EJ EXAM 1

MLK JR. ECOLOGICAL THINKER READING:

-"It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated" -Final phase of life=mountaintop period: confronted poverty and entrenched racism in Chicago and Cleveland speaking against US imperialism and Vietnam War AND organizing Poor People's Campaign to unite people across racial and ethnic lines for economic justice -Spoke often of universe and cosmos, interrelatedness and connectedness to mutuality and participation--he was an ecological thinker Montgomery bus boycott said" this new age is emerging reveals something about the universe. Tells us something about core and heartbeat of cosmos" Interconnection and interdependence were common in his rhetoric -Reality was relationships and viewed nation/peoples as one AND linked social injustices -- "one cannot be concerned just w civil rights very nice to drink milk at unsegregated counter but not when there's Strontium 90 in it" -Example of ecological view: Christmas eve sermon on peace--"if we are to have peace on earth we must develop world perspective--as nations and individuals are interdependent--all life interrelated" Letter from Birmingham Jail: "caught in inescapable network of mutuality tied into single garment of destiny--what affects one directly affects all indirectly" "Network of mutuality" is good definition of ecology King and the Cosmos: -Universe source of spirituality--religious worldview embraced modern scientific cosmology--refuted the meaninglessness of science -Stars guiding sailors, stars that thrill poets-- Joined the imperative for justice to structure of universe: CRM had cosmological dimension--cosmic companionship in struggle for justice and universe wants justice -The new era of CRM confirmed his cosmic view that peace justice are woven into the cosmos He predicted "inevitable decay of any system based on principles not in harmony w moral laws of universe"--universe is on side of justice and goodwill King and Ecology: -"The cities are gasping in polluted air and contaminated water" 1967 foreshadowing EJ movement -His view of nature aligns w african and indigenous traditions,--said most of us need to go back to the simple rural life in such an urbanized life--says fail to find god bc too conditioned to seeing man made things -Opposed ecological threat to nuclear testing and specter of nuclear war -Wanted direct mass action movements for justice--this would involve people and issues and encompass the planet--wanted people to survive and the world in which we live -King was ahead of his time(70s) when EJ exploded--"we are tied together"

Week 1 Lecture: EJ as scholarship

-1982: Sit in Against warren county nc PCB landfill Toxic waste disposed in A neighborhood w state support *** -1987: Landmark study by Commission for Racial Justice, United Church of Christ: 1) toxic wastes and race in the US: national report on racial and SE characteristics of communities wa hazardous waste sites Key finding: race most significant among variables tested in association w location of commercial hazardous waste facilities. Represents CONSISTENT NATIONAL PATTERN -Some scholars questioned findings and methods: overtime spatial analyses of EJ grew more sophisticated--most recent reports continue to reinforce OG findings of report

multiplicity of knowledge IMPORTANT

-All knowledge operates within specific cultural contexts -Critical realism: all knowledge is partial and contingent (knowledge of world is contingent on background, culture, places that produced you, etc)--but all perspective of world is valid just limited -Perspective frames one's view -Learning multiple perspectives expands our knowledge horizon -Coloniality works to erode traditional knowledge, replacing it w western knowledge, education, and cultural systems -Dialogue as vehicle for social cohabitation, discovering and enhancing knowledge

New World Civilizations

-America's circa 1519: around 8.20 million people (Denevan 2011), in 2016 said 40-80mil people in south 16c metropolis Tenochtitlan (the forgotten city) around 250,000 residents (twice the size of rome of london--integrated city w public works) -Tenochtitlan is built on a small island--extended their small island out into the lake to fit growing population -Inca Empire at time of contact--around 12mill people -Emerging research on Maya civilization--(LiDAR data, much larger and denser than once thought)--around 10.15M people in Maya lowlands of Yucatan peninsula, Guatemala, and Belize -The Amazon: population of at least 5-6million before 1492--possibly 8-10mill--domestication and agriculture for at least past 10,000 years -Amazon more like a human made orchard than untouched land**

externalities

-An Economic side effect--costs or benefits arising from an economic activity not reflected fully in prices -Occur when private costs or benefits to the producers or purchasers of a good or service differs from the total social costs or benefits entailed in production and consumption -Environmental externalities are the real costs related to negative impacts of businesses, such as pollution, biodiversity erosion, waste that societies must address rather than the firms themselves -According to Trucost consultancy, world's 3000 largest companies cause 2.2trillion dollars in environmental damage

unequal ecological change

-An underlying source of most env distribution conflicts -Economically wealthy and powerful centers of the world economy sustain their own high consumption levels while shifting the ecological burden onto less powerful places -Buren shifting: relationship of beef consumption in the global north w land grabbing and deforestation in the global south -Another example: relationship between countries w relatively low levels of GHG emissions and acute effects of climate change

Week 1 Lecture: EJ strongly aligned w social justice

-Application of principles of justice to environmental challenges -EJ expands range of actors considered relevant; -Consideration of future people -Consideration of responsibilities arising from actions of past people--(ecological debt) Consideration of non-humans...responsibility to animals/plants etc. -EJ embraces SOCIAL JUSTICE (do the right thing to humans) and ecological justice (do right think for wider eco communities) and their healthy relationships*** -EM helps some win and some lose --support/undermine well being

Euro Contact and making of the myth

-As euros visited new world places for first time, already depopulated by disease -Env began to "recover" and re-forest Some animal populations exploded -Terra Nullius-"nobody's land"--ongoing international legal framework for land occupation and expropriation -Ideological framework justifying settler colonialism -Romantic writers and painters late 18th and early 19th c -Henry david thoreau, willaima wordsowrht and more--paint things in way that sticks w us--say noble save and wilderness and pristine myth -Ecological indian stereotype--dehumanizing--related to vanishing indian and noble savage tropes--justifies violent conquest and dispossession

COnservation and Livelihoods--bio cultural and socio ecological

-Bio Cultural (science) or socio ecological (social science) conservation (mean same thing and bring back together nate/society divide) -Protect env by nworking w local communities -Indigenous or local culture and values integrated into conservation planning -Prioritizes long term relationships and livelihoods (over profits)

recognizing human-environemnt

-Both "nature" and human knowledge of nature--socially constructed **** ch. 8 everything has been made by humans and way we understand earth and its systems socially constructed*** Product of : Biophysical processes, human perceptions, and management historical, social and political processes , beliefs, values, ideologies, and discourses Embedded within landscapes Some form of social construction=inevitable (ways of it that can be harmful)

the columbian exchange

-Broad ecological disruptions and restructuring--most consequential were the diseases--bc people in -NA did not live closely w animals whereas europe had so immune systems in old world (europe) had built up tolerances

indige nous landscape transformation: earthworks

-Cahokia-Illinois--giant mounds near Mississippi river--place where people visited 1 per year for a festival (spiritual gathering)--*Monk's Mound* -Llanos de Mojo, Bolivia The purposes of earthwork are the creation of engineering works from the soil (such as dams, railroads, highways, canals, channels, and trenches), the laying of foundations for buildings and structures which are erected from other materials, the leveling of areas under development for building, and the removal of ...

Recognition Justice

-Coloniality,mor the failure to recognize social difference*** -Colonization of the mind -Structures and hierarchies of power (caste system) -Recognition of certain cases and identities in question -Social discrimination based on race gender ethnicity and more -Based on colonial structure -Serves as intellectual basis for modern societies

coloniality

-Colonization of the mind -Structures and hierarchies of power (caste system) -Discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity -Based on colonial structures -Serves as intellectual basis for modern societies -Justifies and reinforce**

scholarships/science as argument

-Contentious battle for acceptance -Production of knowledge/facts -Function of power!

Rio Earth Summit 1992

-Declaration on env and development Sent representatives to major summit on env issues -PRINCIPLE 22: "Indigenous people and communities and other local communities have a vital role in env management and development bc of knowledge and traditional practices. States should recognize and duly support their identity, culture, and interests and enable their effective participation in achievement of sustainable development" (connects TEK to sustainable dev--principles allowing us to stay on earth)

CHAPTER 3 TEXTBOOK: DISTRIBUTIVE EJ

-East oakland residents low income and latinx or AA Bangladesh most vulnerable to climate change and women disproportionately vulnerable to flooding events bc low SES reduces autonomy and options for responding to risk and roles as caretakers distressed when disasters Theories of Distributive Justice -Distributive justice diff from other justices bc it takes lived experience as starting point--concentrates on how harms/benefits are distributed and experienced Has a variety of meanings--dominant theories: utilitarianism (equality and acceptable bases for diverging from strict equality) AND capabilities approach (each person having minimum resources/opportunities to have meaningful life UTILITARIANISM: -Achieving greatest good for greatest number Maximize social welfare--inequality of goods is not unjust if overall social welfare is high for many (poor conditions for few is justified if allow much better conditions for many -Do not ignore inequality--more income likely to be more meaningful to poor than rich and poor people have more utility from getting money than rich Or those w high pollution have greater utility from less pollution than those w out pollution -Low income communities would have more gain from higher income and less pollution so overall social welfare enhanced by providing resources to them rather than rich -So utilitarianism supports frontline communities EJ claims Equality: -Starting point of DJ--John Rawls "veil of ignorance"--if had to put on veils so no rich or poor black or white immigrant etx then asked what distribution fairest we could choose equality EJ terms: no one should be subject to more harms than another -Rawls 'Difference Principle' says inequality justified if provides compensating benefits for least advantaged So income tax policies letting rich get richer would be justified if tax policies motivated investment creating jobs for least advantaged OR pollution justified if benefited exposed communities -So new gas refining rules improving air quality in frontline communities near highways must be justifiable even if increased pollution near some communities near refineries processing gas -Bases for deviating from strict equality: just deserts Just desserts--inequality justified if you deserve what you get--if work harder for wealth than others than you deserve mit (inequality not unjust) OR if live resource intense lifestyle then may deserve consequences like exposure to pollution OR if choose to live in place w climate change then deserve disasters -If work hard but earn little you do not deserve poverty OR if use few resources but exposed to pollution others do you do not deserve it OR if you live in vulnerable area bc poverty or race made you then you do not deserve risk of disasters -Bases for deviating from strict equality: need Need-based theory: considers underlying circumstances in determining how to distribute a good or bad--if underlying conditions unequal then relative need could justify distributing more to those in need and less to well off -Need based theory could justify refraining from further siting of undesirable facilities or prioritizing enforcement in areas already experiencing heavy pollution Bases for deviating from strict equality: differing preferences: -Exposure to industrial fasciitis may differ bc people have diff preferences for kind of environments choose to live in--some live close to facilities for job opportunities and short commutes and would object gov policies impairing these opps in name of unwanted strict equality -Must look at just deserts tho--people desperate for jobs who faced w choice of exposure might choose to maintain livelihood but bc of poverty discrimination which make it hard to be employed Why care about inequality? Underlying concerns about participatory and social injustice: -Inequality focuses on how one community measures against another--if everyone lived equally poor under strict equality approach that would not constitute injustice -Care abt equality and EJ bc EJ focus on comparisons involving disadvantaged groups is underlying concern abt legacy of social injustice and in US racial discrimination making these communties vulnerable -Comparative inquiries are focused on distribution but also reflect concerns about current or historical social and political injustices that have led to these conditions Absolute well-being: the minimum capabilities approach: -Equality approach to distributive justice focuses on comparative well-being -Absolute well being is part of Amartya Sen's capability approach--focuses on degree people have the minimum capabilities necessary to lead meaningful life -Relevant capabilities are physical well being and ones necessary to make free choices--not just about wealth and this varies among cultures and countries Hardest part is defining the level of well-being to satisfy the capabilities approach (bare minimum or more?) -Recognize that communities burdened by pollution often concerned abt absolute levels of pollution not only comparative--so AA community w high levels might not suffer higher levels than neighboring white area but would argue that both areas need lowered pollution -Human rights based approaches to EJ resonate w capabilities approach--suggest govt should not allow env harms interfering w rights to life and well being Distributive Justice and lived experience: Differing Contexts Siting decisions: -In public eye the EJ dispute involves sitting undesir\able land uses like waste sites, industry, power plants -1982 land use controversy in NC catalyzed US EJ movement out of low profile and isolated community opposition--national leaders joined AA community in Warren NC to oppose hazardous waste 500 arrests made and national attention made for plight of marginalized communities Land use patterns: -In US sitting decisions shaped by underlying local land use regulations (zoning)--areas zoned for mixed uses are more likely to host facilities -Govs have permitted