Many social activities have taken place throughout the history of humankind, and one that concerns quite a large and vulnerable group of individuals is named Environmental Justice Movement (EJM). The problem that inspired the EJM centers around the disproportionate exposure to pollution faced by poor and minority populations (Banzhaf et al., 2019). The EJM has brought attention to the consequences of people’s actions that have harmed the environment but affect certain persons more than others.
The EJM has an intriguing history and involves the lives of numerous individuals. The movement’s beginning is associated with protests in 1982 in Warren County, North Carolina (Banzhaf et al., 2019). The demonstrations were caused by the state’s decision to place 31,000 gallons of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated soil in Warren County’s area, where the majority of residents were mostly black and low-income (Banzhaf et al., 2019). In addition, the nearby community was at risk due to their drinking water being endangered by the site’s shallow water table (Banzhaf et al., 2019). Consequently, many people resolved to oppose the unjust pollution of the neighborhood, and the protests were reinforced by civil rights groups, thus gaining national media attention (Banzhaf et al., 2019). Accordingly, the EJM has begun as a result of environmental unfairness toward a minority population.
To conclude, the EJM has started in order to bring awareness to pollution-affiliated inequalities encountered by individuals who live in less affluent areas. Therefore, the reason the movement was chosen for the presentation is that the EJM concentrates on two distinct issues, which are environmental problems and social injustice toward minorities. Consequently, the EJM relates to my career by indicating long-term issues concerning pollution, human rights, and public health.
Reference
Banzhaf, H. S., Ma, L., & Timmins, C. (2019). Environmental justice: Establishing causal relationships. Annual Review of Resource Economics, 11, 377-398.