ENVIRONMENTALRACISM

ENVIRONMENTALRACISM Prerequisite:CompletionofGEbasicsubjects(BlockA)andOneG.E.BlockB1course.Useofepidemiologyinenvironmentalhealth.Morbidityandmortalityincommunitiesofcolorandlower economicstatusduetodisproportionatedistributionofenvironmentalcontaminants. CHS370/HS 370 EnvironmentalRacism ?    Spring2013 ?    Roberto Flores Ph.D ?    AdjunctAssistantProfessor ?    Dept.ofChicanoStudies ?    [email protected] Remember: Thissectionofthecourseistaughtfullyonline.! Environmental Racism ?Definition: Epidemiology Examinationofthelinkbetweenhuman exposure and health outcomes HumanExposure Information Riskassessment Estimation ofthelikelihood, magnitude anduncertainty ofhealth risksassociatedwith environmentalexposures ?Theintentionalsitingofhazardouswastesites,landfills,incineratorsandpollutingindustriesincommunities inhabitedmainlybyAfricanAmericans,Hispanics,NativeAmericans,Asians,migrantworkers andtheworkingpoor. StatusandtrendsEvaluation of historicalpatterns Current statusand possibleFuturechangeinhumanexposuresand/orhealth outcomes ??Route ??Magnitude ??Duration ??Frequency ??distribution ??Mostexposed ??Temporalaspects ??Geographic aspects ??Demographic aspects Riskmanagement Determinationofwhich,healthrisksareunacceptableand whattodoaboutthem ?Thesefacilitiesmaybetiedtoacommunityís economicsurvivaltherebycompromising residentsíabilitytoopposeìlocallyundesirablelanduses.î Importantusesof humanexposureinformation   intheassessment andmanagement ofenvironmentalhealth risks (Sextonetal.)http://www.ehponline.org/members/1995/Suppl-3/sex ton-full.html MeasuringEnvironmentalRacism    EnvironmentalRacism:Whydoesit occur? How doesonegoabout determiningenvironmentalracismexists? I.    Whatvariablesmatter? Independent ??Relationshipbetweensocialmovements,industry, laborandtechnology variables Dependent variables Epidemiology ONLINE Raceand class(income,education, occupation) arecriticalvariables to examine. II.    ObserveEffects A.    Wherearepolluting facilitieslocated?Wherearepesticides ortoxinsdisposed of? Inotherwords,whatpatternscanbeobservedintermsofìsitingîoffacilities,  dumping oftoxins,clustering, etc.(riskfactors,exposure) B.    Whateffectsdoesìsitingîoftoxicwastehaveoncommunities ofcolorintermsofqualityoflifeandoccurrenceofadversehealtheffects:morbidityrate&mortalityrate=epidemiological  profile ofcommunitiesexposedtowaste,toxins etc. III.    Epidemiology examinesrisk,morbidity,mortality IntheLosAngelesbasin,exposuretopollution fromcar emissionsiscorrelatedwithmorecasesofasthmain children. IV.    Assessments/Activities Clickto seeCancerinLABasinHowdoesenvironmentalpollution affectthecancerratesthroughout theLABasin? ??TheEnvironmentalMovementandEnvironmentalJusticeMovementsprovidedifferent assessmentsandsolutionsforcommunities toaddressEnvironmentalRacism ??Science,research&technologycentraltodebates andsolutions ?Health&theenvironment ??epidemiology EnvironmentalismandPolicy Preservation ??Environmentalpolicyisrootedintwocompetingperspectivesabouttheenvironment:preservationandconservation ??TwoleadingfiguresinfluencingearlyU.S. governmentenvironmentalpolicyinclude ?Sierra Clubfounder JohnMuir(1838-1914).Activist.proposedwildlifepreservationandadvocatedfornationalparks ?GiffordPinchot(1865-1946.Policy.HeadofU.S. ForestryService(1905-1910);hebelievedin JohnMuir,totherightofpresidentTheodoreRoosevelt,convincedhimtoprotect wildernessland. "Ifyouthinkaboutallthegainsoursocietyhasmade,fromindependencetonow,itwasn'tgovernment.Itwas activism.Peoplethink,'Oh,TeddyRooseveltestablishedYosemiteNationalPark,whatagreatpresident.'BS.ItwasJohnMuirwhoinvitedRooseveltoutandthenconvincedhimtoditchhissecurity