Before we dive into an introduction of environmental racism, we want to bring everyone up to speed with some key definitions:
Environmental Racism: This term refers to “the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color,” and is caused by low land values, intentional neglect, and a lack of institutional power, among others. In the US, racial segregation is deeply intertwined with environmental racism, and addressing systemic racism (see our post on Systemic Racism here) requires addressing environmental racism and visa versa. The response to environmental racism is environmental justice.
Environmental Justice: This is a movement that “promotes environmental, economic and social justice by recognizing the direct link between economic, environmental and health issues and demanding a safe, clean community and workplace environment” for everyone. It encompasses the cultural values, regulations, behaviors, policies, and decisions that support sustainability.
While communities of color have been subjected to racist environmental practices and policies for decades, the terms “environmental justice” and “environmental racism” started to draw attention in the 70s and 80s, most notably from a major report called “Toxic Wastes and Race” published in 1987. A turning point for the environmental justice movement occurred in 1991 at the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, where activists gathered and developed 17 environmental justice principles that they wanted to be the focus of environmental policy moving forward. These widely distributed principles were used on the international stage, such as in 1992 at the UN Earth Summit in Brazil, but saw less successful adoption domestically. Even major environmental groups in the US saw environmental justice activists and their principles as more of a nuisance that would be dealt with later, rather than a missing key consideration in the work they were trying to accomplish.
This brings us to the present. While the acceptance of environmental justice as a necessary and urgent issue is changing, a 2018 EPA report demonstrates that environmental racism is very much alive (at the same time, EPA leadership and the Trump administration are actively trying to dismantle policies built to address and alleviate these issues). The report found that “people of color are much more likely to live near polluters and breathe polluted air” and that “results at national, state, and county scales all indicate that non-Whites tend to be burdened [by negative health effects from pollution] disproportionately to Whites.” The report's conclusions show that the magnitude of pollution is worse in communities of color regardless of the number of polluters present, indicating racial discrimination in industry practices and regulations.
The evidence is overwhelming. Take particulate matter (PM) for example- a known carcinogen that contributes to lung conditions, asthma severity, high blood pressure, heart attacks, premature deaths, etc. Black people are exposed to PM 1.5 times more and Hispanics 1.2 times more than White people in the US. So, not only do polluters position themselves closer to communities of color who then experience negative health effects more severely, but because of discrimination in healthcare, it is harder for these communities to receive treatment for the problems caused by pollution (see our recent post on Healthcare Discrimination here).
This example is explained by a simple concept: that neighborhoods with lower property values lead to cheaper area for industry to then move into and pollute in, sometimes under the guise of offering employment opportunities. This polluting presence keeps property values low, resulting in local communities that have a harder time building wealth and power through property ownership. This ultimately further limits their opportunities to move somewhere cleaner and escape the toxins around them. This dynamic plays out across the US every single day.
Cap and Trade, which is an approach to curbing harmful emissions from polluting industries by requiring that companies pay up past a pollution limit, was a concept championed by the Obama administration. However, cap and trade policies show exactly what happens when environmental justice is not centered in the conversation- evidence shows that “the program reduced the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change but did nothing to alleviate the toxic pollution facing communities of color.” Once again, those most impacted by climate change and pollution were left out of the conversation. There are unfortunately countless examples of this pattern unfolding, from the Flint Water Crisis to the Dakota Pipeline protests and many, many more.
Of course, the current health pandemic is very relevant here. By this point, the understanding that COVID-19 is disproportionally infecting and killing people of color, especially Black people, is well established, but why is this the case? Long-lasting effects of environmental racism have played a big role. Remember who is most exposed to PM in the US? A German study found that “long-term exposure to [PM2.5] may be one of the most important contributors to fatality caused by the COVID-19 virus.” Put more simply, poor respiratory and heart conditions- which are made worse by the effects of environmental racism- are risk factors for COVID-19. Of course, there is more at play here and this explanation just scratches the surface- see our previous post, “A Tale of Two Deadly Pandemics- Coronavirus & Racism” here to learn more.
This post was a mere introduction to environmental racism. If you find yourself with more questions than answers, know that there are a wealth of resources available online that go much more in-depth on the topic. Also, stay tuned for an upcoming series on RRP where we dive deeper into environmental racism and all that it entails.
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