I watched some TED talks that fit along the lines of Environmental Justice, specifically the Economic Injustice of Plastic and Greening the Ghetto. I chose these talks because I think that environmental awareness is the first step toward both a greener planet and healthier populations. Carter had some good points about the ideas of the health of communities in the Bronx that don’t have access to many parks or the water, as well as the fact that waste dumping occurs frequently there. The other TED talk from Van Jones pointed out how the Earth still doesn’t win, even when we try to be green, and there is always more we can do to protect our home, but more importantly the people on it.
Jones’ talk provided some interesting facts about plastics and waste that I hadn’t thought about before, such as that burning plastics (often in Asia) not only has a direct effect on the people around that area, but also the pollutants travel back to the United States eventually and once again pollute the air around the world. Often, there are downfalls even to the ‘right’ option (like recycling vs filling landfills) such as this. It is most important for the people to be informed about environmental issues, so that waste reduction and disposal can be limited/taken care of properly to eliminate the harm that comes to humans. Most of the communities affected are below the poverty line, in undeveloped countries, etc, and don’t have the resources to change the way waste is handled around them, unlike communities with revenue and resources. Grassroots organizations and groups of people who are ready to work to both raise awareness and advocate for higher standards no matter the community are key to change in the issue of environmental injustice.