Wikipedia:United States Education Program/Courses/Global Enterprise and Sustainable Development (Ming Xu)/Articles/Sandbox Environmental racism

Definition Environmental Racism is sociological term referring to policies and regulations that disproportionately burden minority communities with negative environmental impacts. The term is connected to several different types of environmental degradation and the affects from the decision-making process of empowered person(s) on minority groups. Researchers try to confirm that environmental racism/injustice is intentional or unintentional discrimination. Environmental justice is "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies."

Improvements to be made

* The definition of environmental racism needs to be reviewed and condensed * The discussion of environmental justice needs to be connected more to the definition of environmental racism.

Background The first report to bring attention to ER was the Council of Environmental Quality’s "Annual Report to the President" in 1971. After protests in Warren County, North Carolina, the United Church of Christ commissioned a report exploring ER. Subsequent advocacy and policy efforts aiming to combat ER are often referred to collectively as the environmental justice movement.

Improvements to be made

* The background section in general is too short * to discuss previous cases of ER as well as the Council of Environmental Quality’s "Annual Report to the President" * to put in another case besides Warren County to show that ER is a continuous pattern throughout the world and the United States * to discuss specific policies on the federal, state and municipal levels in brief that connect to ER, perhaps that connects to a case described above. * draw a clearer connection to the environmental justice movement

United States Cases TB Warren County, North Carolina

* Summary: Citizens in Warren County, North Carolina joined forces to protest the dumping of 10,000 truckloads of PCB-contaminated soil in their county. Although many residents, environmental and civil rights activists, and scientific findings have provided evidence of future water contamination, the landfill was still built. * Critiques: No Citations are provided for two quotations. Also, the demographics of the city are not listed making it difficult to see how environmental racism has impacted the case.

TB Chicago, Illinois

* Summary: In southern Chicago, community housing was built on former landfill to provide accommodations for African-American World War II veterans. The surrounding area contains 53 toxic waste facilities emitting dangerous pollutants that are harmful to the community residents. * Critiques: Mentions the demographics of the area, but does not mention how the toxins and pollutants have affected the people. Could include more statistics of fatalities or disease. Also, it does not mention whether or not the community has protested the toxic facilities and poor living conditions.

TB Chester, Pennsylvania

* Summary: The city of Chester, Pennsylvania has the largest minority population in Delaware county. Five large waste facilities are located in Chester and expel 2 million tons of waste per year. The waste facilities have posed threat to the health of people residing in Chester. * Critique: The case fails to mention any political action taken to close the dangerous facilities or information on whether or not the contamination has been reduced.

(JG)New Orleans, Louisiana

* Summary: Hurricane Katrina raised many questions as to the U.S. government’s treatment of minority citizens in the event of natural disasters. There is reason to believe that the government’s inability to evacuate the city properly was a result of environmental racism. * Critiques: mentions “potential and past environmental racism” but only talks about past. Could have more statistics about minority fatalities that resulted from the hurricane, could mention any progress that has been made since Hurricane Katrina.

(JG)Dickson, Tennessee

* Summary: This section of the article talks about the lawsuit filed by Sheila Holt-Orsted of Dickson, Tennessee. In this case, the local water was contaminated with cancer causing agents. The Holt family, and African-American family was not notified of the contamination for years, while their white neighbors knew of the problem almost immediately. * Critique: The article does not mention the decision of the case, as well as any ways the Holt family was impacted by the pollution in terms of health problems. Additionally, there is no mention as to whether the contamination problem has since been taken care of, and if there was any justice to the Holt family.

(JG)Effects on Native American Nations

* Summary: This section of the article mentions the United States Government’s long history of mistreatment of Native Americans. Included in this is a history of removal from their land to less desirable places, as well as dumping of waste near their homes. * Critique: This section of the article jumps around too much, and attempts to cover too much material without adequate explanation. For example, the “trail of tears” is mentioned, without explaining to the reader what this is or why it pertains to environmental racism. There are other sentences similar to this. Also, at one point the article says “but illegal dumping poses a greater threat,” however, it does not go on to explain what this greater threat is. Overall, there is a great amount of clarification that needs to be added to this section.

(ML) Responses to Environmental Racism

* Summary: o discusses solutions to environmental racism o Mentioned: precautionary principle, battling against large companies

* Improve precautionary principle paragraph to make it clearer o what it is and entails

* Add more solutions: o Legislative approach + redefining environmental protection + strengthen regulations * Add examples of protest against environmental racism

RM (ML)International

* Summary: o Discusses international cases relating to environmental racism o Mentioned cases: Bhopal, E-waste disposal sites, and Chevron/Texaco * Critiques: o Additional material on Shell Oil in the Niger Delta would add to the readers understanding of international environmental racism. o Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) in terms of an international perspective can be added to understand why countries choose to produce their goods in developing countries and low income areas.

Chevron/Texaco in Ecuador

o This section can be reorganized to make it more friendly to readers. If you do not know what the law suit was about before reading the article, this section does not tell you until the end.

RM Environmental hazards

* Summary: List of six common environmental hazards and how they affect people in surrounding communities. o Lead - problem with lead paint in low-income neighborhoods, housing has not been updated in quite some time due to financial situation. o Waste Sites - treatment facilities, landfills and incinerators are more likely to be located near low-income or minority areas. o Air Pollution - minorities are disproportionately exposed to air pollution o Pesticides - 90% of farm workers are minorities. This disproportionately exposes them and their families to environmental harm. o Waste Water (city sewers) - poor sewer systems exist more often in low income neighborhoods where the overflow runs into streams and rivers during storms. o Waste Water (agricultural run-off) - Rural areas have more farms and incur more pollution from pesticide and animal waste run off. * Critique: o This section is titled “environmental hazards” and it makes it sound disconnected from the rest of the article. The article could be titled “common environmental hazards” or something that connects the term to “environmental racism.” o This section could be moved to the background information section. This gives the reader an idea of what environmental hazards face minorities and low-income neighborhoods and would set up for the rest of the article when giving cases as examples. o More statistics and percentages can be given for each of the six environmental hazards.