The Societal Effects of Environmental Racism

The unspoken issue plaguing American minorities.
When thinking of hazardous waste, one often thinks of its effects on the environment. The second thought would then have to do with how waste can affect humans. However, never does it really cross our minds that humans are put in the line of fire by the very people we trust to protect us. Environmental racism can be chalked up to hazardous wastes being dumped in low-income communities, which in turn creates toxic chemicals that infiltrate surrounding land, air, and water used for drinking, cooking and swimming. The racism part is because the communities these toxic dumps are situated around are made up of mainly African and Latin Americans.
In 2014, The University of Minnesota conducted a study that showed minorities received nearly 40 percent more exposure to deadly air pollutants than Caucasian people in the Unites States. This study was conducted using demographics to determine the rate of pollution in different areas of the country and the direct effect they have on specific populations. One of the more critical findings was that people of color are exposed to 38 percent more of the deadly chemicals which experts say can be a key driver of heart disease and other health problems. Another interesting theory that has been brought up is the fact that these toxins can alter people’s behavior, causing them to act out violently.
Let’s take into account the Flint Water Crisis for example, because it was one incident of contaminated water that everyone heard about. To save money, Flint’s water supply was switched to a local source, that was not ready to be used. This caused a mix of lead and Trihalomethanes- which have been linked with health concerns, such as liver, kidney, lung, and heart problems-thus contaminating the town’s public water supply.

Those who are estimated to be the majority affected by this crisis are upwards of 12,000 children. It is said that problems linked to high-level exposure are issues with brain functioning and behavioral problems. To get an idea of how race plays into those most affected, 57 percent of Flint is African American, and 41 percent of their residents live below the poverty line.
More recently, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe fought to prevent a crude oil pipeline from being built near their primary water source and through their sacred land. Any type of oil spill would have severely damaging effects on their ecosystem, way of life, and health. True to our roots, we were taking something from the very people we took this whole country from. Without a care for the Natives and the fact that they could lose lives now and potentially have no future, decisions were made because they are looked at as a diminutive minority by the powers that be.
The saying “history repeats itself” is very true to this day. The reason for this isn’t always the fact that similar events take place, but that the views, attitudes and practices of society have not actually changed, they have only evolved. Stereotypical judgments relating to outward appearance right down to things that are assumed, such as health care, income generation and level of education are all ways that society looks down upon what those with any power deem as inferior. It has been suggested that minorities are targeted because they are “poorer” and lack the wealth and legal clout that other communities — white communities are equipped with.

There are many theories that can be assumed as to why this is an actual problem. You would think something like this would be a priority to fix- I mean clean drinking water in a first world country shouldn’t be an issue, right? There is one entity always involved when it is impossible to rectify a seemingly fixable situation: The Government. Think about it — who funds the low-income housing surrounding these communities? Who funds the schools? Who makes it impossible for lower income families to break out of their vicious cycles of needing to depend on the benefits to make ends meet?
Environmental racism is an easy way to maintain population control, a way to maintain who gets what jobs by providing a sub-par public education, a way to keep systemic stereotypes alive — a way to continually perpetuate white supremacy. Take this all in, and look at the big picture. The areas of our country that are considered “ghettos” are actually government funded waste dumps. I can’t help but believe this is a deep vein connecting stereotypes, to racism, to police brutality, avoidable arrests, to failing school systems.
Sometimes, a life is chosen for someone. No matter how hard they may fight to avoid certain situations, there are very powerful people playing the role of puppet master. There is no fixing the problem without understanding just how deeply rooted it is. It’s not just a matter of believing all people are equal and loving the idea of the world being one melting pot of equality. You have to dig deeper and understand that being part of the movement to overcome the actual causes of the problems has to be the starting point. Things aren’t always what they seem, and sometimes they are. We live in the land of the free, and the home of socioeconomic slavery, born at the hands of the American government.

