Environmental justice, explained

We already know that pollution and climate change negatively affect people’s health and quality of life. But we’re not always clear about which people are most exposed and impacted.
The harm that comes with rising seas and contaminated water systems isn’t evenly distributed. To the contrary: Those who are already disadvantaged by race, wealth, and income are usually the most affected by environmental disasters. Without recognizing that inequality, we’re not always solving the problems with our water, air, and soil in ways that serve the people who need it most - which is why environmental justice is a critical part of planning a green future that’s good for everyone.
If you’ve never heard the term “environmental justice” before, or if you just want to know more about it, watch our video above.

[@Grist]

Hey everybody, thanks for watching - if you're interested in learning more about environmental justice, check out our coverage here: grist.org/justice/

[@jusjustice2875]

How are the countries doing that have implemented these green policies and regulations? Siri Lanka’s citizens just revolted and stormed the president’s palace and burnt down the prime minister’s house and people are starving due to the regulations put on farmers who can no longer feed their own people or themselves. Farmer produced half the annual yield of rice, corn and sorghum. Now farmers in Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Germany are all protesting against these idiotic and catastrophic green policies and regulations that will create nothing more than a global famine which will lead to desperation and hopelessness and enviably violence.

[@lacrime35]

@@jusjustice2875 Go study more about the problem explained in this video, just watch some interviews you can find here on youtube, and you'll find out how your and your'family's lives could be if we don't do something. Just Louisiana alone is a perfect example.

[@nicholas.poggioli]

The link is now broken.

[@richardschaeffer3204]

Thank God for the brave hard working children in Africa mining rare earth elements to save the environment 🎉

[@executivedirectors6353]

Good video. Important to note, though, that "poor land use planning" IS a manifestation of racism, because the land use planners are probably not representative of BIPOC communities.

[@hurricaneofyoutube1957]

It's also, in my opinion that when POC's/low income families move into a new city low income neighborhoods are built to fit as many people as possible instead of creating affordable housing with proper environmental/necessary services provided.

[@aaliyahnxelle123]

I 100% agree!

[@jusjustice2875]

The majority of greenhouse gases come from transportation and power plants that provide electricity. New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit and Houston have the largest Black population and are some of the most populated cities and diverse in America. Cities with higher population also require the most electricity and need for transportation which means these cities typically emit more greenhouse gases and pollution. Trying to equate pollution with racism is disingenuous, non scientific and grotesque. Environmental Social Justice is just another group created by the marxist to exploit individuals and to push their communists agenda that sadly and inevitably leads down a path of nothing but destruction, misery, violence and authoritarianism. I don’t think this is what the average American wants nor willing to let happen.

[@davemartinez7278]

Who's here from the 3-2-1 response papers?

[@Grist]

Hey Dave - I'm super curious. What are the 3-2-1 response papers? I just saw we got a bump in traffic and was curious

[@davemartinez7278]

@@Grist We had to watch this video as apart of one of our assignments for a university course

[@Grist]

​@@davemartinez7278 Cool! If you need more info for a project or something, we're publishing new articles over here pretty frequently: grist.org/justice/

[@davemartinez7278]

@@Grist Awesome, thanks for the info!

[@kellyglass1376]

At 1:04 there is a major problem in this video. There was no "poor land use planning." There were deliberate decisions made in land use planning, and yes it can be traced to racism.

[@commoncure3335]

regardless of whether the intent was racist or not , does that make the possible solutions for alleviating the inequalities any different?

[@KWCHope]

It'd be wonderful if you actually provided even a link to proof so we could learn how and why, guess not though

[@marlagarcia4018]

The life that is environmental justice is suffocated by the debris of industrialization and more willingly provides gas masks for those already comfortably oxidized.

[@marlagarcia4018]

~ my attempts at imagery ~ if could be worded better, would love literacy input !

[@abbeybarton7281]

I loved it :)

[@talkissues]

Outstanding .

[@arifkhanharry9463]

Thanks good evening

[@beingnoniitian521]

Best ...💫

[@kokovox]

Great clip! Thank you.

