Share and Voice: Air Pollution and Environmental Injustice

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.
  

(Information from the "Environmental Injustice" page of the ALA website.)

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.)

Review of Documentary: Green

The documentary Green was directed, produced, and edited by Laura Dunn in 2000.
Click HERE for additional information about the filming of this documentary.

Summary

This eye-opening film takes a look at the issues of environmental racism and environmental injustice, particularly focusing on Cancer Alley in Louisiana.

In the 1930s, the state of Louisiana offered tax exemptions for chemical plants that started up business there. This led to many chemical makers and refineries along the Mississippi River, stretching from Baton Rouge to New Orleans – an area now known as Cancer Alley. Presently, the concentration of chemical plants is astonishingly high, with around 150 petrochemical plants in the 100-mile stretch of land. These huge, wealthy companies give nothing to the surrounding poor communities (except for noise and chemical pollution). These companies are all self-regulated, of course, which leaves me with little hope that they are planning on changing their ways anytime soon. As if this isn’t bad enough, more plants are still being allowed to start up in this area. For example, the Japanese corporation SHINTECH was trying to build a PVC plant in Convent, Louisiana.

I found this documentary to be very effective because it was brought down to a personal level through interviews of the citizens that have to deal with this mess everyday. Their stories were heart-wrenching, and described the awful effects of their contaminated environment: children with high rates of asthma and nosebleeds, and especially all the cases of rare forms of cancer. The Mississippi River is highly polluted, and fish and shrimp can no longer be eaten from it. In some areas, the soil is so toxic that people have been forced to give up their personal gardens. Everything is contaminated by chemicals: the water, the air, the ground. It seems as if the dangers are inescapable for residents; in fact, minorities in this area experience disproportionate amounts of cancer.

Dunn did a great job of portraying environmental injustice through the stories of the citizens, but also through her cinematography. Certain shots such as the train with car after car bearing a chemical warning really drove home the extent of this problem. Also, the series of company logos that have plants in the area seemed to go on forever. At another point, charts were shown that depicted the high rates of air pollution concentration in Louisiana as opposed to other parts of the country.


New Terms

benzene: a sweet smelling, highly toxic hydrocarbon; long-term exposure to benzene is known to cause anemia and leukemia

Cancer Alley: an area along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, in the River Parishes of Louisiana, which contains numerous industrial plants

developmental toxin: substance that causes malformations of an embryo or fetus

environmental injustice: inequitable environmental burdens borne by groups such as racial minorities, women, residents of economically disadvantaged areas, or residents of developing nations

environmental justice: the movement to reverse environmental racism

environmental racism: intentional or unintentional racial discrimination in the enforcement of environmental rules and regulations, the intentional or unintentional targeting of minority communities for the placement of polluting industries, or the exclusion of minority groups from public and private boards, commissions, and regulatory bodies

neuroblastoma: a leading childhood form of cancer that arises in the adrenal gland or in tissue in the nervous system that is related to the adrenal gland

reproductive toxin: chemicals that can damage the reproductive systems of both men and women. Exposure to these agents before conception can produce a wide range of adverse effects including reduced fertility, an abnormal fetus, reduced libido, or menstrual dysfunction. Maternal exposure after conception may cause prenatal death, low birth weight, birth defects, developmental and/or behavioral disabilities, and cancer.

rhabdomyosarcoma: a malignant tumor composed of striated muscle fibers


Concepts that Challenged My Thinking

First of all, I can’t believe houses were allowed to be built on top of toxic landfills. Now that the repercussions of this poor planning are being realized, the top two feet of the ground are being cleared off. This is in no way going to fix the problem. Making matters worse, the people who live in this area were not even given the courtesy of being relocated. Construction was going on right outside their doorstep! Why is the EPA not being an ally for these people? Isn’t that their purpose, to be a protection agency? Also, the thought that these people are considered “expendable” just makes me so angry. Consider the definition of expendable: not worth preserving, able to be sacrificed to achieve an objective, capable of being replaced. In my opinion, labeling any human being in this manner is quite unethical.

