An Introduction to ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

July 2012 Photo courtesy of: freedigitalphotos.net An Introduction to ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Bulletin Board Resources for CFs by the Office of Sustai...
Author: Alannah Henry
7 downloads 0 Views 13MB Size
July 2012

Photo courtesy of: freedigitalphotos.net

An Introduction to ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Bulletin Board Resources for CFs by the Office of Sustainability

Simply cut and paste! Tips for a More Sustainable Bulletin Board: •

• •

Created by: Amelia Evans

Use newspaper for a background instead of butcher paper OR use the backside of the butcher paper from your last bulletin board Print on used paper that is still good on one side Recycle all scrap paper when you are done!

[email protected]

www.scu.edu/sustainability

Sustainability [email protected]

An Introduction to

Environmental Justice

!

What is environmental justice? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines environmental justice as:

“The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.”

Other Important Terms: environmental racism = “the unequal protection against toxic and hazardous waste exposure and the historical and systematic exclusion of people of color from environmental decisions affecting their communities”

ecofeminism = “a movement or theory that applies feminist principles and ideas to ecological issues” (e.g. examining the historical relationship between the social domination of women and that of nature”

“The principles of environmental justice say that access to clean air, water and soil and to a healthy, safe, livable community are intrinsic human rights.” - Communities for a Better Environment, an organization that focuses on environmental justice and health in California’s urban communities ! "#$!%&'&!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!! ! !

Examples of Environmental Justice Issues in the Bay Area

!

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 125,000 people in the East Bay and South Bay live in “food deserts,” where liquor stores and fast food restaurants outnumber supermarkets.

"#$!%&'&!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(! !

Many residents of poor, minority neighborhoods do not have access to the same parks and other natural open spaces that wealthier communities do. According to the Sierra Club, “Access to nature is an environmental-justice concern, not only for equity, but also to broaden the base and leadership of the environmental movement.”

!

The Race, Poverty, and the Environment Journal reports that the life expectancy of poorer, more ethnic neighborhoods in the Bay Area is significantly lower than that in wealthier, more racially homogenous areas. For example, “People who live in West Oakland can expect to live on average ten years less than those who live in the Berkeley Hills.” This is attributable to poorer health, partially due to unsafe or unclean environments.

The Sierra Club also reports, “Poor people and minorities, who may be exposed to the highest concentrations of vehicular pollution, and who can least afford to own cars, are also underserved by public transit.” ! "#$!%&'&!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!!

A Brief History of Environmental Justice in CA

Early 1960s – Cesar Chavez leads farm workers to fight for workplace rights, including protection from toxic pesticides in California farm fields.

1969 - Lawsuit filed on behalf of 6 migrant farm workers by California Rural Legal Assistance plays a role in the ban on the pesticide DDT in the U.S.

1984 - California Waste Management Board report advises governments and companies looking to site hazardous waste facilities to target small, low-income and rural communities with a high percentage of people who are old or have little education. (Los Angeles Times breaks the story to the public in 1988.)

1988 - Latino grassroots group Mothers of East L.A. defeats the construction of a huge toxic waste incinerator in their community.

1993 - Predominantly Latino residents of Kettleman City, California, succeed in preventing siting of a toxic waste facility in their community.

1999 - U.S. Representative Hilda Solis, then a senator in the California legislature, introduces landmark environmental justice legislation in California establishing a working definition and requiring the California EPA to develop a mission, policy and guidance on environmental justice.

2001 - Native American activists and their allies succeed in preventing siting of a nuclear waste dump in Ward Valley, California, after 10 years of struggle.

2005 - At the request of Congresswoman Hilda Solis (DCA), the General Accounting Office releases a report finding that the EPA generally devoted little attention to environmental justice issues while drafting three significant clean air rules on gasoline, diesel and ozone between fiscal years 2000 and 2004. (National Resource Defense Council 2012)

!

The effectiveness of current national environmental justice legislature is the subject of much debate. "#$!%&'&!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(! !

As the nuclear industry expands, the siting of nuclear facilities is becoming of increasing importance to environmental justice. (Source: freedigitalphotos.net)

The siting of toxic waste facilities is often an environmental justice issue. !"#$%&'&$($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($ $$

$

Many farm workers and farm communities face increased health risks due to pesticide exposure. (Source: freedigitalphotos.net) $

What You Can Do ! "#$!%&'&!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!! !

Get involved in B-LEJIT

B-LEJIT, or Bronco Leaders for Environmental Justice Investigating Truth, is a student group within SCAAP that acts as an advocate/ally for the people and communities most impacted by environmental injustices. They develop spaces for dialogue and education on environmental justice issues within the SCU community and utilize a diverse set of strategies and tactics to address both local and non-local environmental injustices.

Take a class at SCU that explores environmental justice issues Some of your options include: • ENVS 10 – Joy of Garbage • ENVS 155 – Environmental and Food Justice • ETHN 156 – Environmental Racism, Gender, and Justice !"#$%&'&$($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($$

Watch an environmental justice documentary Many documentaries about national and global environmental justice issues are available to watch online or to check out at the SCU library. Some recent releases include: • The Last Mountain (2011) • Climate Refugees (2010) • Crude: The Real Price of Oil (2009)

!"#$%&'&$($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($($$ SOURCES "Advancing Environmental Justice in the Bay Area." Sierra Club. Web. 27 July 2012. . "Environmental Justice." Communities for a Better Environment. Web. 27 July 2012. . "Environmental Justice Definition." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 26 Aug. 2011. Web. 25 July 2012. . "The Environmental Justice Movement." NRDC, Web. 27 July 2012. . Prentice, Bob. "Bay Area Health Inequities." Race, Poverty, Environment: A Journal for Social and Environmental Justice. Urban Habitat, Fall 2008. Web. 25 July 2012. . “USDA Finds Several Bay Area Communities ‘Food Deserts.’” CBS. Web Video. 27 July 2012. . Images: Google Images Advanced Search. SCU Photos. Free Digital Photos. . Stock Exchange.