Campaign Against Environmental Injustice

Introduction: Environmental Injustices

Environmental injustice is an unethical practice against humanity and the environment when corporations build environmentally detrimental infrastructure in minority communities.  Corporations or local government facilities allow hazardous waste and chemicals to flow into the environment causing pollution in water and the air.  Citizens living in communities where chemical and waste facilities are disproportionately located affect the health of all citizens whether it is through water and/or air contamination. According to research done by Dr. Robert D. Bullard (2002), professor at Clark Atlanta University Environmental Justice Resource Center, there are over “1.3 billion individuals worldwide live in unsafe and unhealthy physical environments” (para. 1).  

Environmental threats is associated with economically depressed locations where there is unequal political interest and powers that have allowed these economically depressed communities to become dumping grounds for wealthy corporations who lobby for weak regulation that allows lands to become toxic environments. Bullard (2002) describes how corporations trade human health for profits by choosing locations where there are a large minority population.  His findings from the EPA suggest:

·      Nine out of ten EPA regions have racial disparities in the location of hazardous waste facilities.

·      People of color comprise 28.5 percent of Region 4.  However, people of color comprise the majority of residents living within two miles of the 67 commercial hazardous waste facilities.

·      Region 4 included Alabama (66.3%), Florida (52.7%), Georgia (55.9%), South Carolina (43.9%), and Tennessee (53.8%).

Identifying Environmental Injustices

Environmental Injustice in not only a problem within the United States, crimes against the environment is being committed internationally.  Identifying environmental injustice can be detected by viewing the visuals pictures below:

This picture is from a plant that contains gases and chemicals, the manufacturing produces smoke within the facility causing air pollution from solid or liquid gases. Facilities that specialize in burning chemicals contaminate all things related to the environment and human health.

As you can see, this picture is from a chemical spill by a corporation called Freedom Industries, Inc.  As the caption notes, the water has a consistency of motor oil.

Campaigning Against and Raising Awareness

This blog was started back in 2012 as a campaign for food sustainability.  As you can see, the blog has over a thousand visitors.  A contaminated and polluted environment affects the agriculture process of growing food.  Factors that should be consider when fighting against injustices is how environmental contaminate affects our food and water supply.  Not only is this a health concern for humans but also for all living things caught in the path of environmental corrosion.  Blogs can be updated daily with stories regarding environmental injustices committed around the world.  The blogger has the ability to report from their specific location and identify areas where there may be a direct violation of environmental crimes.  The blog can be shared by linking it to Facebook and Twitter.  When building a blog for raising awareness or starting a campaign, the blogger has the ability to share important information with a larger segment of society.  Feel free to check out other important information on the blog and leave a comment.

Bullard, R. D., Ph.D. (2009, September 5). A real-life example of the deadly mix of "waste and race" [Web log post]. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from http://hempembassy.blogspot.com/2009/09/environmental-justice.html

Bullard, R. D., Ph.D. (2002). Poverty, pollution and environmental racism: Strategies for building health and sustainable communities. Environmental Justice Resource Center. Retrieved October 21, 2013, from http://www.ejrc.cau.edu/PovpolEj.html