Environmental Justice is the fair treatment of and the enforcement of environmental laws. The goal of the US government's Environmental Protection Agency is to provide and support the mandates to maintain a healthy living environment, protecting both the human population as well as nature, to promote the highest quality environment to learn, work, and live in. The Environmental Protection Agency works to set standards and distribute permits to facilities, issues licensees and awards grants. The EPA is also concerned with Public Health issues. These public health issues come from the struggle to create a healthy environment for all people to benefit from including populations that traditionally live and work in or near dangerous sources of pollution including mines, landfills, and factories.
While reviewing Environmental Justice extensive emphasis is placed on the demographic that is affected by the various environmental health conditions involving polluted natural environments and dangerous work environments. America's most polluted neighborhoods are predominately neighborhoods of color or living in a state of poverty. Common polluters include landfills, dirty industrial plants, or trucking depots. There is even statistical research conducted by environmental health professionals that has resulted in the development of the term "environmental racism."
An example of this "environmental racism" as explored by the Natural Resource Defense Council is the growing mold and moisture problems exposing themselves in low-income housing in New York City's public housing. Wet and rotting walls pose many health risks for the New Yorkers inhabiting these homes, including allergies and asthma complications. The NRDC already has reported that the prevalence of asthma among children living in New York City public housing is nearly two times higher than kids living in the rest of the city.
Environmental Justice professionals work to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to maintain clean drinking water and clean air and reviewing what makes a healthy environment and statistics to gauge the existing problems are all the areas that make up the study of Environmental Justice.
"Environmental Justice." Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Google. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/>.
"Environmental Justice." Natural Resources Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council, n.d. Google. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nrdc.org/ej/>.
While reviewing Environmental Justice extensive emphasis is placed on the demographic that is affected by the various environmental health conditions involving polluted natural environments and dangerous work environments. America's most polluted neighborhoods are predominately neighborhoods of color or living in a state of poverty. Common polluters include landfills, dirty industrial plants, or trucking depots. There is even statistical research conducted by environmental health professionals that has resulted in the development of the term "environmental racism."
An example of this "environmental racism" as explored by the Natural Resource Defense Council is the growing mold and moisture problems exposing themselves in low-income housing in New York City's public housing. Wet and rotting walls pose many health risks for the New Yorkers inhabiting these homes, including allergies and asthma complications. The NRDC already has reported that the prevalence of asthma among children living in New York City public housing is nearly two times higher than kids living in the rest of the city.
Environmental Justice professionals work to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to maintain clean drinking water and clean air and reviewing what makes a healthy environment and statistics to gauge the existing problems are all the areas that make up the study of Environmental Justice.
"Environmental Justice." Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Google. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/>.
"Environmental Justice." Natural Resources Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council, n.d. Google. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nrdc.org/ej/>.
