This article describes environmental racism in the Bronx, including details about high levels of air pollution and high rates of asthma.
Teaching Tips
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.'"
Additional Prerequisites
Mott Haven is a neighborhood in the South Bronx in New York City, New York. You can see Mott Haven in Google Maps here. It may be best to familiarize yourself with the area before sharing the article with students.
Differentiation
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.
The resource underscores pollution inequity among black, Hispanic, minority, and low-income populations in Mott Haven, South Bronx. It describes how the emissions from diesel trucks and other activities have affected and endangered the lives of residents. The resource also points to the fact that it is important to increase research output on air pollution and other environmental inequities to deepen awareness and accelerate actions against environmental injustices. This is recommended for teaching.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Economics
D2.Eco.1.6-8 Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.4.6-8 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
D2.Geo.5.9-12 Evaluate how political and economic decisions throughout time have influenced cultural and environmental characteristics of various places and regions.
D2.Geo.8.9-12 Evaluate the impact of economic activities and political decisions on spatial patterns within and among urban, suburban, and rural regions.
