epidemiology
ONLINE
Raceand class(income,education, occupation) arecriticalvariables to
examine.
II. ObserveEffects
A. Wherearepolluting facilitieslocated?Wherearepesticides ortoxinsdisposed of? Inotherwords,whatpatternscanbeobservedintermsofìsitingîoffacilities, dumping oftoxins,clustering, etc.(riskfactors,exposure)
B. Whateffectsdoesìsitingîoftoxicwastehaveoncommunities ofcolorintermsofqualityoflifeandoccurrenceofadversehealtheffects_morbidityrate&mortalityrate=epidemiological profile ofcommunitiesexposedtowaste,toxins etc.
III. Epidemiology examinesrisk,morbidity,mortality
IntheLosAngelesbasin,exposuretopollution fromcar
emissionsiscorrelatedwithmorecasesofasthmain children.
IV. Assessments/Activities
Clickto seeCancerinLABasinHowdoesenvironmentalpollution affectthecancerratesthroughout theLABasin?
??TheEnvironmentalMovementandEnvironmentalJusticeMovementsprovidedifferent assessmentsandsolutionsforcommunities toaddressEnvironmentalRacism
??Science,research&technologycentraltodebates
andsolutions
?Health&theenvironment
??epidemiology
EnvironmentalismandPolicy
Preservation
??Environmentalpolicyisrootedintwocompetingperspectivesabouttheenvironment:preservationandconservation
??TwoleadingfiguresinfluencingearlyU.S.
governmentenvironmentalpolicyinclude
?Sierra Clubfounder JohnMuir(1838-1914).Activist.proposedwildlifepreservationandadvocatedfornationalparks
?GiffordPinchot(1865-1946.Policy.HeadofU.S.
ForestryService(1905-1910);hebelievedin
JohnMuir,totherightofpresidentTheodoreRoosevelt,convincedhimtoprotect wildernessland.
“Ifyouthinkaboutallthegainsoursocietyhasmade,fromindependencetonow,itwasn’tgovernment.Itwas activism.Peoplethink,’Oh,TeddyRooseveltestablishedYosemiteNationalPark,whatagreatpresident.’BS.ItwasJohnMuirwhoinvitedRooseveltoutandthenconvincedhimtoditchhissecurity andgocamping.ItwasMuir,anactivist,asingleperson.”
–Patagoniafounderandoutdoor
enthusiastYvonChouinardinarecentSierraMagazineinterview
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/
Quarter coin2005
conservationandscientificmanagementofresources
forhumanuseorprofit
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/graphics/roosvelt_muir_front.jpg
GovernmentAgencies&ScientificManagement
?U.S.ForestryService
?GiffordPinchotbelievedthatscientificknowledgeneededtobeappliedtomanagementofnaturalresources.Efficiencywasthe goal.
?Inhisview,sciencecouldprovideanindependentvoicecapableofmoderatingbetweenprofitmotivesofindustryandtoomuchgovernmentcontrol.
ControlofNature: Science &Progress
?Trustintechnologytoadvanceeconomic
growth
?Burgeoningindustriesrequirelotsofnatural
resources
?Growingpopulationandurbanizationrequirehighervolumeoffoodproduction
?Pesticideskeytoìcontrolofnatureîand
nationalprogress
?DDTchemicalwidely usedtocontrolinsects;higheragriculturaloutput
SilentSpring:PesticidesandHealth
??PublicationofRachelCarsonísbookìSilentSpringîin1962brings ecologicalawarenesstonationalpublic attention.
??CarsoncritiquesuseofDDTandenumeratesvariousharmfuleffectson floraandfauna andthelastingimpactonsoil, waterandairquality–morecritically ontheviability andvitality ofourfoodchain.
??Sheconnectsdiseaseinthenaturalenvironmenttotheprevalenceofillnessesin humans
??Callsforlessaggressivepestcontrolmethodsto
preventthedegradationoftheenvironment
??DDTwasbannedintheU.S.in1972
GovernmentGovernment Oversight
??EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyestablishedin
1970
??Citizen inputwasveryimportanttothisnewregulatoryagency
??Stillmuchoftheregulationsfavorbureaucraticexpertknowledgesystemswhichdonítalwaysprotectresidents affectedbyharmfulfacilitiesortoxicsubstances
??Poorerandlesseducatedgroupsaremostly
excludedfromìmeaningfulparticipationî
??SeeWhyEPAwas established?
Environmental Justice Movements
??ConsolidationofanetworkofAfricanAmericanenvironmentalactivistsandorganizationssince1982thrutheUnitedChurchofChrist.
??MinorityEnvironmentalstruggleshavealonghistory.
??NativeAmericancommunitiespointoutthattheyhavebeenengagedinenvironmentalstruggles sincetheirlands
wereinvadedbyEuropeans.
??MajorenvironmentalprotectionorganizationshavebeenestablishedliketheSierraClub(1898);buttheyhavebeentypicallyfocusedonconservation/preservationissuesandhaveoftenstayedawayfromthestrugglesofpoor communities.
http://www.macalester.edu/americanstudies/afamconf7.html RicardoLevinsMorales,NorthlandPosterCollective
NativeAmericansandEnvironmentalRacism
??WinonaLaDuke,anativeAmericanscholar,describes thesituationinthesecommunitiesintermsofresourceextraction,dumpingofnuclearwasteandothersubstances,clearcutting(deforesting).
??Industrialdevelopmentinitiativeshaveìdevouredîlands, rivers,speciesand entireculturesintheirpath.
??Theseìinvasiveindustrialinterventionsî(Laduke1999)threaten notonlythosecommunitiesbutalsobiodiversity.
Native AmericansandEnvironmentalRacism
??ThelossofbiodiversitythreatenstheexistenceofNativeAmericans.
??Attentionto thelossofbiodiversityinthiscommunityraisesissues ofpreservationofculturaldiversityandfuturegenerationsofnativesandnon-natives
??ClickNavajo
http://www.latimes.com/extras/navajo/Day1/
UrbanCommunitiesOrganizedAgainstDumping
??MotherísofEastLosAngeles,Santa Isabel
?MELASiorìLasMELASî
??Opposedincinerators, pipelineandprisonproposals forEastLosAngeles
??AuroraCastillo,a MELASactivistput
itsuccintly:
UrbanCommunitiesOrganizedAgainstDumping
GoldmanEnvironmental Prize1995
??ìWeneedconstructivejobs–nurses,doctors,computerspecialists,skilledworkers…Thestatewantstoplaceallofsocietyísproblemsinour
community–aprison,a pipeline andan
incinerator.Theywillhavetosolve
thoseproblems, notjustdumpthem
fromoneplacetoanother.î
(AuroraCastilloinDevon Pena,TierraYVida:MexicanAmericansandtheEnvironment2005:xxiv)
AuroraCastillo,residentofEastLos AngelesandfoundingMemberof
MELAS(MotherísofEastLos
Angeles)receivedtheGoldman
EnvironmentalPrizein1995.MELAS
ìisrecognizedasapoliticalforceinthe regionthathashelpedtosetimportant legalprecedentsforothergrassroots environmentaljusticegroups.î
http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/89
GoldmanEnvironmental Prize2004 AncestralLands:WaterRights
??LandandCulturevs.Commodities
Petrochemicalsandhealth
ìGrowing UpinCancerAlley
Margie Richard grewup in the historicallyAfrican-American neighborhood ofOldDiamondinNorco, Louisiana,ina housejust 25feet awayfromShellChemicalsplant’sfenceline. Yearslater,she wouldleadthe front line of a long, hard-won battle to holdShellaccountableforthe devastatinghealth problems in hercommunity.Richard, 62,whose
campaignhasbeen hailedasalandmark
environmental justicevictory, holdsthe distinctionas thefirst African-American to winthe Goldman
EnvironmentalPrize.î2004
http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/100
??Acequias,centuriesoldwaterirrigationditches, usedin landgrantsinNewMexico&Colorado
??GenerationsofacequiafarmersintheSouthwesthavecleanedupthisvitalresourcesincethe17thcentury
??Communitiesareconcernedwithpollutionandthedeforesting/cuttingoftrees
??Hispanofarmershavenotonlybeenfightingfortheirlandbutalsowaterrights
Farmworkers,Agro-industriesandPesticides
??Activistslinkedpesticideusetoenvironmentaldamageandunknowneffectstoconsumer.
??Theyemphasizedworkplacesafety,qualityoflifeofentirecommunitiesandpesticiderelatedillnesses,birthdefectsanddeaths.
??CesarChaveznotedthatchemicalcompaniesandgrowersconvincedpoliticianandgovernmentregulatorsthatpesticideusewasnecessaryfortheabundanceoffood.
??Hequestionedthecost tofarmworkersandtotheenvironment.
