SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SUSTAINABILITY: SAME AGENDA OR DIFFERENT GOALS?
If you look for the date where the Environmental Justice movement began, you will not find an event or organization that marks the start of this issue, nor will you find a linear, organized narrative that tells the same story. Revolts occurred during feudal times as serfs defied their masters for better living conditions, Jews fled Egypt with nothing rather than remain enslaved to the Pharaoh, the civil rights movement in the United States during the 50s and 60s, Cesar Chavez and farm workers movement; the list goes on and on. The idea of social sustainability and justice has been around as long as people have been on the Earth, and people have been fighting for this cause from the beginning of time.
What is social justice and how does the definition change from group to group, from issue to issue, from one race to another? Some may say it is the power to control decisions that affect life. Others define it as fair and proper application of laws and policies that impacts particular groups of people. There is no real definition for social justice as it means different things to different people. Combine these ideas with environmental issues and you have created a hotbed of issues that are difficult to sort through.
Another obstacle that hinders progress is shifting social paradigms, whether it be racial, economical or historical. One can look at Chester, PA, located in Delaware County, where there is a group of African Americans in an area that is primary white. Unemployment is higher than the rest of the county, the poverty rate is 25% higher and health problems are more severe that the rest of the county. They also have all the waste from the county treated in this area. People who visit this area are overwhelmed by the stench and many residents cannot leave their house in the summer. In 1994, President Clinton issued the executive order for Environmental Justice; the EPA tested residents in this area and found disturbing results. There were unacceptable cancer and noncancerous risks, 60% of children had levels of lead in their blood higher than maximum limits and other health problems linked to the pollution levels in the area.
From a social justice view, the residents in this town seem to be targeted by corrupt politicians, business leaders and community leaders. For years, residents have protested the waste incinerators, most of the time getting blown off by officials or told lies regarding practices and regulation. Courts either refused to help or would employ stopgap restrictions while these people continued to be subjected to unhealthy conditions. Groups such as CRCQL, work tirelessly to create reform, using the legal system in hopes to invoke change. Other than a few minor victories, the fight has been a losing one. Even as these problems began to be seen on a national level, permits were still awarding to existing plants and new plants were built. More and more trash was imported into the community to be incarcerated, and residents continued to fight. This battle is still being waged today.
This is just one example concerning the injustices faced by a group of people who only have themselves to rely on. Federal, state and local government has not taken necessary steps to ensure the well-being of Chester residents; instead, they have ignored the problems in this community. However, these brave people have continued to fight for their rights and well-being.
Please feel free to weigh in on this or any other example and let me know how you feel. I have included a link on the bottom of the post which will lead to some great information. You can also read about Chester in Luke W. Cole and Sheila R. Foster’s book, “From the Ground Up”.
http://www.ejnet.org/chester/
