Minorities Experience Pollution Inequity Caused by White People

Provided by: The Guardian |Published on: April 27, 2021

Articles/Websites

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Synopsis

This article describes environmental racism in the Bronx, including details about high levels of air pollution and high rates of asthma in neighborhoods that are primarily populated by people of color.

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Subjects: Geography, Health

Authors: Hazar Kilani

Region: North America, USA - Northeast, United States, New York, New York City

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The study cited in this article is very clear, showing that "...black Americans are exposed to about 56% more pollution than is caused by their consumption, and Hispanics 63% more. Meanwhile, non-Hispanic whites breathe about 17% less air pollution than they cause, earning a 'pollution advantage.'"

Prerequisites

Mott Haven is a neighborhood in the South Bronx in New York City, New York. It may be best to familiarize yourself with the area before sharing the article with students.

Differentiation & Implementation

Social studies and geography classes could use this at the beginning of a class, using the guiding question "How does where you live affect your health?".
Your students could explore the EPA's EJSCREEN tool, where students can click anywhere in the USA to see 11 environmental justice indicators.
Related resources include this text explaining environmental justice, this video explaining environmental justice, and this lesson plan on Cancer Alley, Louisiana.

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Minorities Experience Pollution Inequity Caused by White People

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources