Environmental Racism

ywacc.ngo
Jun 3, 2020
3 min read

Hello! We hope you all are doing well given these frustrating and difficult times. The world that we live in needs to be changed, and we would like to take a moment to recognize some of the beautiful lives that have been lost. George Floyd, Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Ahmaud Arbery. Black lives have always mattered, and it’s frustrating to see opposition to the movement during this time and age. It is NOT a matter of politics, the Black Lives Matter movement is about human rights and human decency.

This week's post will try and connect social justice with environmental issues, so we will be discussing the growing problem of environmental racism.

First, let's talk about what environmental justice means. This “intergenerational, multiracial, and international” movement promotes environmental, social, and economic justice by recognizing the direct link between economic and health issues and a clean, safe, environmentally friendly community, home, and workspace. It aims to promote ideas of sustainability and supported by “ decent paying and secure jobs; quality schools and recreation; decent housing and adequate health care; democratic decision-making; and finally, personal empowerment.” A community that follows environmental justice guidelines is one that promotes both cultural diversity and biodiversity, in a manner that is beneficial to both the inhabitants and the surrounding environment. But when there are instances of just, there are also situations of unjust, which brings us to the concept of environmental racism.

Environmental racism is defined as, “the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color.” The environmental justice movement was in part created to help combat issues of environmental racism. Governmental organisations, such as the EPA, often try to fight for “environmental equity,” which attempts to redistribute environmental harms. While this idea works in theory, it still allows for the creation and use of agents that harm our environment and is almost never held in standard. The environmental justice movement aims to abolish these environmentally harmful agents and practices, so there is no need for the redistribution of harmful substances.

Something interesting to mention is that there is a specific national committee for people of color to discuss issues surrounding environmental racism and justice! The preamble will be listed below, and the link to their website will be posted in the sources and helpful links section.

“WE, THE PEOPLE OF COLOR, gathered together at this multinational People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, to begin to build a national and international movement of all peoples of color to fight the destruction and taking of our lands and communities, do hereby re-establish our spiritual interdependence to the sacredness of our Mother Earth; to respect and celebrate each of our cultures, languages and beliefs about the natural world and our roles in healing ourselves; to ensure environmental justice; to promote economic alternatives which would contribute to the development of environmentally safe livelihoods; and, to secure our political, economic and cultural liberation that has been denied for over 500 years of colonization and oppression, resulting in the poisoning of our communities and land and the genocide of our peoples, do affirm and adopt these Principles of Environmental Justice.”

A study published by the EPA has solidified the existence of environmental racism and has highlighted, “results at national, state, and county scales all indicate that non-Whites tend to be burdened disproportionately to Whites.” Environmental racism is real and is affecting people of color at a growing and disproportionate rate. The next post will be a case study looking at the effect of environmental racism on one country, their response, and the international response.

Take a stance. Get educated.