Unfortunately, environmental injustice is still very prevalent in our society. When urban areas develop across the country, zones reserved exclusively for residential purposes are often expensive. Mixed-use zones are more affordable, but allow residential and industrial buildings to coexist side by side. This has led to a higher population density in areas closer to environmental hazards.

 

The proximity to harm increases significantly if you live close to an industrial site such as the refinery at El Segundo, in L. A. county. According to the EPA, “there is a growing body of evidence that refineries are underestimating emissions of volatile organic chemicals (or VOCs)- things like benzene, xylene, and toluene. Exposure to these chemicals can cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and cancer.”

 

Another example of the proximity to harm is the pollution created by Exide, a battery recycling plant in Vernon, California. 

 

The California Department of Toxic Substances shut down Exide. An investigation revealed that the plant had contaminated the soil around the plant. The resulting toxic metal dust, including lead and other pollutants, affected the cities of Bell, Boyle Heights, Commerce, East LA, Huntington Park, and Maywood, where the majority of the population are Latinx and working class.

 

Exide was allowed to file for bankruptcy and leave the area without compensating the communities or cleaning up the affected areas of operation.

 

All communities should have access to reliable, low-risk sources of water. Unfortunately, geographical location, water management, oil spills, toxic waste, and agricultural runoff affect the final product.

 

The lead poisoning of Flint’s population in Michigan exemplifies the effects of this type of environmental injustice on the poor and people of color. Lead poisoning in children can result in permanent damage to the brain and nervous system.

 

To save money, Governor Rick Snyder switched the water supply from Lake Huron, treated by the City of Detroit, to water from the historically very polluted Flint River. The lack of anti-corrosive agents caused the lead pipes to leach lead into the water.

 

Flint has a large African American population, many of whom live below the poverty line.  There are also Arab American and Latinx communities in Flint, where the annual per capita income is $17,086.

 

Water mismanagement extends to the oceans’ waters too. There is an area off the coast of Louisiana and Texas known as the Dead Zone.  Every summer, the runoff of fertilizers used by commercial farms located upstream of the Mississippi River and its tributaries promotes algae’s excessive growth. The algae’s decomposition process consumes oxygen, consequently creating a low-oxygen condition in the Gulf of Mexico’s waters. It is estimated that this Dead Zone is now 6,765 square miles wide.

 

A report by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium estimates that the dead zone poses a real threat to the Gulf’s seafood and tourism industry. About 600,000 jobs are at risk and, according to the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a cost of $82 million a year for the same industries.

 

Many communities around the region and across the nation depend on the good health of the Gulf. This area produces about 40 percent of all the seafood in the lower 48 states. Jobs, income, food, shelter, and diverse wildlife are at risk.

 

Food justice addresses the burden on lower socioeconomic communities and communities of color where Food Deserts or Food Swamps are prevalent. The USDA defines a Food Desert as an area where much of the population lives at least one mile from the nearest supermarket. 

 

Food Swamps not only lack the presence of fresh foods but have an abundance of liquor stores and fast-food outlets.

 

Statistics about the national health crisis show an alarming increase in obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and cancer. 

 

These diseases affect today’s adults and the nation’s younger population, placing a burden on the medical system and decreasing productivity and quality of life.

 

Food is central to our social life, and good, nourishing food is essential to maintain health, strength, and success. A lack of good, healthful food clouds our minds, weakens our bodies, and harms communities. Access to clean, fresh, and nourishing food should be a right, not a privilege.