ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL
INJUSTICE
Learn what environmental racism is and how it affects communities of color.
ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, WHAT IS IT?
As described by Ammara Mohsin Mukhi in her article: Examining the effects of environmental inequity in Houston:
"Environmental racism refers to the fact that marginalized communities — communities of color, and low-income families — are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. In practice, patterns of environmental racism can be observed in the deliberate placement of toxic waste dumps and industrial facilities in and near predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods, which has a disproportionate negative environmental and health impact on these communities."
"One of the most prominent examples of environmental racism in Greater Houston is the deliberate placement of toxic waste dumps and industrial facilities that emit high levels of pollution in and near predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods. The injustice of this is particularly salient since these communities are not themselves responsible for causing the majority of environmental hazards."
"In the United States, Black people are exposed to 21% more pollution even though they produce 23% less pollution than the average."
"But environmental racism isn’t restricted to the placement of toxic waste facilities — it is also true of the placement of chemical plants and oil refineries that emit airborne pollutants in and near communities of color. Houston’s reputation as the “energy capital of the world” makes the problem more potent, given the large number of oil and gas refineries and plants operational in the area."
Source: https://www.understandinghouston.org/blog/examining-the-effects-of-environmental-racism-in-houston
Let's work for meaningful change.
