Climate change, clean air and clean water. More green space, less carbon emissions, and no polluting the water. Public policy is a system of laws, regulations, and actions that governments use to address societal issues and meet the needs of the public. But are some of the aspects of environmental policy performative nonsense?
When I lived In Oakland CA, the hotel across the street was converted into micro apartments.1 The builders were allowed to convert part of the parking garage into livable units with builder exemption to provide 34 parking spaces for 102 units. The “policy” justification is lack of easy parking also encourages residents to use climate-friendly public transportation options. Another policy allows builders to provide parking for only 25% of the units to lower costs a part of affordable housing in areas within a half mile of public transit. Which this location is exactly a half mile (10 minute) walk from the subway.
The realtors/sellers in Boston had nuanced disdain for bike parking in all four condo buildings I toured. The policy is Any residential project with at least nine dwelling units in a single building shall include a secure bicycle parking area that accommodates at least one (1) bicycle per three (3) dwelling units in the building. In two o the buildings, building management expressed how the space allocated could be better used. While these are both examples of environmental policy, is this helping the goal? Has the intent been embraced by the public? In some cases with bike parking, yes. The places I toured, not so much. It was clear management felt the space could be better used for something else. In Oakland, many residents with cars will have to rely on street parking or one of the near by parking garages, while the “intent” was to discourage automobiles. Is it for the environment green or the money green?
Most people are aware that “Real ID” for identification will be required for everyone in the US 18 years or older to fly or enter certain federal facilities in 2025. Why? The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 to improve security and reduce fraud after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It’s taken 20 years to get this done and more than 25 years after the trigger event. That’s a long time. I made a jump from the environment to national security to show the lapse in time between a problem and a “policy” to address it. As an added note, the Green New Deal, part of which was environmentally related was in 2006. Now to the headliner.
Environmental justice is the fair treatment of all people, regardless of race, income, or other factors, in the development and enforcement of environmental laws and policies. I wasn’t aware of the term or context until Friday evening at the 2024 Washburn Award. The honoree was Dr Robert Bullard, known as the father of environmental justice. It was like a thriller when all these disparate pieces fall into place. In my past, with racial segregation, there was Kepone poisoning in Hopewell, Virginia that impacted the local Black population in 1974–1975.2 My relatives, my father’s sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews live there. Workers at the Life Science Products Company were poisoned by Kepone, a pesticide made by the company.
Recently, Dr Bullard was awarded the prestigious 2023 John E. Gould Medal for his outstanding contributions to ethical geography, the Earth Award from Time Magazine in April of 2024 and The Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication in 2019. Dr Bullard first became involved in environmental justice in the 70’s when his wife, attorney Linda McKeever Bullard, represented Margaret Bean and other Houston residents in their struggle against a plan that would locate a municipal landfill next to their homes.
My job was to design the study, collect the data, and present maps that showed where all the landfills, incinerators and solid waste sites were located in Houston from the 1920s up to 1979. We found that five out of five of the city-owned landfills were in predominantly Black neighborhoods, as were three out of four of the privately owned landfills. Six out of eight of the city’s incinerators were in Black neighborhoods. Black people made up only 25 percent of Houston’s population at the time, yet 82 percent of the garbage in the city was dumped on them.
Dr Robert Bullard The Father of Environmental Justice Exposes the Geography of Inequity
The sad truth is the people in power to add urgency and a priority are barely impacted by environmental racism. I’ve read how the environment and zoning were used like a punishment to diminish the quality of life for African Americans. Books like The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein. It’s easy to think, this doesn’t exists, it’s not happening now. Really? Flint Michigan! 3 It’s 10 years and $400 million later and activist are still fighting.4
Tree hugger has been used in somewhat of a derogatory sense for those who care about the environment. Is that fair? It’s been said, out of sight, out of mind. Where is the landfill or the dump in where you live? Where does all that waste go? In your city, does everyone have access to green spaces, parks, the ability to live without the wretched stenches from manufacturing, refineries, or industry waste. David Gaider said privilege is when you think that something’s not a problem because it’s not a problem for you personally. One of the panelist on Friday evening said, privilege is a call to action. This week, notice, and consider environmental justice.
1 Micro Apartments – Micro apartments are typically between 100 and 500 square feet, which is smaller than most studio apartments. Oakland Arthaus Jack London
3Lead-Laced Water In Flint: A Step-By-Step Look At The Makings Of A Crisis
410 Years After Crisis, Flint Is Still Fighting for Clean Water
Balancing on Unstable Surfaces 