Following a study conducted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America in 2020, it was found that black Americans are 1.5x more likely to have asthma than white Americans and are 3x more likely to die from it. Furthermore, this study also discovered that Hispanic and Indigenous populations are disproportionately affected by asthma as well – such that Puerto Rican individuals are almost twice as likely to have asthma and Indigenous children being 1.5x more likely¹.

This is no coincidence; in fact, these marginalized people have been specifically targeted. These people, who have already been politically and socially disenfranchised from our country’s conception, have also been unequally subjected to extremely high levels of pollution. This, in turn, has caused them to develop respiratory diseases at a much higher rate than those who have not been exposed to such dangerous conditions. Though this information may come as a shock to those who have had the privilege to avoid experiencing such malicious treatment, as it certainly surprised me the first time I heard of it, it grants us just a glimpse into the expansive and sinister history of our country’s treatment towards marginalized groups of people.

What is Environmental Racism?

Environmental racism is a term that is used within the realm of environmental justice to identify a pattern of mistreatment and persecution towards marginalized communities. More specifically, this mistreatment has to do with environmental policies and practices that have disproportionately affected communities of color, low-income people, and other oppressed groups. Oftentimes, this is carried out through the deliberate placement of high-polluting infrastructure, such as landfills, garbage incinerators, power plants, and petroleum refineries, near low-income areas and communities of color. Much like as it is displayed in the study I referenced above, living near such foul facilities quite literally poisons you over time which can then lead to very severe health effects.

Though environmental racism is typically carried out during the planning and spatial development of a city, it can take many other forms as well. Aside from the deliberate placement of toxic and polluting infrastructure, environmental racism can also come through the restriction and/or denial of essential services, such as water treatment.

The Flint Water Crisis, a Case Study

The now-infamous Flint Water Crisis is a prime contemporary example of how devastating the effects of environmental racism can be, and how difficult they may be to address. Amidst a budget crisis in 2014, the city of Flint Michigan decided to switch their drinking water source from the Detroit River and Lake Huron to the Flint River in an attempt to cut costs. Following this switch to a new water-source, the water obtained from the Flint River was not adequately treated for contaminants. Now, at this point, I think it is worth mentioning that, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the City of Flint is over 50% black and almost 40% of the population is below the poverty line². These citizens, who are already disenfranchised and treated as less-than across the country, were then additionally being subjected to extremely dangerous levels of lead – a very potent neurotoxin – in their drinking water as well as E. coli and Total Coliform bacteria³.

Though this issue officially began in 2014, its effects and damage are still very much present 7 years later. In fact, even though the City of Flint has been replacing water pipes, distributing clean water, and even providing water filters to its citizens, the people of Flint Michigan are still averted to drinking the water and remain extremely distrustful of their government⁴. This distrust towards the institutions of power in the United States is nothing new for marginalized groups, however the egregious actions carried out by the City of Flint as well as the State of Michigan have only further cemented these sentiments.

A Lack of Awareness

Following my interest in the topic of environmental racism, I decided to interview my friends and family on their familiarity with the subject. Overwhelmingly, every person I interviewed except for one were uninformed on the issue. The only person who I talked with that was familiar with the problem, one of my roommates, learned about it while taking AP Environmental Science in high school like I did, and additionally, was re-informed about it when I asked them to proof-read my op-ed about environmental racism. This general lack of knowledge on the matter is quite concerning, and I think reflects a tendency of the United States to not talk about its reprehensible actions – both past and present. By simply sweeping these atrocities under the rug, our country dooms itself to continue down the path of inequality and perpetuate the cycle of oppression.

Where Do We Go from Here?

The most important action for us, as a country, to take is to raise widespread awareness of this terrible issue. Clearly, we want to put a stop to this as quickly as possible, but it is not as easy as just flipping a switch. This will require institutional change that will occur from the bottom up, so without public backing, there is not much hope of making a difference. By informing more citizens on the systemic problem of environmental racism, we will be able to garner more support for the cause of preventing such atrocities in the future.

That being said, the best way to inform someone, in my experience, is to just have a conversation with them. Ask them if they are familiar with the term “environmental racism” and if they know what it means. If they don’t, take a moment to explain it to them. Through all the interviews I conducted with people that were uninformed about the problem, it typically took a 5 to 10-minute conversation to help them get a basic understanding of it. However, I also acknowledge that I only really interviewed liberal/left-leaning people, and I’m sure that navigating a conversation with conservative/right-wing-minded people will likely play out differently. If your audience seems hostile, or otherwise close-minded towards acknowledging the issue it could be very helpful to use a case study, such as that of Flint Michigan I used above. This can help to exemplify the wrongdoings occurring in our society, and overall, just make the issue seem “more real” to these people.

Talking the Talk vs. Walking the Walk

Now, talking to people and spreading awareness of an issue can only do so much to solve said issue. There comes a point in every social and political movement where one must attempt to make a change through direct action. This can be executed in a number of ways, such as protesting the construction of new pollution sources – especially those being placed near marginalized communities, making donations towards charities or funds that aid those affected by environmental racism, or participating in other various acts of civil disobedience. However, I also want to acknowledge that there is a very fine line one must walk when engaging in acts of civil disobedience to protest against an institution or to raise awareness for a cause. This is because these acts can lead to bad optics for a movement, which will hinder public support. For this reason, it is essential that the majority of the public is already onboard with your cause before you begin to engage in protests and overall civil disobedience. This will ensure that your actions are able to be as effective as possible, and will not hamper your efforts.

I believe that once we are able to make the problem of environmental racism a well-known one, we as a society will finally stand a chance at putting an end to it.

Endnotes:

1. Asthma Disparities – Reducing Burden on Racial and Ethnic Minorities | AAFA.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aafa.org/asthma-disparities-burden-on-minorities.aspx#pdf
2. S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Flint city, Michigan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/flintcitymichigan
3. Lead-Laced Water In Flint: A Step-By-Step Look At The Makings Of A Crisis. (n.d.). NPR.Org. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/465545378/lead-laced-water-in-flint-a-step-by-step-look-at-the-makings-of-a-crisis
4. Robertson, D. (n.d.). Flint Has Clean Water Now. Why Won’t People Drink It? Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/23/flint-water-crisis-2020-post-coronavirus-america-445459