According to the EPA, environmental justice refers to 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. Low-income and minority Americans tend to live and work in areas disproportionately exposed to pollution, therefore they suffer disproportionately from the effects of pollution.
Often, it is not only the disproportionate amount of pollution that negatively affects the health of low-income and minority Americans but the combination of that pollution layered on top of existing social disparities, such as access to healthcare.
African Americans tend to live closer to …show more content…
Climate changes like global warming is the result of human practices like emission of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans and the earth’ surface causing melting of polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural patterns of precipitation such as flash floods, excessive snow or desertification.
Lastly there is the issue of overpopulation. African Americans like in densely populated areas. The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable levels as it faces shortage of resources like water, fuel and food. Population explosion in less developed and developing countries is straining the already scarce resources. Intensive agriculture practiced to produce food damages the environment through use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides. Overpopulation is one of the crucial current environmental problem.
African Americans are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air pollution. More than 72% of African Americans live in counties that violate federal air pollution standards, compared to 58% of Whites. According to the Office of Minority Health:
From 2003-2005, African American children had a death rate 7 times that of non-Hispanic White children.
In 2010, almost 4,500,000 non-Hispanic Blacks reported that they currently have asthma.
17% of all African American children are asthma
Often, it is not only the disproportionate amount of pollution that negatively affects the health of low-income and minority Americans but the combination of that pollution layered on top of existing social disparities, such as access to healthcare.
African Americans tend to live closer to …show more content…
Climate changes like global warming is the result of human practices like emission of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans and the earth’ surface causing melting of polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural patterns of precipitation such as flash floods, excessive snow or desertification.
Lastly there is the issue of overpopulation. African Americans like in densely populated areas. The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable levels as it faces shortage of resources like water, fuel and food. Population explosion in less developed and developing countries is straining the already scarce resources. Intensive agriculture practiced to produce food damages the environment through use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides. Overpopulation is one of the crucial current environmental problem.
African Americans are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air pollution. More than 72% of African Americans live in counties that violate federal air pollution standards, compared to 58% of Whites. According to the Office of Minority Health:
From 2003-2005, African American children had a death rate 7 times that of non-Hispanic White children.
In 2010, almost 4,500,000 non-Hispanic Blacks reported that they currently have asthma.
17% of all African American children are asthma