Ecology andKnowledge: LandandCulture
??Asyoucanseetheactionsofdevelopersand
environmentalpollutershavegeneratedresistance.
??Land-basedandlaborstrugglesinruralareaslinktheissuestoecologicalimpactsandthelossofbiodiversity.
??Inurbanareas,wewillexamineeffortstoestablishcommunitygardenstoaddressìfood securityîbutalsotheretentionandrestorationofecologicalknowledge.
??Urbancommunity gardenshighlighttheimportanceoflandinthe foodchainandtheproductchain.
??Fundamentally,thesearestrugglesfordefinitionofvalue;thepreservationofindigenous knowledgeandlivelihood;communityhealth.
EnvironmentalRacism&Justice Struggles Power&DecisionMaking:EnvironmentalRacism
Power&Decision Makin g: ìFromtheGroundUp î
??Cole&Fosterprofileanimportantexampleofpoweranddecisionmaking
??IntheKettlemancase,thecommunitywasshutoutfromvoicingtheiropinions,concernsandobjectionstoanincinerator proposal.
??Economicbenefits fromrevenueproducedbythissite wenttocommunitiesnotdirectlyaffectedbytheeverydayoperationofthesite.
??TheCountyBoardofSupervisors votedfortheincinerator3-1.
DumpingToxicWaste:StateEnvironmentalLaws
??Publicnoticerequirements under environmentallawsleftthecommunityofKettlemanCityintheSanJoaquinValleyatadisadvantage.
??Therefore,residentsofthiscommunity didnotfindoutaboutatoxicwastefacility untilthe1980s.
??ChemWaste,Incwasproposinganincineratorexpansionthatwouldburnupto108,000tonsof(216millionlbs)toxicwasteeachyear.Thisbasicallywouldbeinadditiontothehundredsofdaily
truckloadsprocessedatthissite.
??ChemWasteownsthelargestwastedumpinEmelle,AlabamaandtwootherlargefacilitiesinCalifornia.
CerrellReport
Dangerous Patterns
??Inlookingatthedistributionofthesefacilities,activistsfoundthatmostofthetoxicwastedumpswerelocatedinpoorminoritycommunities.
??TheCerrellReportprovidedcluesaboutthesitingprocess.
??CommissionedbytheCaliforniaWasteManagementBoardandpaidforbytaxpayerdollars:
??TheCerrellreportsuggestedthatthecommunitiesthatwouldbeleastresistanttoincineratorswere:
??ruralcommunities,poorcommunities,communitieswhoseresidents hadloweducationallevels,…highlycatholic,fewerthan25,000 residents…employedinresourceextractivejobssuchasmining, timberandagriculture.(Cole&Fosterp3)
??ChemWastewasfinednumeroustimes for
unsafehandlingofwaste
??Eventhoughfineswereprettyhigh,their
behaviorcontinued
??Superfundcleanupviolations
?ìsamplepackingîjustcheckingthefirst10trucks
insteadofensuringthatincompatiblewasteswerenotthrowntogether
?ìResidentísfiguredthatifthecompanycanítrunaholeintheground correctly,itshouldnít begiventheabilitytodosomethingworse.î
??TheincineratorinKettlemanCitywouldbedangerousaccordingtoresidents!(Cole&Fosterp5)
ApprovalProcess:KettlemanIncinerator
??KettlemanCityresidentswereexcludedfrom
ìmeaningfulparticipationîinvariousways.
??LackoftranslationofEnvironmentalImpactreport
??Only5 ofthe1000pagesofthedocument
translatedintoSpanish.
??Community dissentwasnottakenintoaccount intheplanningcommissionísdecisiontoapprovetheincinerator.
??TheCerrellreportwas accurateinthatinstitutionalbarrierspreventedtheKettlemanCitycommunityfrom beingheard,recording theiroppositionandparticipatinginthedecision-making.
Racism:EffectonCitizenParticipation,Democratic
vsTechnocraticKnowledge
??Citizeninputlimitedbyclass,languageand
technicaldifferences
??Raceasignificantfactor
??Communitieshavetodocumenttheeffectsofexposureandconfrontnotonly pollutersbutalsovariousinstitutionsthatblocktheiraccess
??WhereelseinChapters1&2doyousee evidence
ofbarrierstocitizenparticipation?
GrassrootsOrganizingandCitizenLawsuits
??ResidentsofKettlemanCitysuedandthecourtruledthatlackof participationinthereview processmandatedbytheCalifornia EnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)wasaviolation.
