The biggest examples of environmental justice failures can be seen during the process of community development nationwide. In specific, the case of Warren County (one of the original instances that brought the EJ movement to the mainstream) shows how outside governance has failed a specific community. Warren County, North Carolina has a population that is 60% African American and where 25% live under the poverty line. When deciding where to place an environmentally destructive landfill site, Warren County was chosen over a more adequately fit white neighborhood. Thus, community members were forced to bear the adverse health effects of the site, harming them both physically and mentally. With the state given all the power to this decision, it was evident that these higher levels of government officials were making decisions for local populations. These populations being ones that were not granted an adequate voice in the decision-making process or a respected voice in the area in general. When communities, especially minority communities, are pushed away from this very important decision-making process, the end result usually ends up being one that does more harm than good to a particular neighborhood. Those who are bargaining and making decisions on behalf of the victims are far removed from the physical situation and will never have to endure the consequences of pollution firsthand. This distance gives outside officials the motive to put minority communities at high-risk time and time again. 

The scenario above demonstrates one of the three most important types of justice, procedural justice. According to New Castle University, procedural justice is defined as “the opportunity for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, income, national origin or educational level to have meaningful involvement in environmental decision-making”. It is evident that the decision-making process was what led to the uneven distribution of environmental hazards. Clearly, higher-ups should not be given such large discretion to communities in which they are so far removed without having input from community members themselves. Furthermore, it is imperative that local governments create a partnership between educated state officials and longstanding community members in order to foster development that is obtainable and appreciated within that specific community. It is important that government officials recognize community development as a living process where inclusion is the very foundation of the process and participation is monitored and maintained throughout. Community members should not be viewed as the subjects of community development by government officials, but rather treated as equals, who play a critical role in a community’s evolution. 

One of the most prominent examples of environmental racism can be seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was a category 5 hurricane that absolutely destroyed New Orleans and surrounding areas, directly killing 1,800 people and doing more than $125 billion in damages. However, the effects of the storm were not seen equally. The hurricane caused 7 zip code areas to flood. 4 out of the 7 had a population that was 75% or more Black. Research from Scientific American found that “the poorest residents are most likely to live on the lowest-lying land, and so are most subjected to higher flood exposure”. Undesirable land like this is often the cheapest, and minority and low-income families are consistently seen to be the ones living there. Not only are they predisposed to many environmental hazards, but they are also continually ignored by the state or even targeted because of their lack of political clout in some instances.

New Orleans, Louisiana was not mildly prepared for this caliber of a disaster. To start, the infrastructure in Black neighborhoods were weak and unable to withstand such force. Black families were left with half homes or no homes at all. And even without a proper place to stay many were unable to flee New Orleans specifically because the public transit that many relied on had no mandatory evacuation plans and were very slow at transporting a select few. With this recognized, poor, sick, and elderly citizens were still not given provisions!

While the disaster itself was “natural” it became very clear that the proper measures to protect particularly susceptible groups were not in place. The damage to the Black community did not stop here. Media coverage at the time essentially kicked the Black community while they were already down. Reporters created their own narrative about their portrayal of African Americans, often showing them “stealing” and “looting” when in reality, they are simply trying to survive in an environment that seemingly wants them dead.

Even years after the initial disaster struck, the original Black population of New Orleans is still suffering. Out of the 175,000 Black residents that left New Orleans within the year of the storm, over 42% still have not returned. Meanwhile, almost the entire non-Hispanic white population is back in the city. Instead of rebuilding affordable housing, many higher-ups have used this as a way to gentrify the city of New Orleans, making it no longer accessible for many of the community’s original members and losing the culture and values of these communities in whole. Overall, it is easy to see just how destructive environmental racism and Hurricane Katrina was and continues to be for the Black population.

The disheartening effects of environmental racism have social ramifications which affect African Americans on a daily basis. Unfairly implementing environmental procedures based on race alone contributes to the vicious cycle of racism within the United States. One example of this is that “black and brown communities find it harder to get standard homeowner’s insurance because they live in certain neighborhoods. When disaster hits, those communities are placed at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving dollars for recovery because they have been red-lined in terms of insurance. The cost-benefit analysis of the disaster relief funds may, on its face, be race-neutral, but it follows this formula; money follows money; money follows power, and money follows whites.” (Bullard, 2019) Essentially, Bullard tells us that because whites have pushed African Americans into unhealthy and dangerous living environments for so long, they are then consequently forced to fight against more instances of racism. Consequently, blacks are stripped from having equal access to certain resources or opportunities, which further plays into the never-ending cycle.

