As an Environmental Science major, I often am thinking about how humans impact the natural world around them, the problems that arise from certain management practices, ways to remediate these problems, and new innovative ways of doing things that work with our planet instead of against it. While I often think about these things from a scientific and technical point of view, it is also necessary to be able to translate this knowledge into policy and understand how these policies can affect not just the environment, but also people. I was glad to see that climate change and environmental issues were discussed in the presidential debates, and so I’d like to focus on the cost of inaction and discuss climate justice.
Environmentalism is not just aimed at saving endangered species, although biodiversity does help stabilize ecosystems and can even help researchers develop new medicines for diseases. It is also about making sure every human on earth has equitable access to food, clean air, clean water, and a safe place to live. It is about recognizing that huge industries are majorly contributing to poor environmental conditions, like agriculture runoff affecting people living on coastal areas of Florida, where they have toxic red tides that result in neurotoxins suspended in the air that they breath. Or closer to home, where toxins got into Toledo’s drinking water, leaving people there without water a few years ago. It is about recognizing how poor management decisions, especially those motivated by saving costs, result in sometimes catastrophic consequences. Consider the people of Flint who were left behind with water containing high levels of lead, other chemicals, and pathogens. It is about recognizing that the ones who will end up paying for climate change are going to be the ones who cannot afford it. This means people forced out of their homes from wildfires or floods or droughts; this means people forced to live in an unsafe area for financial reasons contributing to poor health. The list could go on.
We can’t keep letting money decide the fate of our health and our environment; it is unjust. We cannot choose saving money over clean water. Climate justice is one of the most important causes of our lifetimes, and if it isn’t acted on we will be letting our most vulnerable citizens reap the dangerous effects of environmental degradation, while those that cause it face no repercussions.
Media:
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/redtide.html
^short video about red tide
https://naacp.org/issues/environmental-justice/
The worst response you can have to environmental issues is apathy. Many people are apathetic either because it isn’t directly affecting them or because it is too much to possibly solve, and it is overwhelming and painful to think about. I hope reading my essay doesn’t overwhelm you; there are ways you can help and things to do to be a responsible environmental steward. I encourage you to look into ways you can help the environment and those affected by climate change and other issues. Thanks for reading!