??TheresidentshaddemandedreviewoftheEnvironmentalImpactReport (EIR).
??GreenpeaceandElPuebloorganizedtosend5,000postcardstothe BoardandtheFarmBureau.
??Theyalsocollected17,000signaturesinoppositiontotheincinerator.
??ChemWasteappealedthejudgment.
??Thiscasereflectedthe successofgrassrootsresistance.
??ChemWastewithdrewitsapplicationin1993citingdeclineinuseof incineratortechnology.
Terminology
??Environmentalracismandenvironmentalinjustice willbeusedinterchangeablyinallthreetextsandinthecourse.
??Theterminjusticebestcapturesthattoxicassaults moreseverely/directly affectthoselowerwithina hierarchyofclassandraciallocations.
??Environmentalinjusticeacknowledgesinequity
asa problemforeveryone.
(Cole&Fosterp15)
WhereShouldWasteFacilitiesbeSited?
??WastefacilitiesareLULUS(locallyundesirableland
uses)
??Shouldwejust stopcreatingwaste?Howdowe do
that?
??Whatarethegoalsoftheenvironmentalmovement?
Thedistributionofcommercial,hazardousorpotentiallyhazardousfacilitiesaswellasthecleanupof ìsuperfund sitesî concernsoccupationalenvironmental health.
Whatyou shouldlearn fromthispresentation
??Thisconcludestheintroductiontothecourseandthedifferent sourcesofinformationIwillbeusing.
??Youshouldreadpage1-53ofCole&FosterFromtheGroundUp: EnvironmentalRacismandtheRiseof theEnvironmentalJusticeMovementthisweek.
??Pleaseposttothediscussionboard,introduceyourselfwithname, majorandabriefbiography.
??Haveyoutakenanonlinecoursebefore?Haveyoutakenother
distancelearningcoursesbefore?
??Iwillpostquestionsfordiscussionfocusedontheoverviewand pp1-53onFriday8a.m.andyouwillhaveuntil8p.m.Mondayto postaresponse.
??MakesurethatyoulogintoWebCtthisweekagainforadditional postingsandannouncements!
Our Service Charter
-
Excellent Quality / 100% Plagiarism-Free
We employ a number of measures to ensure top quality essays. The papers go through a system of quality control prior to delivery. We run plagiarism checks on each paper to ensure that they will be 100% plagiarism-free. So, only clean copies hit customers’ emails. We also never resell the papers completed by our writers. So, once it is checked using a plagiarism checker, the paper will be unique. Speaking of the academic writing standards, we will stick to the assignment brief given by the customer and assign the perfect writer. By saying “the perfect writer” we mean the one having an academic degree in the customer’s study field and positive feedback from other customers. -
Free Revisions
We keep the quality bar of all papers high. But in case you need some extra brilliance to the paper, here’s what to do. First of all, you can choose a top writer. It means that we will assign an expert with a degree in your subject. And secondly, you can rely on our editing services. Our editors will revise your papers, checking whether or not they comply with high standards of academic writing. In addition, editing entails adjusting content if it’s off the topic, adding more sources, refining the language style, and making sure the referencing style is followed. -
Confidentiality / 100% No Disclosure
We make sure that clients’ personal data remains confidential and is not exploited for any purposes beyond those related to our services. We only ask you to provide us with the information that is required to produce the paper according to your writing needs. Please note that the payment info is protected as well. Feel free to refer to the support team for more information about our payment methods. The fact that you used our service is kept secret due to the advanced security standards. So, you can be sure that no one will find out that you got a paper from our writing service. -
Money Back Guarantee
If the writer doesn’t address all the questions on your assignment brief or the delivered paper appears to be off the topic, you can ask for a refund. Or, if it is applicable, you can opt in for free revision within 14-30 days, depending on your paper’s length. The revision or refund request should be sent within 14 days after delivery. The customer gets 100% money-back in case they haven't downloaded the paper. All approved refunds will be returned to the customer’s credit card or Bonus Balance in a form of store credit. Take a note that we will send an extra compensation if the customers goes with a store credit. -
24/7 Customer Support
We have a support team working 24/7 ready to give your issue concerning the order their immediate attention. If you have any questions about the ordering process, communication with the writer, payment options, feel free to join live chat. Be sure to get a fast response. They can also give you the exact price quote, taking into account the timing, desired academic level of the paper, and the number of pages.