andgocamping.ItwasMuir,anactivist,asingleperson." --Patagoniafounderandoutdoor enthusiastYvonChouinardinarecentSierraMagazineinterview http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/ Quarter  coin2005 conservationandscientificmanagementofresources forhumanuseorprofit http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/graphics/roosvelt_muir_front.jpg GovernmentAgencies&ScientificManagement ?U.S.ForestryService ?GiffordPinchotbelievedthatscientificknowledgeneededtobeappliedtomanagementofnaturalresources.Efficiencywasthe goal. ?Inhisview,sciencecouldprovideanindependentvoicecapableofmoderatingbetweenprofitmotivesofindustryandtoomuchgovernmentcontrol. ControlofNature: Science &Progress ?Trustintechnologytoadvanceeconomic growth ?Burgeoningindustriesrequirelotsofnatural resources ?Growingpopulationandurbanizationrequirehighervolumeoffoodproduction ?Pesticideskeytoìcontrolofnatureîand nationalprogress ?DDTchemicalwidely usedtocontrolinsects;higheragriculturaloutput SilentSpring:PesticidesandHealth ??PublicationofRachelCarsonísbookìSilentSpringîin1962brings ecologicalawarenesstonationalpublic attention. ??CarsoncritiquesuseofDDTandenumeratesvariousharmfuleffectson floraandfauna andthelastingimpactonsoil, waterandairquality--morecritically ontheviability andvitality ofourfoodchain. ??Sheconnectsdiseaseinthenaturalenvironmenttotheprevalenceofillnessesin humans ??Callsforlessaggressivepestcontrolmethodsto preventthedegradationoftheenvironment ??DDTwasbannedintheU.S.in1972 GovernmentGovernment Oversight ??EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyestablishedin 1970 ??Citizen inputwasveryimportanttothisnewregulatoryagency ??Stillmuchoftheregulationsfavorbureaucraticexpertknowledgesystemswhichdonítalwaysprotectresidents affectedbyharmfulfacilitiesortoxicsubstances ??Poorerandlesseducatedgroupsaremostly excludedfromìmeaningfulparticipationî ??SeeWhyEPAwas established? Environmental Justice Movements ??ConsolidationofanetworkofAfricanAmericanenvironmentalactivistsandorganizationssince1982thrutheUnitedChurchofChrist. ??MinorityEnvironmentalstruggleshavealonghistory. ??NativeAmericancommunitiespointoutthattheyhavebeenengagedinenvironmentalstruggles sincetheirlands wereinvadedbyEuropeans. ??MajorenvironmentalprotectionorganizationshavebeenestablishedliketheSierraClub(1898);buttheyhavebeentypicallyfocusedonconservation/preservationissuesandhaveoftenstayedawayfromthestrugglesofpoor communities. http://www.macalester.edu/americanstudies/afamconf7.html           RicardoLevinsMorales,NorthlandPosterCollective NativeAmericansandEnvironmentalRacism ??WinonaLaDuke,anativeAmericanscholar,describes thesituationinthesecommunitiesintermsofresourceextraction,dumpingofnuclearwasteandothersubstances,clearcutting(deforesting). ??Industrialdevelopmentinitiativeshaveìdevouredîlands, rivers,speciesand entireculturesintheirpath. ??Theseìinvasiveindustrialinterventionsî(Laduke1999)threaten notonlythosecommunitiesbutalsobiodiversity. Native AmericansandEnvironmentalRacism ??ThelossofbiodiversitythreatenstheexistenceofNativeAmericans. ??Attentionto thelossofbiodiversityinthiscommunityraisesissues ofpreservationofculturaldiversityandfuturegenerationsofnativesandnon-natives ??ClickNavajo http://www.latimes.com/extras/navajo/Day1/ UrbanCommunitiesOrganizedAgainstDumping ??MotherísofEastLosAngeles,Santa Isabel ?MELASiorìLasMELASî ??Opposedincinerators, pipelineandprisonproposals forEastLosAngeles ??AuroraCastillo,a MELASactivistput itsuccintly: UrbanCommunitiesOrganizedAgainstDumping GoldmanEnvironmental Prize1995 ??ìWeneedconstructivejobs--nurses,doctors,computerspecialists,skilledworkers...Thestatewantstoplaceallofsocietyísproblemsinour community--aprison,a pipeline andan incinerator.Theywillhavetosolve thoseproblems, notjustdumpthem fromoneplacetoanother.