I was really shocked by the way the reports of cancers in southern Louisiana are conducted. Apparently, the reports are divided into regions, causing the data to be spread out and therefore skewed. The concentration of cancer cases appears diluted compared to how it would look if it was accurately portrayed parish by parish. Also, it appears that the Louisiana Chemical Association funds this tumor registry. Really? I’m willing to bet that factors into the way the data is portrayed, don’t you think?

Another thing that really bothered me was how casually the people from these chemical companies treat the subject. The representative who was talking about how she respected the environment and planted a garden to attract birds and insects seemed unaware of the dire circumstances of residents living in the actual neighborhoods surrounding the plants. Also, the subject of the explosion in Norco was just glossed over by saying that at least the town got refurbished! Considering eight employees died in this explosion, I don’t know if a little cosmetic work for the town really evens things out.

Also, I realized I’m not doing anything to reverse this problem. In fact, I’m even contributing to it every day! I never stopped to think how practically EVERYTHING we use these days is touched by the chemical industry: soap, lipstick, contact lenses, glasses, pipes, shingles, and tires – the list is endless. It’s upsetting to think that by making a cheap purchase of a product in a store, I am taking advantage of other people who have to deal with the direct effects of these chemical companies.


Additional Resources

Many of us were shocked at the part of the documentary that talked about the people living on the landfill. For more information about the Agriculture Street Landfill, visit these two sites:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/agriculturestreet/asl_p1.html#sum

http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/agstreet.htm#PROBLEM

Did SHINTECH succeed in getting a plant in Louisiana? Click HERE to find out.

For further information on the Shell explosion in Norco and the harm this company has caused to surrounding communities, check out this book excerpt.

(Photo taken by David Farmer at stock.xchng.)

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

My Product

For this activity, I chose to evaluate my Curel Ultra Healing lotion (or, as this website called it, Curel Ultra Healing 24-Hour Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Extra-Dry Skin with Extra-Strength Skin Hydrators dispenser) . I have used this lotion for years and am a firm believer that it works better than any other lotion! Also, I have to be very picky because I am sensitive to many smells that are put in soaps, lotions, etc. and Curel does a great job of making non-irritating products, or so I thought...

The Results

According to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, this lotion scored an overall 3 out of 10, making it a "moderate hazard".

Apparently, ingredients in this product are linked to

• cancer
• developmental/reproductive toxicity
• violations, restrictions & warnings
• allergies/immunotoxicity

Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:

Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Contamination concerns

Yikes! And to think that lotion is a product we are constantly letting our skin absorb!

In addition, the manufacturer of Curel, Kao Brands Company, is NOT a Compact for Safe Cosmetics Signer and it is unknown if they conduct animal testing on their products.

Most of the ingredients scored an individual rating of 0, 1, or 2, but acacia senegal gum scored a 4 for allergies/immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity, and DMDH hydantoin scored a 7 for violations, restrictions & warnings; allergies/immunotoxicity; irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs); and contamination concerns.

What this means to me?

Even though I was initially excited that this product only scored a 3, I took a closer look at the study. It appears there is a rather large data gap of 82% for this particular moisturizer. This concerns me because it means many effects are unknown. 93% of ingredients in this product have no data/high uncertainty and no FDA review, 62% have no industry review, and 6% are considered a high hazard. This means that my lotion may not be as "safe" as I think it is!

Now what?

Will I keep using my lotion? To be honest, I probably will. I am interested in trying out some alternatives, however, and I will try to keep an open mind. Perhaps my beloved Curel is not the best after all. In fact, according to this assessment, 33% of moisturizers have lower concerns. I took a look at the list and there were a lot of products with a score of 0 which was encouraging, but as I browsed through them they all had names such as "Rosemary Aromatherapy" or "Orange Sweetness" that for me are just a migraine waiting to happen. I guess I shouldn't give up before I start, however, so I will try to keep my eyes open for new, safer lotions without irritating scents.

I thought this was a good activity to really get us thinking about products we use every day! The last few weeks have gotten me so caught up with thinking what I'm putting IN my body, that I've completed failed to think about what I'm putting ON my body! I'm debating looking up the other toiletries I use on a daily basis... do I really want to know?

