The Non-ethical Practice of Environmental Racism
             To begin with, a definition of environmental justice is necessary. Environmental Justice demands that public policy be based on mutual respect and justice for all peoples, free from any form of discrimination or bias. Furthermore, Environmental Justice also affirms the right of all workers to a safe and healthy work environment without being forced to choose between an unsafe livelihood and unemployment.
             Environmental racism is the social injustice represented by the unreasonably large number of health and environmental risks cast upon peoples of color in the communities in which they live. Communities that consist of minorities are the most common victims of toxic waste. Environmental racism is today well documented among America's communities. From Baton Rouge's Cancer Alley to South Central Los Angeles millions of Americans live in housing and physical environments that are over burdened with environmental problems and other pollution-related illnesses. (source)
             In recent years, grassroots multiracial organizations have sprung up to file lawsuits and fight the polluters. Should anyone care about environmental racism? The environmental movement has traditionally been racist, or at least, because of the environmentalist's carelessness to racial issues, environmental damage has unjustly fallen upon the shoulders of people of color. Consider toxic dumping in its present form. Fifty-three out of fifty-four California toxic waste sights are located in communities dominated by people of color (source). Even when income is a large factor, communities of color are much more likely to be burdened with waste than white communities (source). While poor white communities don't get dumped on; poor African American, Chicano or Native American ones do. The traditional explanation for this phenomenon is to blame this location bias on alleged racist motives within corporations such as Romic, a...