[@iswandana310]

Thanks...good

[@Grist]

If you're interested in more videos like this, we just launched a story about the connection between heat waves and redlining: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5rFqXuwpr-hY6M&feature=emb_title

[@tannerbriggs9127]

It's a way to make climate solutions less palatable. Pitting people against each other and ultimately Stymieing progress.

[@farhatkazi1898]

THANK YOU

[@FrancContreras_FrancMex]

Excellent video! Please put in me contact with the producers of this video.

[@Grist]

just sent you a message!

[@tocontinue4615]

TWO THOUSAND SIXTEEN

[@astradeniastradeni4072]

WATCH DOMNION!!!!!

[@sbc3sciencesbc3science97]

we should kinda stop this

[@KidofHomer]

Uh, since we are looking at climate justice, why do you show a processed and preservative laden sausage/meat as a healthy food?

[@ktlu5102]

It's probably true for a city, but every city is different. It'd be good to have a more generic explanation that applies to all cities.

[@danwohlslagel1277]

New York City gets its water - ALL of its water- from a watershed area which is over 100 mi north of the city. Where you live within the NYC has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of water. Likewise planting ornamental trees in an urban environment will have almost no effect upon the air quality in any localized area of the city. These are ridiculous ideas.

[@ebloom2193]

Not technically true, at least regarding NYC water. There are a lot of lead pipes delivering that water, and they tend to be concentrated in poorer areas. Everybody starts with the same clean water, but it can pick up contaminants by the time it gets to people's taps.

[@amelsafta6168]

+

[@mg9261]

Capitalism go brrrr

[@tannerjingleheimerschmidt5668]

Love your videos

[@nickh137]

"White-er and richer" "more diverse and poorer" okay....

[@kaitonggao3798]

Facts. Instead of diverse just say. Not white :/

[@meimisaki1929]

@@kaitonggao3798 I think she pointed out a reality. Richer communities tend to be whiter (doesn't mean all white though) the use of 'er' is the key part of that phrase. Poorer communities tend to have more racial diversity (and that includes poor white ppl too). Saying 'not white' would not only ignore all those white ppl who are not a part of rich communities but it also gives the message that they think non-white ppl are the only ones part of the poor communities. But as we know, we have a system that makes it harder for BIPOC of color to succeed than white people, but that doesn't necessarily mean that every single white person has it easy.

[@AlexKomnenos]

@@meimisaki1929 black culture is a system which makes it harder for their own people to succeed

[@kevindickson2178]

we need carbon emitting sanctuaries. i just bought a car load of sub-bituminous coal on ebay and i want to ignite it without being hassled. it could be called fossil fuel combustion safe space.

[@theunknown3223]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZupoIppqJ5knqs Words don't cut it but this laugh will. Honestly, you may have said stuff but where is the source? Love how well you've done to include that.

[@martymccann4044]

Quick fix- nuclear energy = less pollution

[@jusjustice2875]

How are the countries doing that have implemented these green policies and regulations? Siri Lanka’s citizens just revolted and stormed the president’s palace and burnt down the prime minister’s house and people are starving due to the regulations put on farmers who can no longer feed their own people or themselves. Farmer produced half the annual yield of rice, corn and sorghum. Now farmers in Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Germany are all protesting against these idiotic and catastrophic green policies and regulations that will create nothing more than a global famine which will lead to desperation and hopelessness and enviably violence.

[@bajaxbajax910]

