In the article “I’m a Flint resident. I’m done paying for water that is not safe” by Tunde Olaniran, Olaniran discusses the issues surrounding the water crisis in Flint Michigan. She speaks of her own history regarding the unsafe water and how she paid her bills until she was afraid to drink it or even let it touch her skin. The water crisis is due to high levels of lead and corroded pipes which combine together to make unsafe water for all purposes. Some experienced hair loss and scalp issues when washing their hair.…
“In the early 1940’s, Detroit was at its industrial zenith, leading the nation in economic escape from the Great Depression” (Sugrue 19). However, today Detroit does not carry the same legacy’s it once did. It wasn’t until after WWII that Detroit suffered this shift. In his book, “The Origins of the Urban Crisis”, historian Thomas Sugrue strives to give an explanation to this shift and find the answer to why Detroit has become the site of persistent racialized poverty and what exactly caused the urban crisis in post WWII Detroit.…
When one thinks of Detroit or Michigan in general, they automatically think of the musicians and sports teams that came from there; Madonna, Eminem, Kid Rock, The Tigers, The Lions, and The Red Wings. One assumes when someone talks about Detroit that they live there and give the person the utmost respect despite only visiting or living outside of the city. What caused Detroit's descent from a wealthy, vital city into one where "ruins" are common and the city is bankrupt? The lack of care and concern from the people who are in the charge of the city and its people. Despite all of these attractions, the city is still in ruins and is still in major debt.…
Policy and Background The water crisis in Flint, Michigan has made national headlines throughout the country. Many citizens first heard of the ordeal in late 2015. However, the process began in March of 2013 when the Flint City Council voted to switch water service from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to the Karegnondi Water Authority (Ridley, 2016). The Karegnondi Water Authority was building a new pipe to Lake Huron slated to be completed in 2016 and the City of Flint was eager to take advantage.…
Heller uses the etymology of words coupled with the history of economic policy, to suggest the cause of this issue stems from mistakes that were made decades ago. Although there are noticeable constraints in this piece, Mr. Heller is effective in raising overall awareness about this issue and, more importantly, piques the interest of the audience so additional research and investigation is needed to solidify their opinions. Flint, Michigan, a cornerstone of industry in American history, is a place where inequality and the effects of trickledown economics stand as examples of their ineffectiveness within impoverished communities. Flint, however, does not stand alone in the fight for equality, but is only the latest geyser to erupt from an undercurrent…
The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis In Flint, Michigan there was a water contamination problem. Flint is a majority black city where 40 percent of people live in poverty. The water crisis started in April 2014, after Flint changed its water source from treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water to the Flint River. After that, people started complaining about the quality of the water. City and state officials failed to see that there was a serious problem for months.…
Water, as we know is one of our most coveted resources. We use it to cook our food, wash our bodys, and even our cars. Water is undeniably a resource we use every single day. Many people throughout the world undervalue the importance of this resource.…
Since 1995, Genesee Power Station, located next to an elementary school, has been releasing many chemical compounds into the atmosphere including nitrogen dioxide, lead, and carbon monoxide, all of which are results of burning wood covered in lead-based paint (Craven 1).Through the disproportionate exposure of lead and other toxic chemicals to the African-American community, this issue deals with not only class, but race. Companies have been planting their factories and unloading dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere and water sources, affecting the poor communities. It would be unusual to see this type of treatment towards predominantly white, affluent communities with power; they just would not let this happen to their community. However, this issue is not black and white. Others have said that the lead poisoning was due to factors other than pollution, including bad diet, second-hand smoke, lifestyle, or lack of health care (Craven 1).…
High pollution makes it worse.” (Bullard, 2000, p. 7). Local governments and businesses abuse their political and economic power to take advantage of communities that lack enforcement of environmental regulations. He provides evidence by explaining the way black communities cope with environmental stressors such as municipal solid waste facilities, on the job hazards, hazardous waste landfills, and chemicals from industrial plants. Bullard conducts all sorts of surveys, case studies, and reports to show just how severe communities with more exposure to negative environmental factors are due to faulty environmental laws and…
People who are affected by this toxic runoff are often forgotten about, oftentimes only Caucasian people receive notice or help. In Melissa Checker’s book “Polluted Promises”, a case of this environmental racism is dissected for the reader to see how in such a modern…
In the article Environmental Justice in the 21st century: Race Still Matters, Robert Bullard explains the poor living conditions and the quality of the environment where minorities are located. Bullard touches on the main ideas of clean air, exploitation of land, environment, and people, and global dumping grounds. Minorities that live in urban areas are at higher risk of asthma because the air is not clean. Bullard states that the “poor people and people of color often work in the most dangerous jobs, live in the most polluted neighborhoods, and their children are exposed to all kinds of environmental toxins on the playground and in their homes” (156). Therefore, blacks are more likely to be affected.…
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan served as an example of what can happen to any city’s residents if they allow their government to think they can get away with taking shortcuts. Poor communities across America must be vigilant of environmental racism. In “Racism in the Air You Breathe:…
Imagine yourself turning on the faucet like every other day and seeing the clear sparkling water. But wait, it isn’t that sparkly today. Even so, you pour it into the glass for your kid. Then you see it turns into a yucky brown color.…
Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice Reflection Paper I decided to attend an event called Social Justice, Health and the Environment Coffeehouse at the Reformed Church of Highland Park. Dean of Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Michael Greenburg, was the guest speaker for the event. Correspondingly, activist poet and A.I.D.S. researcher Sam Friedman added a bit of comic relief to the program by reading a few poems he wrote to express the love that he has for his environment. Dr. Greenburg started off the presentation by giving a little bit of background about himself. Of course, he is a Dean and distinguished professor at Rutgers University however in addition, his professional accomplishments include being the…
Around the globe, people from different backgrounds take action into creating justice according to their faith or personal beliefs. In present times, many environmental issues are being brought to light. Pope Francis, President Obama, Leonardo DiCaprio and many other famous figures have made their statement into addressing such environmental issues. According to Dr. Dieter Hessel, director of the ecumenical Program on Ecology, Justice and Faith with Yale and Harvard; identifies that “the vision and values of eco-justice ethics express a spiritually grounded moral posture of respect and fairness toward all creation, human and nonhuman...concerns for the natural world and for human life, that recognizes that devastation of the environment and…