solved Topic: Environmental Injustice Environmental justice ensures that all communities are

Topic: Environmental Injustice
Environmental justice ensures that all communities are treated fairly and are meaningfully involved in environmental-based decisions, such as where to build a new sanitary landfill, hazardous waste repository, industrial plant, or any other such site that could create an environmental hazard for those who live in the area.
Describe a time when environmental injustice occurred. This can include any current or past events where the community was not fairly and meaningfully involved in the decision-making process.
Who is or was negatively affected? What negative health effects could or did the community experience? What other social factors compound the negative health outcomes of the community?

Reply:

A few counties over from mine there have been a wide variety of health reports from tap water. It has recently been found that there are in fact toxic chemicals resulting in many different medical reactions. This issue has prompted exposure to lead from aging pipes beneath the ground. Also, with the hurricane season recently coming through, it hasn’t helped concerning contamination. Climate always has such a hard impact on my area, there are a lot of natural disasters that occur along with a lot of structures that need rebuilt such as our bridges, roadways, and even underground utilities. A lot of these projects are underway currently and continue to be throughout the many weatherly seasons of the year.
“Water is deemed unfit for drinking whereas irrigation or recreation the water would have no bad effect,” (Schweitzer, 2018). Therefore, we learn that not all water is harmful in all aspects but when it comes to tap water being contaminated, that is an issue that is deemed unfit for drinking and the community should be made aware because so many can be potentially affected.
The entire town has been affected from personal homes to professional businesses, surgical and other medical centers, grocery stores and even restaurants as well. Water contamination has been such an issue throughout the community that they have a purified water drive to bring in clean water. Having this clean water helps to prevent exposure and intake of unhealthy toxins. Likewise, reducing the risk of the many health issues that can occur from contaminated water.
“Advocates and Researchers of Public Health say inequality is damaging to overall health and wellbeing, it is distasteful,” (Pastor, 2018).
Although the water department is doing heir part to ensure the problems are fixed, it still leaves so many people within this small town without. Without not just drinking water but running water all the way around. Some people have left town, meanwhile, some have traveled to an extreme to find clean water. Then with our current pandemic and need of proper hand washing makes it all that much worse. What a terrible time to not have clean water, to have contaminated air and surfaces and no way of adequately cleaning our hands. Therefore, public events such as fairs will be difficult for the town to host due to the water contamination. This means there is even more price to pay than initiated.
References
Pastor, M., & Morello-Frosch, R. (2018). Gaps Matter: Environment, Health, and Social Equity. Generations, 42(2), 28–33.
Schweitzer, L., & Noblet, J. (2018). Water contamination and pollution. In Green chemistry (pp. 261-290). Elsevier.
Thanks so much, my friends! It is so good to be here! I look forward to working and learning more with you as we progress throughout our course! Keep pushing and finish strong, I know you will all be simply amazing! Stay safe and stay well out there!
Geri

Reply:

In North Richmond, California, there are five oil refineries, three chemical companies, eight superfund sites, toxic waste sites, and rail yards (Kay & Katz). During World War II, black settlers migrated to this part in California to escape the Jim Crow traditions. At the time, there were no rentals or sales on houses available to the blacks, so they were given what was available to them, and that was land near the shipyard. Not much has changed since then as the area is still full of pollution and filled with minorities such as blacks, Asians, Latin Americans, and pacific islanders. The area is filled with air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution from highways, and visual pollution. Compared to their neighboring county, Contra Costa, there is a significant health disparity between it and Richmond. The negative health effects include asthma, heart disease, cancer, headaches, breathing difficulties, fatigue and strokes (Kay & Katz). Overall, the area of Richmond is heavily polluted and not only on the outside, but even through into peoples’ homes. The pollution is so heavy that it has seeped into the walls of the residents’ homes.
Reference
Kay, J. & Katz, C. (2012, June 4). Pollution, Poverty, and People of Color: The Factory on the Hill. Retrieved from https://www.ehn.org/pollution-poverty-richmond-264…