Research into Environmental Justice

I've been researching Environmental Justice now for a few weeks and I have come to a few conclusions that will be available when I write my full report for Sustainable Seattle.  For now I just wanted to highlight a few of the main points of Environmental Justice and the reasons why I feel that this issue is of the utmost importance.

Environmental Justice is the idea that toxic chemicals, disposal sites, deforestation, environmental damage caused by human activities and destruction of habitat are all caused by commercial and racial interests and the amount of institutional red tape to correct these issues is both complicated and actively thickened by vested commercial interests.

The facts are irrefutable that those communities that are under served and poor are disproportionately afflicted with environmental damage and feel the negative results of our commercial interests in a more visceral and immediate manner than those communities that are privileged, rich or influential.  The difference between Environmental Justice and Environmental Parity is that EJ wants the harmful practices of toxins, pollutants and disposal sites to end completely, while EP wants the damage to be "equally shared."

The overwhelming evidence of racial and class discrimination in regards to environmental practices is in the locations and concentrations of toxic disposal, landfills, waste management systems and environmental degradation near, below and surrounding areas of low income towns, communities of minorities or lower class areas.  There are numerous research projects that showcase the health and social justice impacts such as the infamous "Cancer Alley," and the more I research the more upset I get.

Van Jones has a wonderful talk about Environmental Justice from a TED talk that I encourage you all to watch.  He sets up the connections between our consumption and the negative effects of our throw away society in a short, funny, but touching talk. 

I will have more updates soon and when I am done with the report I will post it here for any to use.