Review of Reading 16: Ill Winds: The Chemical Plant Next Door

A review of Ill Winds: The Chemical Plant Next Door by Becky Bradway.
Published in E: The Environmental Magazine, September/October 2002


Summary

This article talks about one woman’s personal experience with the unfair environmental conditions many rural towns are subjected to. Bradway spent part of her childhood living in Buffalo, Illinois, one of the small towns near Borden Chemical and Plastics. She discusses the negative effects that those chemical emissions had on the health of the workers and the surrounding environment. Eventually, the author’s mother and uncle died of cancer, and Bradway battled cancer herself.

Borden, Inc. built a PVC plant in 1962, and in 1987 it came under new ownership as Borden Chemicals and Plastics Limited Partnership. Later on, the company went bankrupt and was purchased by Formosa Plastics Corporation in 2002.

This article is divided into three parts and discusses the effects of lax regulations on rural plants and factories in our nation.


Borden and Buffalo

While reading the article, I was faced with many questions. For example, why was this factory allowed to stay despite its emission of many harmful chemicals? What it boils down to is that rural people have no power. Why didn’t the citizens just move to find other jobs? This is easier said than done, and needs to be looked at from the perspective of such communities: people are born, raised, and die there. A lack of opportunity combined with lifestyle choices keeps them from leaving, and so companies such as Borden Chemical are necessary to provide jobs.

Relics Remain

The main products of Borden were resins, formaldehyde, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). These chemicals cause high rates of liver and breast cancer amongst workers and make their way into the surrounding environment. A particularly disturbing fact is that multiple companies and farms are polluting the nearby Sangamon River, wells, and landfills. These companies obtain waivers and exemptions that allow them to disregard environmental protection laws. The result? Here are some shocking facts:

• Borden once shipped 2,500 drums of highly toxic mercury waste to South African which then leaked contaminants.

• Borden can legally dump 800,000 gallons of wastewater into a local stream (in an area where people hunt and fish) EVERY DAY.

• Borden releases a combined 105,000 pounds of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate into the air every year.

Blue-Collar Risks

A simple solution would be for employees to just refuse to do these hazardous jobs, right? Wrong. Many of these people are forced to risk their health at the expense of losing their jobs. The author mentions how in one factory, workers were told to clean “mystery chemicals” out of tanks. Those who obeyed all contracted a rare cancer, and those who refused lost their jobs. Other available jobs, such as construction, came with risks of their own so there really was no escape for many citizens. Despite the choices individuals made to keep their families safe, many health risks were unfortunately both unbeknown to them and beyond their control.


New Terms

industrial chemicals: chemicals developed or manufactured for use in industrial operations or research by industry, government, or academia

coal tar: a tar formed from distillation of bituminous coal

vinyl chloride: a substance used in manufacturing plastics; known to be toxic and carcinogenic (cancer-causing); breathing high levels of vinyl chloride for short periods of time can cause dizziness, sleepiness, unconsciousness and, at extremely high levels, death, while breathing vinyl chloride for long periods of time can result in permanent liver damage, nerve damage, liver cancer, brain tumors, lung cancer, and malignancies of the digestive tract

resin: any of a large class of synthetic products that have some of the physical properties of natural resins but are chemically different and are used chiefly in plastics

formaldehyde: a pungent, colorless, toxic, water-soluble gas that is used as a disinfectant and preservative; also used in the manufacture of synthetic resins, dyes, and plastics

polyvinyl chloride (PVC): a common thermoplastic resin, used in a wide variety of manufactured products, including rainwear, garden hoses, phonograph records, and floor tiles

ethylene dichloride: a colorless, toxic, and extremely flammable liquid with a mild odor that produces poisonous gases when it burns; usually converted to vinyl-chloride monomer for PVC production

vinyl-chloride monomer: an extremely flammable gas with a faint odor; a known human carcinogen with dangerous toxic effects when absorbed by the skin or inhaled; also causes severe irritation of the eyes; used to produce PVC

hydrogen chloride: a colorless or slightly yellow gas with an irritating, pungent odor; also known as hydrochloric acid; irritating and corrosive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes; exposure to high concentrations can cause laryngitis, bronchitis, and pulmonary edema, and brief exposures to concentrations in the range of 1,300 to 2,000 ppm are lethal to humans

ammonia: a colorless gas with a very sharp odor; is irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs; exposure to high concentrations in the air can severely burn the skin, eyes, throat, or lungs and in extreme cases blindness, lung damage, or death can occur

vinyl acetate: a clear, colorless liquid with a sweet, fruity smell that is very flammable; used to make other industrial chemicals