I was planning to do a bunch of comments refuting the logic, the gerrymandered facts in support of a foregone conclusion. But I decided not to. That never has any impact. I can tell you all day you're wrong, give you irrefutable proof, and it'll have no impact because when you look at the world, you still see the fundamental problems that led you to your view in the first place. You already KNOW the world as I see it-- it's just a question of what details you consider significant. So you're not even really being untruthful by presenting these very complex problems in what I consider to be overly simplified ways. And I'm not even faulting you for that-- people HAVE to simplify the world or they can't do anything-- information paralysis. The fundamental motivation for this video, and social justice as a whole is sort of praiseworthy-- at least in the abstract. Everyone should have equal opportunity. (if not 100% equal outcomes, but I won't go into that here. See my footnote.) If one group is consistently doing worse in society than another group, it's correct to say that there's something unfair going on here. Yes! You are exactly right. It's unfair that blacks do worse than whites. But what do you have to do to make sure that every possible factor that influences those differential outcomes are the same? You'll have to make laws-- we've done that. You'll have to change the culture-- holy hell you've done that (and not saying it's all bad). You'll have to remold the conscience of an entire generation-- and by god, you've done that. But the differences remain. What, then, is there left to do? Just where is left for those shadows to hide? What other systems are we to gut to create the "better" world? Well, the answer is going to eventually come down to having to install a totalitarian state that monitors everything, questions every decision that everyone makes, and imposes harsh penalties for stepping out of line. Maybe you even think that's worth doing. I can understand that, and I'm NOT being sarcastic. But it'll have devastating unintended consequences, these things always do. “If they [human beings] are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.” --Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Footnote: I mean, consider that if your life is the outcome of all your decisions, you even have to go into questions of free will-- If Sally finds chemistry fascinating and makes bank as a petroleum engineer just doing what she loved, while Joe found it revolting, is it fair that Sally gets to have a better life than Joe from doing something she enjoys anyway? Did Sally DECIDE to find chemistry interesting? Joe the opposite? (maybe!) I know I know, "Joe could make it big in business or welding!" Yeah, what if Joe hates those things too? Not everyone has a god-given calling. In fact, most people don't. Having an incredible talent--and furthermore being able to ENJOY the things you do to support yourself-- is rare. Anyone can tell you that. Let's keep it simple wherever possible, we're just not smart enough to parse all of this, especially in the heat of disagreement. Nobody will ever read this. 1 2 3 click comment. Done.

[@allisonjonesphelps2860]

We have only just begun to try and address the variables that lead to these inequities. How long have regulations for industry actually existed? How long has it actually been since the passage of the Civil Rights act or even the end of the Civil War? In the grand scheme of things, pretty much no time at all. To claim that we are just one step away from a totalitarian state is false &, frankly, a bit cowardly & pessimistic.

[@raeann_77_23]

Brilliant! well said and I 100% agree!

[@angelashtf5890]

Done

[@danwohlslagel1277]

Great points. Most all of the "problem solving" so far has been formulated from behind a lens of oppression. It's a worldview which assumes that every single problem or challenge exists solely because of oppression. If you focus your hate upon the oppressors in order to stop, neutralize, change, remodel, reprogram them -.......the problems will go away, right? Haha

[@jameswhite3060]

Great except for highlighting "organic food", rather than "fresh fruits and vegetables."

[@mrgameybean7476]

This topic given to me in the first week of the school year got me a bad grade in a test FOLLOWING THIS IT DID NOT EFFECT MY PROGRESS REPORT BUT DID EFFECT MY REPORT CARD and my inner Asian gets me even though it just lowered it to a b soooooo time to commit Seppuku wait I’m not japanese

[@watchman56able]

People of all colors self segregate. Human nature will not be controlled by agendas or politics.

[@KidofHomer]

Have you read "Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?"

[@jasonwebster8027]

Extremely racist. There are poor white people also. This is some sick generalizations.

[@Lavarias.kayla03]

This video wasn’t racist at all. Grow up… there’s a big problem at hand

[@branch1534]

cringe

[@lucaselmore1058]

this is so stupid...the communities are separated by money, the fact that african-americans do not have the money that others do doesn't stem from racism, its because a lot of the time there is only one parent, they spend money on things that aren't necessary etc.

[@laylasafar4587]

What an ignorant comment. Black people were not given the chance to earn real money to support their families until centuries after white people. Google the racial pay gap. Also, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics admitted to destroying records about how abhorrent the work environments and pay were for black individuals in the early 1900's. You can't really be dense enough to think that someone can afford a house if they just cut back on expenses. Also, the divorce rate in America has evened out to 51% across all races, so many people are in a one-parent home anyways. I'd love to know what "unnecessary" purchases you think black people are making, because I can almost guarantee they're not unnecessary.