Even more so, this cycle of oppression impacts how African Americans view environmental policy and its role in the environment. Milton Takei, an independent scholar with a master’s degree in political science and volunteer of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, conducted a quantitative study that asked people in the U.S to rate the public health risk of twenty-five hazards. People of color perceived a greater risk from global warming than whites because whites have more power and control, and feel less vulnerable (2012). Since blacks are consistently disadvantaged by climate change and other unhealthy environmental factors, they are vulnerable to health and economic consequences that are not encountered by more affluent whites. These experiences make African Americans more likely to favor environmental policy which addresses climate change, access to clean water, and clean air. However, it is important to note that African Americans also perceive the environment as more of an enemy compared to whites who think immersing themselves in the environment is a prize. Historically speaking, black people’s relationships with the environment have always been hard and complex. From slavery to the horrifying effects of Hurricane Katrina, Black the environment has written a harsh narrative for minorities who are forced to face the social and economic ramifications as well. 

Through various forms of investigation, it has become very clear that environmental racism continues to handicap African Americans in contrast to their white counterparts. 

Sources:

Bullard, R. (2019). Addressing Environmental Racism. Journal of International Internal Affairs, 

73(1), 237-242. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from 

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26872794

Takei, M. (2012). Racism and Global Warming: The Need for the Richer Countries to Make

Concessions to China and India. Race, Gender & Class, 19, 131-149. Retrieved October 

04, 2020, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/43496863

 

Unjust trends in environmental policy have not only failed to account for minority communities but also purposefully target low-income African Americans, forcing them to live in close proximity to hazardous waste plants and other areas with low air quality. As a result, black communities are profoundly affected by toxins and other pollutants, which, in turn, cause long-lasting health problems and even fatalities. Statistically speaking, “people of color bear a disproportionate share of environmental health hazards” (Milner & Turner, 1999). Evidence of this can be seen in a 2020 study that found that African Americans are 20% more likely to have asthma than whites (Sze, 2020). This is similarly proven by extensive research which has demonstrated that “childhood lead exposure can cause lifelong and very serious developmental, cognitive, medical, and psychological issues” (Turner, 2016). Both statistics amplify the physical and mental burdens greatly taken on by the Black community. 

In my senior year of high school I was given the opportunity to interview Samuel Stopler, an environmental and energy economist and professor at the University of Michigan, on the topic of environmental racism and environmental justice. His biggest takeaway was that when acknowledging the impacts of environmental racism, it is “equally important to recognize mental health… [and that] the psychological burden of living in the shadow of a smokestack is something real and something that has effects of its own” (Stopler, 2020). African Americans are not only prone to physical burdens associated with environmental racism but long-lasting and exhausting mental effects as well. These impacts are even further ignored as they often can’t be quantified to statistical data points. Because of this, both local and federal governments are continuing to get away with harmful practices as they fail to implement policies that uphold the standards of environmental justice. If we want to see change, it is important now more than ever, that we as citizens rise up and take action. 

So what exactly are these standards you may ask. According to Webster’s Dictionary, environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Paul Mohai, environmental justice professor at the University of Michigan and member of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, puts this definition in context by stating that “environmental justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction” (2018). Often, the mistreatment of the natural environment coincides with the susceptibility of minority communities. For instance, big waste facilities release their toxic chemicals into runoff, which eventually ends up in local water sources. Not only do these toxins harm animal and plant life in the aquatic ecosystem, but they poison the drinking water. More often than not, these waste facilities are located in poor black communities that are forced to get their water from toxic supplies.

This is not a newfound issue but rather one that has been going on for decades. In fact, in 1987, a quantitative national-level study was conducted to analyze the demographics of communities surrounding hazardous waste sites. The results reported that “the percentage of people of color in communities containing a commercial hazardous waste facility was double that of communities not containing such facilities. The percentage of people of color in communities containing two or more such facilities was triple” (Mohai, 2018). This research proves that the government purposefully places these dangerous facilities in minority communities because they are seen as the path of least resistance. So, not only must these black communities deal with the health consequences of living near an environmental hazard, but they are also prone to years of ingrained racism that continually puts them at risk.

Sources:

Milner, J. E., & Turner, J. (1999). Environmental Justice. Natural Resources & Environment, 

13(3), 478-482. Retrieved October 04, 2020, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/40923860

Sze, J. (2020). Environmental Justice in a Moment of Danger. Oakland, CA: Julie Sze.