î (AuroraCastilloinDevon Pena,TierraYVida:MexicanAmericansandtheEnvironment2005:xxiv) AuroraCastillo,residentofEastLos AngelesandfoundingMemberof MELAS(MotherísofEastLos Angeles)receivedtheGoldman EnvironmentalPrizein1995.MELAS ìisrecognizedasapoliticalforceinthe regionthathashelpedtosetimportant legalprecedentsforothergrassroots environmentaljusticegroups.î http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/89 GoldmanEnvironmental Prize2004        AncestralLands:WaterRights ??LandandCulturevs.Commodities Petrochemicalsandhealth ìGrowing UpinCancerAlley Margie Richard grewup in the historicallyAfrican-American neighborhood ofOldDiamondinNorco, Louisiana,ina housejust 25feet awayfromShellChemicalsplant'sfenceline. Yearslater,she wouldleadthe front line of a long, hard-won battle to holdShellaccountableforthe devastatinghealth problems in hercommunity.Richard, 62,whose campaignhasbeen hailedasalandmark environmental justicevictory, holdsthe distinctionas thefirst African-American to winthe Goldman EnvironmentalPrize.î2004 http://www.goldmanprize.org/node/100 ??Acequias,centuriesoldwaterirrigationditches, usedin landgrantsinNewMexico&Colorado ??GenerationsofacequiafarmersintheSouthwesthavecleanedupthisvitalresourcesincethe17thcentury ??Communitiesareconcernedwithpollutionandthedeforesting/cuttingoftrees ??Hispanofarmershavenotonlybeenfightingfortheirlandbutalsowaterrights Farmworkers,Agro-industriesandPesticides ??Activistslinkedpesticideusetoenvironmentaldamageandunknowneffectstoconsumer. ??Theyemphasizedworkplacesafety,qualityoflifeofentirecommunitiesandpesticiderelatedillnesses,birthdefectsanddeaths. ??CesarChaveznotedthatchemicalcompaniesandgrowersconvincedpoliticianandgovernmentregulatorsthatpesticideusewasnecessaryfortheabundanceoffood. ??Hequestionedthecost tofarmworkersandtotheenvironment. Ecology andKnowledge: LandandCulture ??Asyoucanseetheactionsofdevelopersand environmentalpollutershavegeneratedresistance. ??Land-basedandlaborstrugglesinruralareaslinktheissuestoecologicalimpactsandthelossofbiodiversity. ??Inurbanareas,wewillexamineeffortstoestablishcommunitygardenstoaddressìfood securityîbutalsotheretentionandrestorationofecologicalknowledge. ??Urbancommunity gardenshighlighttheimportanceoflandinthe foodchainandtheproductchain. ??Fundamentally,thesearestrugglesfordefinitionofvalue;thepreservationofindigenous knowledgeandlivelihood;communityhealth. EnvironmentalRacism&Justice Struggles    Power&DecisionMaking:EnvironmentalRacism Power&Decision Makin g: ìFromtheGroundUp î ??Cole&Fosterprofileanimportantexampleofpoweranddecisionmaking ??IntheKettlemancase,thecommunitywasshutoutfromvoicingtheiropinions,concernsandobjectionstoanincinerator proposal. ??Economicbenefits fromrevenueproducedbythissite wenttocommunitiesnotdirectlyaffectedbytheeverydayoperationofthesite. ??TheCountyBoardofSupervisors votedfortheincinerator3-1. DumpingToxicWaste:StateEnvironmentalLaws ??Publicnoticerequirements under environmentallawsleftthecommunityofKettlemanCityintheSanJoaquinValleyatadisadvantage. ??Therefore,residentsofthiscommunity didnotfindoutaboutatoxicwastefacility untilthe1980s. ??ChemWaste,Incwasproposinganincineratorexpansionthatwouldburnupto108,000tonsof(216millionlbs)toxicwasteeachyear.Thisbasicallywouldbeinadditiontothehundredsofdaily truckloadsprocessedatthissite. ??ChemWasteownsthelargestwastedumpinEmelle,AlabamaandtwootherlargefacilitiesinCalifornia. CerrellReport Dangerous Patterns ??Inlookingatthedistributionofthesefacilities,activistsfoundthatmostofthetoxicwastedumpswerelocatedinpoorminoritycommunities. ??TheCerrellReportprovidedcluesaboutthesitingprocess. ??CommissionedbytheCaliforniaWasteManagementBoardandpaidforbytaxpayerdollars: ??TheCerrellreportsuggestedthatthecommunitiesthatwouldbeleastresistanttoincineratorswere: ??ruralcommunities,poorcommunities,communitieswhoseresidents hadloweducationallevels,...highlycatholic,fewerthan25,000 residents...employedinresourceextractivejobssuchasmining, timberandagriculture.