Inequality and Environmental Goods and Bads
Inequality and Environmental Goods and Bads
Introduction
I grew up in Bakersfield, California in the 1990s. I never really thought about pollution, or the industrial facility that flanked my elementary school, but I was always sick, always coughing and stuffy. Later in life I went back to that old school and found that there was an oil tank farm, behind a fence, right next to the playground. While I have no scientific proof that this was causing my sickness, it is probably a bad idea to put such facilities in close proximity to children, or any residential area. During the course of this research I used a website (USA Today) to look up my old school and found that the chemical most responsible for toxicity around my old school was sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is used in the production of fertilizer, which makes sense because the San Joaquin Valley is the states top agricultural producing region, sometimes called the “nations salad bowl.” Sulfuric acid can cause respiration problems, and irritation. Long-term exposure causes cancer. It was through this experience and others that I became interested in environmental justice. In particular this research will explore who receives the majority of toxicity from pollution as well as who stands to benefit from polluting activities. A wealth of literature exists on environmental justice documenting the fact that people with low incomes, and communities with a large percentage of non-whites bear the brunt of the environmental bads. This becomes a real threat to life when you consider people who lack the means or access to healthcare, or to choose where to live. They have little buffer when confronted with a human made or natural disaster.
The research I have read suggests that it may have more to do with social and cultural explanations rather than strictly income. This research presents a few reasons why this is the case. People don’t generally choose to live next to a toxic facility. It is more likely that the
Introduction
I grew up in Bakersfield, California in the 1990s. I never really thought about pollution, or the industrial facility that flanked my elementary school, but I was always sick, always coughing and stuffy. Later in life I went back to that old school and found that there was an oil tank farm, behind a fence, right next to the playground. While I have no scientific proof that this was causing my sickness, it is probably a bad idea to put such facilities in close proximity to children, or any residential area. During the course of this research I used a website (USA Today) to look up my old school and found that the chemical most responsible for toxicity around my old school was sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is used in the production of fertilizer, which makes sense because the San Joaquin Valley is the states top agricultural producing region, sometimes called the “nations salad bowl.” Sulfuric acid can cause respiration problems, and irritation. Long-term exposure causes cancer. It was through this experience and others that I became interested in environmental justice. In particular this research will explore who receives the majority of toxicity from pollution as well as who stands to benefit from polluting activities. A wealth of literature exists on environmental justice documenting the fact that people with low incomes, and communities with a large percentage of non-whites bear the brunt of the environmental bads. This becomes a real threat to life when you consider people who lack the means or access to healthcare, or to choose where to live. They have little buffer when confronted with a human made or natural disaster.
The research I have read suggests that it may have more to do with social and cultural explanations rather than strictly income. This research presents a few reasons why this is the case. People don’t generally choose to live next to a toxic facility. It is more likely that the
References: Chavis, Jr., Benjamin F., Lee, Charles. Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States. United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice. 1987. Hipp, John R., Lakon, Cynthia M. Social Disparities in Health: Disproportionate Toxicity Proximity in Minority Communities over a Decade. 2010. 10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.02.005 Macpherson Energy Corporation USA Today, The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air and America’s Schools. 2009. Retrieved 11/19/2012 from: http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/school/6800 A 7-12 Page Paper about a Living Culture or Category