Living in an integrated society means that education can be focused upon everyone within this society at the same time. In this way, both white, black, and other people can be educated about the environment, as well as strategies to implement towards a healthier environment for everybody. Such programs should then be greatly focused upon issues such as the equal right to a clean and healthy environment.
A further way to combat environmental racism is to address the issue with corporations and businesses. Businesses should focus their resources towards community projects that help black and poor communities to become cleaner and healthier for their inhabitants. This process can be connected to other social community projects such as schooling or building homes for the poor.
Finally, workplaces and educational facilities serving poor and black communities should be approached on a collaborative basis. It is only by working together that the United States can address the many social and economic factors facing it. This is also true of environmental racism. In addition to an understanding of the phenomenon itself, educational facilities and workplaces should invest their intellectual and financial resources into educating and activating its youth towards mitigating the problems experienced.
Environmental racism is the result of both social and economic discrimination that has been suffered for years. It will take time and effort to overcome it.
PART II.
1)
According to environmental advocates, environmental racism relates to the way in which discrimination has been applied to ensure that the rich, privilege, often white middle to upper classes have had access to a clean and healthy environment in which to live, while poorer, often...
This problem not only relates to open discrimination, but also to a more subtle prejudice against poor communities. Indeed, so view studies have been conducted in the area that environmental problems facing poor communities in the United Stats have become somewhat invisible. Their lack of resources and prominence in terms of
culture and society in general, along with a basic lack of action among these communities themselves, have resulted in the problem being ignored to the point of denial.
2)
I believe the authors in question are absolutely correct in be concerned about the problem. Something should definitely be done on various platforms in order to address the factors involved in environmental racism. On the legal platform, for example,
legislation can be implemented to provide a more equal footing for poor communities faced with environmental problems. Large industries that pollute the environment in and around these communities should for example be subject to a fine or some other form of punishment. All populated areas in both poor and privileged communities should be included in prohibitive legislation in terms of dumping hazardous materials.
From the viewpoint of communities themselves, the intellectual community should be provided with the tools to combat environmental racism via both knowledge and legal channels. The entire community should be made aware of the environmental problems facing them and be empowered to overcome these in the courtroom, if necessary.
Sources
Bullard, Robert D. Dumping in Dixie:
Race, Class, and Environmental Quality. Boulder, CO: Westview, 1990. http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/docs/010-278/010-278chpt1.html
Carter, Majora. Greening the ghetto. Feb 2006. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/majora_carter_s_tale_of_urban_renewal.html
Roy, Arundhati. Power Politics: The Reincarnation of Rumpelstiltskin. Outlook India, Nov 27, 2000. http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0307-03.htm
