Vulnerability and Environmental Racism

Domestic Environmental Justice Case Study:
The Dearborn, Michigan Arab American Community and Industrial Air Pollution
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/berry.html#Background
This study goes over the automobile and steel industries’ environmental damages in Dearborn, Michigan, which have been around that area since the 1920’s. Studies show that local industries release more than ten carcinogens into the environment due to lack of effort for pollution control. Low-income Arab-Americans are disproportionately affected by the pollution in comparison to other demographics in the region, showing a case of what the author and I both believe to be environmental racism, and a display of a community’s vulnerability when financial focuses lie away from clean environment. The author makes several recommendations, most of which focused on pollution control, but also on clean-up efforts, health studies, medical solutions, and shifting the burden of proof from the community to the polluters. The main suggestion to the general reader is community engagement, and playing an active role in contacting local factory representatives, clinics, and service directors.

Global Environmental Justice Case Study:
Human Rights Impacts of Oil Production: Ecuador
http://business-humanrights.org/en/human-rights-impacts-of-oil-pollution-ecuador-8
Since the 1960s, Chevron began drilling for shale oil near the Amazon river, one of the most sensitive and fragile ecosystems in the world, mostly within the Ecuadorian stretch of the river. From open-air pits, to damaged soils, to hazardous water conditions, local indigenous communities living near the Amazon are the main victims of the drilling malpractices. These practices shows what the author and I think is a company choosing profit over people. Asides from damaging such a powerful environment and important part our biodiversity on Earth, local tribes have suffered from serious birth defects, miscarriages, different forms of cancer and other difficulties for several decades. The author claims that Ecuador’s loose environmental policy practices make indigenous communities vulnerable and for that reason, Chevron has taken advantage of this for years. Chevron has claimed to have gone back to clean-up and push forwards efforts to help the crisis in the Ecuadorian Amazon, but constant evidence surfaces, showing that little or no progress comes from these efforts. The authors recommend contacting lawyer plaintiffs, Chevron spokespersons, and active environmental lawyers on this case.

Both of my studies tied the subjects of vulnerability and environmental racism together. I strongly believe these two topics are more alike than people acknowledge it to be. I used to live Amman, Jordan, the capital of a third-world nation in the Middle East, and community vulnerability was very evident in terms of wealth. From waste sites to industrialized areas, low-income communities were much more likely to be affected by pollution, which shows vulnerability’s heavy correlation to financial capabilities and stability. Sustainable development is making a late appearance in Amman, it seems like every time I go back to visit, areas look cleaner. Third world nations can sometimes fall back on education, and I believe that Jordan is steering in the right direction in terms of a healthier and more environmentally justified territory. Unlike both of these studies, Amman’s environmental racism issue isn’t as visible, however it’s there and it’s mainly affecting Egyptian and Filipino communities.

2 thoughts on “Vulnerability and Environmental Racism

  1. Hello agp5128 my name is Lucas Skiba I’m from Boalsburg,PA. Your post caught my attention because your developmental case studies had a negative side affect to the environment as mine did as well. In my case studies it was about water pollution from gold mines, coal mines, and hydraulic fracking all around the globe. Even though our case studies had different side affects to the environment you can see that it doesn’t matter the climate or area these developments are in they still cause damage. The important thing to take from this module is that most development has negative side affects to the environment. Thanks agp5128. http://sites.psu.edu/geog30/2016/02/24/development-case-studies-module-5-ljs5300/?preview_id=44391&preview_nonce=719dc9b894&post_format=standard&preview=true

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