Turner, R. (2016). The Slow Poisoning of Black Bodies: A Lesson in Environmental Racism and 

Hidden Violence. Meridians, 15(1), 189-204. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from 

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/meridians.15.1.10

Mohai, P. (2018). Environmental Justice and the Flint Water Crisis Michigan Sociological 

Review,

American’s abuse of nature has detrimental effects on human and natural communities alike. While humans have arguably always placed themselves at the center of society, the big boom in industry within the United States prompted a long-lasting tradition of ecological destruction. Since, western culture has perceived the environment as something that can be exploited, dominated, and destroyed if need be. We, as a contemporary society, have become solely focused on the monetary rewards associated with the land in which we are inhabiting rather than its natural value. Because Americans primarily view nature in terms of this tangible economic gain, we have gone on to manipulate, modify, and destroy natural environments and the human communities that live there without acknowledging the myriad of consequences. 

Not only does this destruction of land pose serious environmental threats to the state of our earth, but it also puts its inhabitants at the forefront of harm. Robert Bullard, known as ‘the father of environmental justice’ says it best by explaining that “when certain lands are seen as exploitable, the people that happen to be living there are viewed as expendable” (2019). Such consequences are shown in a 2012 report by the Climate Vulnerable Forum which states that “five million deaths occur annually from air pollution, hunger and disease as a result of climate change and carbon-intensive economies, and that this toll will likely rise to six million annually by 2030 if current patterns of fossil fuel use continue.” We cannot continue to ignore the horrifying impacts climate change has on various communities. Moreover, economic and political agendas are creating a preventative barrier to trusting science and acting upon scientific data. It must be known that climate change is the cause of irreversible damage that will drastically change both human and natural communities if it does not kill them first.

African Americans in particular are disproportionately affected by climate change and other environmental crises. This issue primarily arises because white institutions have continually used minorities to acquire social and economic profit. The degradation of the African American community has become so ingrained into American society, that we have centered economic and political institutions on racial capitalism. Institutionalized racism continues to be reinforced by big corporations and agencies who profit from environmentally harmful facilities, such as hazardous waste sites. These are especially destructive to African Americans who lack the political clout to advocate for necessary regulation of health standards in their area. Big businesses view minority communities as expendable pawns simply in the way of reaching their larger goals. Overall, successful business is unceasingly prioritized over the well-being of citizens, especially when those citizens are black.

Born as a Twitter hashtag, Black Lives Matter (BLM) has evolved into a revolutionizing political movement aimed to battle the racial injustice, isolation, and discrimination the African American community has faced for years. The Black Lives Matter Movement was established after the murder of Trayvon Martin, a seventeen-year-old African American shot to death for simply walking home from his local convenience store. George Zimmerman, a twenty-eight-year-old Hispanic American, had seen the teenager walking back at night and reported him as “suspicious” to the Sanford, Florida Police Department. Just minutes after the call there was an altercation and Zimmerman shot Trayvon in the chest claiming self-defense. Investigators ultimately found no evidence to refute this claim. The acquittal of George Zimmerman and the failure of Sanford P.D to arrest him led to an outcry of petitions and protests across the United States that demanded justice for Trayvon Martin. The Black Lives Matter hashtag has since been used to accentuate police brutality against African Americans and has fought for justice for many other black individuals such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, George Floyd, and Brianna Taylor. According to the Black Lives Matter organization, the movement is “an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, [their] contributions to this society, and [their] resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” The BLM movement has not been contained by their social media presence but has taken to the streets as well. This was first seen in 2014 following the deaths of Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Garner in New York City. This set the precedent for so much more. More recently, the protests against the murder of George Floyd brought somewhere from 15-26 million people to the streets according to The New York Times. In fact, the popularity of the movement has expanded so much so that black activists have modeled such efforts all around the world. From Brazil to Japan to Denmark, many stand with the black community and against those that wish to inflict pain upon others merely because of the color of their skin. 

 

 

 

 

 

While police brutality is a profound problem, it is important to note that less mainstream issues, such as environmental racism, have an equally detrimental effect on the African American community. Rita Turner, professor at the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, states that “justice cannot be had while ignoring environmental racism, as unjust environmental conditions devalue black bodies and the potential of black and poor children worldwide” (2016). Murder motivated by racism is a blatant issue that can be easily identified, but what cannot be seen is the slow poisoning of minority communities due to their predisposition to environmental hazards. Slow demise, specifically of African Americans, contributes to the larger issue of environmental and systemic racism throughout the U.S.