(Cole&Fosterp3) ??ChemWastewasfinednumeroustimes for unsafehandlingofwaste ??Eventhoughfineswereprettyhigh,their behaviorcontinued ??Superfundcleanupviolations ?ìsamplepackingîjustcheckingthefirst10trucks insteadofensuringthatincompatiblewasteswerenotthrowntogether ?ìResidentísfiguredthatifthecompanycanítrunaholeintheground correctly,itshouldnít begiventheabilitytodosomethingworse.î ??TheincineratorinKettlemanCitywouldbedangerousaccordingtoresidents!(Cole&Fosterp5) ApprovalProcess:KettlemanIncinerator ??KettlemanCityresidentswereexcludedfrom ìmeaningfulparticipationîinvariousways. ??LackoftranslationofEnvironmentalImpactreport ??Only5 ofthe1000pagesofthedocument translatedintoSpanish. ??Community dissentwasnottakenintoaccount intheplanningcommissionísdecisiontoapprovetheincinerator. ??TheCerrellreportwas accurateinthatinstitutionalbarrierspreventedtheKettlemanCitycommunityfrom beingheard,recording theiroppositionandparticipatinginthedecision-making. Racism:EffectonCitizenParticipation,Democratic vsTechnocraticKnowledge ??Citizeninputlimitedbyclass,languageand technicaldifferences ??Raceasignificantfactor ??Communitieshavetodocumenttheeffectsofexposureandconfrontnotonly pollutersbutalsovariousinstitutionsthatblocktheiraccess ??WhereelseinChapters1&2doyousee evidence ofbarrierstocitizenparticipation? GrassrootsOrganizingandCitizenLawsuits ??ResidentsofKettlemanCitysuedandthecourtruledthatlackof participationinthereview processmandatedbytheCalifornia EnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)wasaviolation. ??TheresidentshaddemandedreviewoftheEnvironmentalImpactReport (EIR). ??GreenpeaceandElPuebloorganizedtosend5,000postcardstothe BoardandtheFarmBureau. ??Theyalsocollected17,000signaturesinoppositiontotheincinerator. ??ChemWasteappealedthejudgment. ??Thiscasereflectedthe successofgrassrootsresistance. ??ChemWastewithdrewitsapplicationin1993citingdeclineinuseof incineratortechnology. Terminology ??Environmentalracismandenvironmentalinjustice willbeusedinterchangeablyinallthreetextsandinthecourse. ??Theterminjusticebestcapturesthattoxicassaults moreseverely/directly affectthoselowerwithina hierarchyofclassandraciallocations. ??Environmentalinjusticeacknowledgesinequity asa problemforeveryone. (Cole&Fosterp15) WhereShouldWasteFacilitiesbeSited? ??WastefacilitiesareLULUS(locallyundesirableland uses) ??Shouldwejust stopcreatingwaste?Howdowe do that? ??Whatarethegoalsoftheenvironmentalmovement? Thedistributionofcommercial,hazardousorpotentiallyhazardousfacilitiesaswellasthecleanupof ìsuperfund sitesî concernsoccupationalenvironmental health. Whatyou shouldlearn fromthispresentation ??Thisconcludestheintroductiontothecourseandthedifferent sourcesofinformationIwillbeusing. ??Youshouldreadpage1-53ofCole&FosterFromtheGroundUp: EnvironmentalRacismandtheRiseof theEnvironmentalJusticeMovementthisweek. ??Pleaseposttothediscussionboard,introduceyourselfwithname, majorandabriefbiography. ??Haveyoutakenanonlinecoursebefore?Haveyoutakenother distancelearningcoursesbefore? ??Iwillpostquestionsfordiscussionfocusedontheoverviewand pp1-53onFriday8a.m.andyouwillhaveuntil8p.m.Mondayto postaresponse. ??MakesurethatyoulogintoWebCtthisweekagainforadditional postingsandannouncements!

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