Identity can be a powerful tool by which we see and judge our environment. In many cases, we often remain unaware of how our identity, chosen by us or not, influence how we intersect with our environment, as well as how deeply we analyze it. It is important not only to assess our own identity and how it may change the way we see things, but also to extend our knowledge and perception to work and groups that share our identity and perspective, as well as oppose it, or simply look through a variety of different lenses to examine their environment. Only in this way can we truly decipher who we are, how we identify with the world around us, and how this identity is affecting the way we view things. Both of the chosen works addresses significant …show more content…
The focus of her piece is on women, their place in helping the environment remain a safe, healthy place to live, and the juxtaposition presented by how many impoverished, disenfranchised, often women of color is forced to live in areas wherein they are, for example, deeply and negatively impacted by waste sites and landfills (Alcid, 2013). On the surface, Alcid acknowledges the deteriorating environment, but goes on to assess who is most impacted, why they are the most impacted, and why we should address how we dispose of waste based on this. Similarly, the piece discussing minority populations living in unsanitary conditions, pollution permeating through land and water is acknowledged, but the real issue is why a disproportionate portion of the minority population live so near these hazardous areas. The deeper issue examined is why such a disproportionate portion of the minority population live near these unsafe areas; eventually the piece credits institutionalized racism, stating for all intents and purposes that it is easy to sequester the disenfranchised into areas nobody else wants to go (Environmental Racism in America: An Overview of the Environmental Justice Movement and the Role of Race in Environmental Policies, …show more content…
I can see this based simply on the data gathered in the readings. For instance, it was found 39% of the populations living within a 3-mile-radius of coal plants are African American (Environmental Racism in America: An Overview of the Environmental Justice Movement and the Role of Race in Environmental Policies, 2015). They experience a myriad of health issues, typically associated with lung and respiratory health. As a disenfranchised African American it made sense to hear testimonials regarding family members who had passed from lung cancer associated with the plant. However, when one member of the community stated he had accepted his life, knew he could not change it, and was simply trying to make where he lived more inhabitable, it was difficult to understand (Environmental Racism in America: An Overview of the Environmental Justice Movement and the Role of Race in Environmental Policies, 2015). Until that moment I did not realize those communities had received a specific label and as such, hearing positivity or acceptance from them based on that label was inconceivably out of character. It was not the lens he was supposed to examine his environment through, making it difficult to accept his statement and proving society does expect certain things based on
Every type of person struggles with a thing we call, identity. Personal identity come from multiple factors from our race to our own personal beliefs. Some people say we have the choice to choose our own identity, but is that always true? No, in fact other people can affect how we look and essentially identity our self’s. In the article called.
The NAACP 's press release talks about the research report Coal Blooded, and how coal plants are being placed nearby low income and colored communities. This is causing an overwhelming amount of pollution in these communities, which in turn is hurting people 's health. The average income of people living in these areas is $18,400 and also 39% of these Americans are colored. Coal Blooded even talks about a plan to help change from high polluted energy sources for more eco-friendly sources. The closing of two power plants in Chicago helps support this plan.
In "Concerned Citizens: Environmental (In)justice in Black Los Angeles," Sonya Winton asserts the environmental difficulties that low income communities face. She claims that politicians in Los Angeles are inequitable; the politicians spend more time trying to better the high income communities, instead of improving the negative in the low income
This is evident when both authors use the term “race” at the same frequency as one another. This information is also proven when Newkirk states that “Federal environmental protection still seems to be a privilege of class and race” (Newkirk). We know that Purdy agrees that environmental laws are a matter of class and race when he explains that “environmental harms are distributed along very familiar lines of race and poverty” (Purdy). Both of these authors target others for the environmental issues because they are enraged and disturbed that race is an factor when it comes to these matters. The authors are both trying to convey their point that not only do we need to protect our environment, but we also have to protect those that are suffering from environmental laws because of their
Industrialization, economic expansion, and globalization are processes that are the biggest culprits of environmental injustice. The most obvious act of injustice that links both environmental injustice and human rights abuse is the displacement of indigenous communities. A unique example of such displacement is the relocation of blacks to different segregated townships. This relocation of such a large group of people put a strain on the environment as the numbers were over and above the areas carrying capacity. These townships are heavily polluted, quality of life is extremely low and land degradation is rife.
The Unnatural Causes: Place Matters video, explains how environmental factors impact the health and lifespan of an individual. Additionally, the video also gives some history on how disadvantaged neighborhoods were created through government policies that favored Caucasian families. Also, the video focuses on Richmond, a disadvantaged city in California, and the detrimental health of its community members. Lastly, the video focuses on an improved and former disadvantaged neighborhood called High Point located in Seattle, Washington.
Identity speaks of who we are as individuals but it also comes from two different groups: social and cultural. These groups are connected to power, values and ideology. Social identities are related to how we interact with people and how we present ourselves. Meanwhile cultural identities relate to society in whole such as religion, values, etc. In this paper I will talk about the dominant and subordinate identities.
Loren Blackford is a volunteer from New York. She, like the others on this short list, enjoy volunteering for a certain cause. Particularly, Loren likes to help on the topics of climate change and environmental preservation. However, she states that, “for others, it’s about the engagement of young people, committed to environmental justice in their own backyards” (Blackford). This is the case for many others; some want to help the big picture with climate change solutions, and other volunteers just want to help out their neighborhood.
Do people care about the environment? Or do people only care about themselves? People are impacting the environment just like in Arlie Hochschild's text "Lee Sherman and the Toxic Louisiana Bayou" where Lee worked at a certain company and dumped chemicals into the bayou and it did not go well. Many people think that everything is changing but that is not always the case though. The unit text reinforces the idea that people have a bigger impact on the environment, however the people can also be impacted by what they are doing to the environment.
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 environment in which an individual grows up in can affect life greatly. Our surroundings influence one’s personality, self-expression, and individuality, otherwise known as identity. Finding one’s true self is the most grueling stage of life and expectations of family and society make the process even harder. One’s true identity can sometimes clash with hopes of others, thus breaking tradition and/or family ties. Pressure to change will always be present, but staying true to uniqueness will prevail.
How others see you is influenced by material, social, and physical constraints. This causes a tension between how much control you have in constructing your own identity and how much control or constraint is exercised over you. How we see ourselves and how others see us differ in many ways, but is an important factor of our identity. “A Lesson Before Dying”,
The identity a person holds is one of the most important aspects of their lives. Identity is what distinguishes people from others, although it leaves a negative stereotype upon people. In the short story Identities by W.D Valgardson, a middle-aged wealthy man finds himself lost in a rough neighborhood while attempting to look for something new. The author employs many elements in the story, some of the more important ones being stereotype and foreshadow. For many people, their personal identity is stereotyped by society.
People are impacted by the environment in many different ways. Some people are affected by environmental racism and it takes a toll on their health and living conditions. Environmental racism is something that affects people in various ways in their community. People in industrialized areas are negatively affected by environmental racism. According to the article, the “University of Central Florida, Professor Elliot Vites examined which ZIP codes in the state...found places...storage facilities and sewage treatment plans.”
Reading over the introduction case study Henry Payne argue about having this particular type of facility built in the community of Homer. He felt that it was preeminent for the people in that area to embrace this opportunity while advertising the benefits having this facility would improve economy provide needed jobs in this area. While he’s publicizing the benefits the lack of evidence to prove the facility would be hazardous Payne and the others deemed it safe (Shrader-Frechette, 2003). Subsequently Homer’s one of the deprived towns United States unfortunately the area reside in an African American community, there were underlying racial implications for this decision and environmental racism and/ or environmental injustice present (Shrader-Frechette,