| Indoor human exposure to
toxins is a significant environmental problem and a pressing environmental
justice issue. Indoor environmental hazards typically pose far greater risks
to human health than outdoor exposures— this is a function both of
the higher levels of toxics associated with confined spaces and the significant
amount of time people spend indoors. The problem of housing-related environmental
health hazards constitutes one of the most clear, onerous, and critical
cases of environmental injustice. Health hazards in homes tend to be highly
concentrated in lower-income communities and communities of color, and they
disproportionately harm poor and minority families. Nevertheless, researchers,
regulators, policy makers, advocates, and the media often fail to appreciate
the significance of housing-related environmental hazards, and even many
environmental groups overlook indoor exposure to toxins.
The burden of housing-related
health risks falls unfairly on communities of color
because exposure to hazards is directly related to substandard
housing conditions that are most prevalent in lower-income communities
and communities of color.
These housing-related environmental problems are compounded by many other
factors often associated with low-income minority communities: inadequate
access to health care and health information, higher proportion of recent
immigrants (who may have had some harmful environmental exposures before
arriving in the US), language barriers, housing discrimination that limits
choices, credit redlining, a weak tax base, inadequate public and social
services, higher concentrations of renters (who have less control than
homeowners over their housing conditions), higher rates of unemployment
and underemployment, and relative lack of political power. Residents of
such communities are also more likely to live near other pollution sources,
compounding their risk of harmful toxic exposure.
On the other hand, effective programs to identify and address hazards
in housing can have substantial spillover benefits that directly promote
environmental justice. Improvement of the housing stock, an enhanced tax
base, gains in skills and employment, better schools, a safer and healthier
environment, political empowerment, increased community pride, and healthier
people are all likely outcomes of a successful community effort to address
this problem. Protecting residents from environmental hazards in their
homes is an integral goal in an environmental justice agenda.
Center for Health,
Environment, and Justice - CHEJ is a national grassroots
environmental organization founded to address threats faced by individuals
nationwide to their right to a clean and healthy environment regardless
of their race or economic standing. Its website contains details on both
national and local environmental justice campaigns, opportunities for
local community involvement, educational and informational resources,
and technical assistance.
Deep South Center
for Environmental Justice - Housed at the
Xavier University of Louisiana, DSCEJ was developed in conjunction with
various community groups and universities to address the environmental
justice needs of the region. On their website, DSCEJ provides an assortment
of community, worker, and teacher trainings, as well as community profiles
to outline some of their projects and activities.
Environmental Justice
and Health Union - EJHU is an environmental nonprofit organization
focused on bringing together environmental health professionals and environmental
justice activists to eliminate environmental disease in poor minority
communities.
Environmental
Justice Research Center - Based at Clark Atlanta University
in Atlanta, Georgia, EJRC provides research, technical, scientific, legal,
and other support to community-based organizations (CBOs) and environmentally
impacted communities in social justice areas related to environmental
and economic justice, environmental racism, community health, and many
more.
National Black
Environmental Justice Network - NBEJN is a nonprofit organization
that was formed during an emergency gathering of black community activists,
labor groups, farmers, educators, youth, lawyers, and health professionals.
People from more than 30 states came together in New Orleans, Louisiana,
to map out strategies to defeat a pro-environmental racism campaign led
by industrial associations and business lobbying groups and to strengthen
the environmental justice movement. NBEJN has undertaken a four-point
strategy to combat environmental racism that focuses on (1) safe and healthy
communities; (2) sustainable development, climate justice, and clean production;
(3) civil rights and equal protection laws and policies; and (4) international
human rights protection.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office
of Environmental Justice - The Office of Environmental Justice
serves as a focal point for ensuring that communities comprised predominately
of people of color or low-income populations receive protection under
environmental laws.
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