Concepts that Challenged My Thinking

While reading this article, I was absolutely appalled that this is allowed to happen in our country! Putting these harmful chemical plants in rural, low-income areas in our country is definitely an example of the “NIMBY” (not in my backyard!) mindset. I can’t believe that all those chemicals are allowed to be released into rivers, landfills, and the air. Dumping 800,000 gallons of wastewater into a local stream everyday? Do these businessmen have absolutely no conscience? I also found it infuriating that Borden was exempt from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. I didn’t even know that was possible! Also, I could hardly stand to read about those poor employees who were given the ultimatum of performing hazardous tasks or losing their job. This is definitely not legal. I thought our nation had moved past such happenings, but I guess I was horribly mistaken.


Additional Resources

In addition to all the harm Borden Chemical inflicted upon its surrounding environment with its appalling emissions of chemical pollutants, they were a company that manufactured PVC – an extremely hazardous product itself. Check out this article by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice for more information!

Share and Voice: "Blog On!" Blog Award

Hey everyone!
I recently received the "Blog On!" blog award from Dr. V. for my "Share and Voice: A Healthy Vegetarian Diet" post. Thanks again Dr. V!

I would now like to pass this blog award on to... Samantha, for her "Share and Voice: SMOKING!!" post! I thought this post was awesome because it gave us all a new perspective on the negative affects of smoking! Although I've always been against smoking, I had never really stopped to consider what smoking does to our environment, so thank you for this enlightening post!

Award Instructions

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
   
2. Create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
3. Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
4. Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post.
5. Publish the post.
6. Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
7. Continue the process...

Reflection: Weeks 5 & 6

Reading 15: Feeding the World
I thought this was a good article, and our class had a nice discussion about it. Personally, I was surprised to learn that we are currently ahead in food production v. demand. I had assumed the situation was the other way around, what with the millions of people in the world who are starving, so this was a new concept for me to ponder. Also, the population projections were interesting, and I’m curious to see how birth rates of populations will rise or fall in the future.

Diet for a New America
We spent two days of class watching this documentary, and although it was slightly dated, I thought it was very impressive. The visuals of how much fat many Americans have in their diet – such as the disturbing string of fat a surgeon pulled out of someone’s blood vessel – were quite effective. Also, another fact that stuck with me was how much manure is produced by farm animals! The piles and piles of manure made me realize how much these animals contribute to air and water pollution. I also realized how our food choices affect our water supply. All in all, I was previously oblivious to how many resources are sucked up to provide meat for the average American diet!

Eye Opener: CSPI
I took an online tour of our food supply created by Center for Science in the Public Interest. This was absolutely shocking! I couldn’t believe all the unpleasant facts that were given, especially about some factory farm animals being fed things such as garbage and newspapers. I’m pretty sure I don’t want these things being consumed by my food because they can pass into my body as well!

Reading 21: The Weather Turns Wild
This was the reading I was assigned to for our other eye opener activity. It was pretty gloomy, listing many of the expected consequences of global warming. The part that struck me the most was the section about environmental refugees. When people are forced to leave their homes because of flooding or drought, where will they go? Who will be responsible for helping them get back on their feet? Will any sort of aid be available?

The Future of Food
Another two days of class were spent watching this documentary, and the conclusion I came to was that the agriculture industry of the United States is NOT headed in the right direction, at least for the most part. I feel that people are starting to opt more for organic foods and lobby against GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and support local agriculture now, but we still have a long way to go. I think it is sad, and a little scary, how the science of farming has changed. More and more pesticides and insecticides are used nowadays to kill resistant weeds, biodiversity among crops has been lost, and genetically modified crops have opened a whole new can of worms. A patent on life? Whose idea was this? And to what lengths will it be taken? Personally, I don’t really want to wait around to find out.

