Climate Gap?
It is very similar to the socio-economic gap and is actually a factor of it, it's just the climatic version of it. Due to the difference in living conditions, earnings and health conditions, climate change can take a greater toll on people of colour and low income families as compared to others.
It is very similar to the socio-economic gap and is actually a factor of it, it's just the climatic version of it. Due to the difference in living conditions, earnings and health conditions, climate change can take a greater toll on people of colour and low income families as compared to others.
Why does it affect people of colour and low income individuals more?
Consider the statistics below:
With global warming and air pollution on the rise, the most natural thing to do would be to hide indoors, turn on the air conditioner, close the blinds, basically do everything to avoid the heat and pollution. However, for people of colour and low income individuals, such a commodities are considered as luxury items. Having spend more than 25% of their monthly income on daily necessities, in comparison to others spending around 5-10%, these individuals cannot afford to spend more money on cars or air conditioners to help them escape the heat waves.
Furthermore, there is a general trend showing that people of colour and low-income individuals live in communities embedded in the city areas, which happen to be the most vulnerable to heat waves. At the same time, these individuals take up jobs mainly in the agricultural, heavy labour sectors. Most of the time, employees of these sectors are exposed to intense heat and are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Should individuals in these fields fall severely ill due to over exposure to heat, the medical expenses may also further burden them financially (lack of insurance coverage and high medical bills), causing them to be forever trapped in the poverty cycle. As climate change has a significant impact on the environment, it may also cause agricultural businesses to venture into other more sustainable methods of farming such as hydroponics, which would lead to an excess of manpower in the agricultural sector. This would be detrimental for individuals employed in this field and only serve to widen the socio-economic gap.
Furthermore, these people are in close proximity to 'pollution sites' in America. 68% of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal plant which is considered one of the largest sourses of carbon pollution in America. Hence, they are more susceptible to asthma: 1 in 6 as compared to 1 in 10 in America. The higher probability of them getting illnesses would be yet another obstacle for them to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Economic or environmental protection?
In 2010, the Gallup polling organization reported that a majority of Americans favored economic growth over environmental protection when the two goals conflict. Gallup researchers suggested that weak conditions in the U.S. economy at the time explain, in part, the responses to the poll question. However, should US focus more on economic protection, there would need to be an increase in effective and efficient transportation and the emergence of more businesses and factories. All of these would ultimately contribute to the pollution of the environment and harm it, and pulling further the gap.
Consider the statistics below:
- African Americans are twice as likely to die from the heat waves in LA as compared to other residents, and families who are poor are less likely able to afford air conditioners or cars to avoid the heat.
- Five of the smoggiest cities in California have the highest density of people of colour and low income individuals and families living there
- As they earn less, daily necessities cost low income individual 25% of their earnings, as compared to around 5-10% for other Americans.
- Climate crisis means that job opportunities in sectors such as agriculture and tourism will be reduced due to the extreme weather conditions, which predominantly employ people of colour and low income individuals. (Ellis-Lankins, 2013)
With global warming and air pollution on the rise, the most natural thing to do would be to hide indoors, turn on the air conditioner, close the blinds, basically do everything to avoid the heat and pollution. However, for people of colour and low income individuals, such a commodities are considered as luxury items. Having spend more than 25% of their monthly income on daily necessities, in comparison to others spending around 5-10%, these individuals cannot afford to spend more money on cars or air conditioners to help them escape the heat waves.
Furthermore, there is a general trend showing that people of colour and low-income individuals live in communities embedded in the city areas, which happen to be the most vulnerable to heat waves. At the same time, these individuals take up jobs mainly in the agricultural, heavy labour sectors. Most of the time, employees of these sectors are exposed to intense heat and are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Should individuals in these fields fall severely ill due to over exposure to heat, the medical expenses may also further burden them financially (lack of insurance coverage and high medical bills), causing them to be forever trapped in the poverty cycle. As climate change has a significant impact on the environment, it may also cause agricultural businesses to venture into other more sustainable methods of farming such as hydroponics, which would lead to an excess of manpower in the agricultural sector. This would be detrimental for individuals employed in this field and only serve to widen the socio-economic gap.
Furthermore, these people are in close proximity to 'pollution sites' in America. 68% of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal plant which is considered one of the largest sourses of carbon pollution in America. Hence, they are more susceptible to asthma: 1 in 6 as compared to 1 in 10 in America. The higher probability of them getting illnesses would be yet another obstacle for them to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Economic or environmental protection?
In 2010, the Gallup polling organization reported that a majority of Americans favored economic growth over environmental protection when the two goals conflict. Gallup researchers suggested that weak conditions in the U.S. economy at the time explain, in part, the responses to the poll question. However, should US focus more on economic protection, there would need to be an increase in effective and efficient transportation and the emergence of more businesses and factories. All of these would ultimately contribute to the pollution of the environment and harm it, and pulling further the gap.