Since we've been talking about the issue of environmental injustice in class this week, I was curious what other examples of this problem were prevalent in our country. One topic that caught my attention was exposure to air pollution, both indoor and outdoor.
According to the American Lung Association, "communities of color in the United States have higher prevalence and death rates of the most common respiratory illnesses than do predominantly White communities".
Why is this? Here are the sad, but true, facts:
- Asthma occurs disproportionately in low-income and urban communities, especially in inner-city African American and Hispanic populations.
- Minorities live in greater concentrations both in areas that do not meet federal air quality standards and in areas with above-average numbers of air-polluting facilities.
- African Americans were found to be more likely than Whites to live in areas with higher toxic air pollutants in every large metropolitan area in the country.
- Compared to Whites, a higher percentage of African Americans live closer to industrial sources of air pollution, including toxic emissions, and were more likely to live near multiple sources of such emissions.
- Power plants release nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which form particle pollution, and exposure to these pollutants has been linked to more than 550,000 asthma attacks and 23,600 premature deaths nationwide. 68% of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, compared to only 56% of Whites.
- Communities of color and low income are also disproportionately located near freeways and other areas with heavy diesel truck traffic, and diesel refining, distribution, and storage facilities. Use of diesel fuel increases toxic air pollution, raising the risk of lung cancer and other lung diseases.
Is it fair for minority populations to have to live in areas with substandard air quality? What can be done to equalize the pollution load amongst our population?
What do you think?
(Photo taken by Adam Jackson at stock.xchng.)
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I think that a lot of these facts are real sad.It is not fair for minorities to have to live in these areas where the air quality is subpar and have to deal with disease and breathing conditions. I'm not sure though how the pollution load can be equalized... That would be tricky
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Hannah!!! There is an award for you on my Blog.
ReplyDeleteI am taking a sociology course right now, and we are studying the social-conflict theory, which argues that individuals and groups (social classes) within society have differing amounts of material and non-material resources (the wealthy vs. the poor) and that the more powerful groups use their power in order to exploit groups with less power. This theory always makes me think of environmental injustice! I just don't know how much can be done to change a social pattern that has occured all throughout history and continues to occure today...the best we can do is try!
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