The concept of cross-contamination between fields – the ability for GMOs to sneak undetected into other fields - is very disturbing. I thought the stories of the farmers who had lawsuits filed against them by Monsanto were heart-wrenching. Yes, I realize they were biased, but in the community I grew up in, a lot of my friends and even a few family members owned farms so naturally I want to side with the small farmers. Also, as a future health educator, I think it’s ridiculous that food containing GMOs does not have to be labeled! This means there is no traceability to health effects such as allergic reactions, or even more severe problems that could result. Other countries, such as Japan, that have banned GMOs are even watching our population for signs of adverse health effects of this technology.

Oh, and another thing: I am horrified by the thought of terminator crops that do not allow for reseeding! Maybe I’m not considering the other side of the story, but why would anyone do this?!


These past two weeks have really caught my attention because I am quite interested in how my diet effects the environment. I love to cook, and just love food in general so this is a topic that is important to me. I knew that livestock take up a lot of space, eat a lot of crops, and produce a lot of waste, but I had never really put two and two together and considered the large toll that eating meat and dairy products takes on our environment. I have recently been more conscious about my consumption of animal products, which for me is mainly in various dairy foods. All my life, the importance of eating dairy foods was ingrained into my brain. I thought, is it even healthy to reduce the amount of these foods in my diet? After doing some research on vegetarian/vegan diets, I found alternative food sources of the important vitamins and minerals that are in milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. I plan on making some small changes, but nothing too drastic right now. This week I bought soy milk instead of cow milk, and my next step will be to buy eggs from free-range chickens instead of just grabbing whichever carton is on sale.

This class continues to get more and more interesting everyday, and although I now often feel guilty about my lifestyle, and worry about where our world is headed, I am trying to be optimistic about the future and contribute to positive change.

(Picture taken by me on May 1st, 2008, near Stratford-upon-Avon, England.)

Share and Voice: A Healthy Vegetarian Diet

All the discussions we’ve been having about how our food choices impact the environment have gotten me thinking. It seems a lot of us – myself included – were raised to believe that having animal products in our diet is a necessity! Personally, my level of meat consumption is low, but I do consume a large amount of dairy products. Because of the new knowledge I have gained from some of our readings and documentaries, I thought it would be interesting to try to cut back a little now that I know the toll these livestock take on the earth.

Animal products provide a variety of nutrients that our body needs, but cutting back on them doesn’t mean missing out on proper nutrition! In order to make sure we are still giving our body the proper nutrition it deserves, I found some facts about how to get these key nutrients from non-animal sources:


Protein
Function: maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles, and organs
Sources: soy products, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and whole grains

Calcium
Function: build and maintain strong teeth and bones
Sources: spinach, turnip and collard greens, kale, broccoli, and almonds. Also, tofu, soy milk, and fruit juices may be calcium-fortified.

Vitamin B-12
Function: production of red blood cells
Sources: enriched cereals and fortified soy products, and dietary supplements

Iron
Function: component of red blood cells
Sources: dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grains, dark leafy green vegetables (collard greens, spinach, kale), dried fruit. In order to efficiently absorb iron from these foods, eat vitamin C-rich foods (strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli) at the same time.

Zinc
Function: enzyme component, role in cell division and formation of proteins
Sources: whole grains, soy products, nuts, wheat germ, white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas

Reducing consumption of animal products doesn’t mean having to give up favorite foods!

• Being Minnesotans, I’m sure we all love our occasional hotdish, right? Try putting a new spin on that old recipe by substituting tofu, tempeh, or even some beans instead of the ground beef.

• Love that bowl of cereal in the morning? I know I do! Try substituting soy milk for cow’s milk.

• Worried about missing out on summer grill-outs? Throw a veggie burger on the grill instead, your friends might not even notice the difference. :)

• Used to chicken or pork in your stir-fry? Switch in some cashews instead!

For anyone who thinks a meatless diet is boring and bland, check out these delicious meatless recipes! Yum!

Another fun way to branch out is try to try different ethnic dishes that use grains and vegetables as the main ingredients.

Obviously, I'm not trying to persuade anyone to be a vegetarian - I don't consider myself to be one - but we've all been learning about the huge reduction in resources that would occur if Americans cut back on animal products in our diet. I hope this information was useful for anyone who is attempting to make some dietary changes!

After all, variety is the spice of life!

(Some nutritional information and the food pyramid image was gathered from the Mayo Clinic website.)