Environmental racism is major problem facing global society in the 21st century. This problems have led to quest to promote environmental justice “Environmental justice is a term used to describe the search for programs that are equitable to the less advantaged members of society” (Field and Field 2013, 344). During the past decades, environmentalism as a movement for environmental protection have long advocated for justice as a result for environmental racism. Furthermore, environmental Justice strengthens cultural and ethical principles aimed at protecting health and safety for global residents. Environmental racism continues to effect countless communities on the national and international level. For example, In reference to the West Virginia chemical leak that led to litigation against Freedom Industries for exposing over 250,000 citizens of West Virginia to contaminated drinking water. …show more content…
At least some action was taken in a competent court of jurisdiction by citizen of the affected communities. This is a very sad story but one that allows that allows environmental justice advocate to empower citizens to take legal action through the ‘Citizen Suits”
In this case, regarding the legal validity of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcing an order on Betty’s land, they are within full scope of authority. The EPA issued its order in reference to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The pond located on Betty Blackacre’s property was deemed as a major migratory location for many birds, including endangered species. Section 9 of the ESA bars the taking of a species. In this instance, the term “take” encompasses any harm of an endangered species or its habitat (Laschever, 2012).
The firm hires a geological team who digs a series of wells to test the water supply in the area. The team eventually gathers the evidence after long, harsh hours and agrees to a large settlement. A Civil Action. Dir.
The purpose of environmental justice is fair treatment for everyone. Everyone should have respect to environmental practice and regulations, regardless of the their nationality, income, religion, and ethnicity. “The environmental justice movement has the idea that poor people are more exposed to a greater pollution, hazards, and environmental degradation than richer people.” (Withgott & Laposata, 2012). For example, during 1989 Exxon Valdez, a disaster struck causing an oil tanker with 38-million gallons of oil to wreck at Prince William Sound’s Bligh Reef offshore of Alaska.
Thankfully, in the case of the Sacketts, the Supreme Court ruled against the EPA, and let the Sacketts build their house (Frank). The EPA seems to randomly be stringent with its regulations, and often abuses the property rights of individual citizens. It is important to note that any truly effective environmental regulation will end the concept of individual property rights as we know it, and lead to many more cases like this. The EPA has attempted to institute a “migratory molecule” rule which would allow them to regulate every drop of water in America (Paul). This means they could theoretically regulate a puddle in your backyard because it could end up in Lake Norman at some point
These were some of my favorite readings so far that we had been required to read through. They were very enlightening and provided many great perspectives and stories from white and minority people alike. The three readings I enjoyed the most are Defining Racism: “Can We Talk?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum, Color-Blind Racism by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, and Smells Like Racism by Rita Chaudhry Sethi. What I liked about Bonilla-Silva’s piece is the quotes taken from the white privilege.
John Pozgai worked his life a as a merchant and eventually purchased land. Mr. Jonh Pozgai who assumed he had the right to do what he chooses on his own property removed 7,000 old tires and old automobiles. Would you believe it that the Enverviermental Protection Agency defined this property as a wetland even though the only connection to a wetland was a small drench ditch? Can you believe that after the Army Coup of Engineers instead he apply for a permit and he applied for a permit the Environmental Protection Agency sent cameras on his property and then he was arrested for putting earth and topsoil and sand into the United States waters because in the logic of the Epa it was pollutants that he was discharging .
The concept of environmental justice was first introduced in South Africa at the Earthlife 1992 conference (Cock 2004, p.6). Defined 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’ (U.S Environment Protection Agency, 2012), environmental justice aims to shift the world towards environmentally friendly development and eradicate exploitation of natural resources and indigenous communities. Most importantly, it deals mainly with the environmental injustices of these relationships, and the ways and means of rectifying these wrongs and/or avoiding them in the future
Recently, in an effort to solve this problem U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the first-ever standards for mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants. Another way to prevent environmental racism is by simply minimizing waste, preventing pollution, and using cleaner production techniques that apply to all citizens. Now, environmental classism is defined as "the poor, because of dangerous jobs and residential segregation, are more exposed than the more well-to-do to environmental dangers" (Eitzen, Smith, and Zinn 97). This is something that I have connected with environmental racism; the only difference is that classism focuses on the system of stratification and racism focuses on the race of the individual/family. Unfortunately, when companies come knocking at the door of low-income communities, they have a distinct advantage when looking for a place to put a factory and to dump waste.
The plaintiffs sought civil penalties in the amount of $600,000 and injunctions order Alta Verde to cease all discharges except in compliance with Clean Water Act. Also need to provide certain reports for one year and provide notice within 24 hours of any discharge. The court said that there was no standing. The plaintiffs argued 1) that the district court erred in holding Alta Verde was exempt from the NPDES permit requirement and 2) that the district court erred in holding that Carr and George did not have a standing to sue. Alta Verde argues that it doesn’t meet the definition of point
Environmental racism is something that affects all communities in horrible ways. Some people around the world have problems with racism everyday such as rich and poor communities. Other people around the world have racism problems such as black and white people. Environmental racism is something that all people around the world deal with everyday. To begin with, Environmental racism starts with the people in all communites.
The movie A Civil Action was about a group of parents whose children had developed leukemia. Some of the children died due to leukemia. Therefore Anne Anderson, who played a big role in this movie gathered all of the victim’s parents to seek legal advice from lawyers, but not a lot of lawyers were willing to touch the case due to the fact that there is little evidence and it could cost them a lot of money in the long run, if the case goes to trial. Jan Schlichtmann decided to pick the case and use the elements of negligence. In order to do that he had to prove that those hazardous wastes would somehow end up from one place and into the river, which is really hard to prove.
Mission Statement: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) serves as a means to help protect the health of all Americans and their environment. In their efforts to do so the EPA 's purpose is to protect U.S. citizens from being exposed to possible health issues in all aspects of their lives, whether it be at home, school, or even work. These efforts are being made all over the U.S. to try and reduce external costs on U.S. citizens, by using the best info available to the EPA about health risks. Not only is the EPA advocating for the protection of the environment, but U.S. policies are having a larger presence of reforms that concern every aspect of the environment, ranging from natural resources to energy and transportation.
Beyond the Walk to Natchez A historical great piece of literary art, “A Worn Path” published in 1941, is a story of an old woman’s journey to town through the forest. The setting is rural Mississippi in the 1940’s, a time when racism was a way of life and a trip to town, especially for an old black woman, was often a long journey and thus a trip not often taken. The old woman’s name is Phoenix Jackson and she has quite an adventurous trip through the forest to town. One is made to believe this is just an average walk down the path for this old woman; however the reader is entertained by Phoenix’s mannerisms and realizes there is deeper meaning of the story.
The protection of environment is crucial to the wellbeing of this planet. The job of government is to protect and preserve the land on which its people live. However, there is a bill being considered that completely goes against this, one that calls for the eradication of the Environmental Protection Agency, a government program created to protect human and environmental wellbeing through their regulation of laws. I urge you to oppose bill H.R. 861 - the termination of the Environmental Protection Agency - because of the ways that the EPA protects air, water, and land.
The reading assignments for this week has been very educative about the environment and making it a better place for living. In this written assignment, I will examine some of the ethical issues related to population growth and their effect to the environment. Also, I will propose solutions to these problems base on the reading material available for this Unit. But before I continue, I wish to introduce us to environmental ethics and its definition which I think it is very important for us to understand so as to know our role to play in this beautiful planet. Environmental ethics is the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its non-human contents