Environmental Justice Case Study For The Detroit Intermodal Terminal Project

For the first case study I have selected the one located in Detroit, Michigan. The Domestic case study was done on “The Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal Project,” by Ashley Atkinson of the University of Michigan. The link is http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/Publish/ashley.html. The Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal project (DIFT) is meant to help Detroit increase in the freight transportation business. This project aims to develop facilities that will be able to handle future freight shipments needed by those certain businesses. The DIFT project deals with what the module identifies as environmental justice. For a while Detroit was of the poorest and most dangerous places to live. Its this population living within this environment that will suffer from the economic development of the DIFT project. Businesses may benefit most from this project as stated previously, but environmental justice is the idea that there are also populations which will suffer from this type of burden. The people living in Detroit area will have to sacrifice their health as the DIFT project could “add to the existing health conditions.”

Unsustainable Case Study On Taking Control of Pollution in Mexico City

My second case study was on the control of air pollution in Mexico City, Mexico by Michelle Hibler. The link is http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?PublicationID=567. The goal of this study is to reduce the emissions of pollution and to educate people within that area on hoe they can help find a solution. Due to Mexico City’s location there are low levels of oxygen; causing the combustion of other gases. These gases are penetrated by sunlight, leading to the creation of smog. This smog is a key factor in causing the emissions and human health issues within Mexico City. It is also stated that people within Mexico City don’t realize they too are a factor in causing this pollution. This case study relates to the idea of unsustainable development. This type of development indicates that there needs to be a cultural change among the people of Mexico City. In order to do this, it suggests the “need for better communication about government programs’ in improving air quality.” This would cause a break within the current issue of the unsustainable development within Mexico City.

Living in Los Angeles, California with Smog and Air Pollution

Both studies can be compared and contrasted to when I lived in Los Angeles, California. LA is known for producing a lot of smog due to the use of transportation as well as from the factories. These human errors are what causes an unstainable development, similar to the environment in Mexico City. These pollution emissions within LA do not effect one particular group in general, like the DIFT project within Detroit. Smog can effect every human within that particular environment, therefore disproving the idea of environmental justice in LA. In both cases it seems as though education and regulation could be the key parts in advancing development with the LA area. By educating people of the problem and enforcing certain regulations based on facility growth, this would be to aid in reducing the pollution problem. Examining where and when the certain case study takes place is important because it allows us to understand and see what specific materials and resources are available and who has access to those environmental goods for example in Detroit and Mexico City.