less desirable land uses in older low income AA neighborhoods while new and white suburbs zoned for residential and light commercial use -So industries more likely to locate in poorer colored areas -Reflects legacy of historic racial segregation--20s-60s developers in new suburbs had private land use contract restricting occupancy to whites to maintain property values--prerequisite to obtaining fed mortgage guarantees -Diff access to wealth benefits of home ownership have led to gaps in wealth, education, and more--still differentiated zoning -Natural resource exploitation has globally impacted low income and indigenous communities Distribution of undesirable land uses presents tensions among theories of justice: utilitarianism perspective says there are potential societal benefits from placing industry where land is cheap and ew existing infrastructure -Concentrated industry meets preferences of some residents ej SAYS SYNERGY is lacking Environmental Regulations: -Environmental regulation raised DJ questions -In 2005 us general accountability office chastised EPA for failing to discuss EJ implications of new regulation to reduce sulphur in fuels--new rule reduce pollution on highways improving air quality for vulnerable communities--but increases pollution near refineries that process fuel which are areas w people of color -Some EJ advocates deeply sceptical about cap and trade approach: gov sets overall pollution cap and then distributes pollution allowances to facilities--can reduce emissions to match allowances or increase emissions leading to pollution hot spots (do not control emissions) -In europe diff DJ question: distribution of costs of control--transitioning from coal to expensive renewables could increase electricity costs especially for those who can't afford to invest in it AND shifting from fossil fuels to electric vehicles leave those reliant on older vehicles facing higher costs -From utilitarianism perspective regulatory policies reducing pollution for those most exposed would maximize welfare by providing benefits to those who attach most value to them and resonate w distribution of need Infrastructure: -Flint michigan water crisis--lead water--absence of essential infrastructure resonantes w capabilities approach bc lack of ability to decent life Environmental enforcement: -Environmental law violations outnumber gov resources to enforce so gov often face tough choices abt which violators to pursue---does gov pursue violations as vigorously in marginalized communities? Probably not -Victims of explosion in India killing thousands and others problems were unable to obtain what they thought was good compensation from losses from us based company -Failure to enforce env laws in marginalized communities implicates quality and capabilities approach--leads to disparities in pollution and destroys env and cultural conditions for a decent life Evidence of distributional injustice: what gets measured and why: -What level do we measure? By neighborhood, regions, states, zip codes? If do large scale might dilute localized impacts and too small may miss patterns--right scale depends on nature of harm What counts as a "color" community? Majority of color, higher % than average in the city? Region? State? -What constitutes a "disparate" impact -DJ measures 2 variables 1) things like number of waste sites or undesirable uses w in unit of analyses 2) risk exposure like extent facility poses health risk to area Measuring things: -Purpose: provide proxy for exposure to harm (determining precise emissions from something is hard) -Purpose: assessing distribution of things provides proxy for stigmatic harm--whatever harm associated w land use, neighboring residents may feel stigmatized by close proximity to undesirable land use -Dignity rights and well being at stake -Purpose: potential discriminatory decisions making may come to light \Distribution of risk or harm: -Many ej studies focus not just on single pollutant or source, but cumulative exposures from multiple pollutants and sources -Recognizing level of harm caused by given level of risk depends on underlying conditions (vulnerability)--vulnerability assessments consider exposure levels but also access to healthcare immigrant status language income work exposure -EJscreen--helps identify whee greater pollution reduction measures would be most beneficial by also looking at factors above What causes distributional injustice? -One community experiencing greater harm than another is bad from comparative standpoint -From absolute perspective a community experience harm is problematic even if no specific actor -Do current disparities reflect discriminatory decision making and if so do they reflect on going or past discrimiantion -Distributional outcomes influenced by individual industry decisions and land use policies Past discriminaiton creating segregation and associated diffs in land use patterns have strong staying power -Study on hazardous waste sites found that post sitting housing market dynamics did not match hypothesized shift: little evidence that siting bad facility changed local demos and if did little evidence that % of color increased -study also found lots of waste sites in Latinx areas Some studies have found increase in low income and color fams after sitting Responding to DJ -In US cases based solely on distributional inequities and not traceable to specific gov discrimination is not actionable -Title VI appeared promising prohibiting state and local agencies from receiving federal funding from discriminating--but agencies reluctant to enforce it -Affirmative programs can address injustice -Procedural mechanism generating info abt disparate impacts good resource for communities --when conducting env assessments under US law fed agencies must document impacts on low income and minority populations (1994 clintons procedural requirements) Conclusion: No single measure of distributive justice--diff conceptions highlight diff aspects Theories provide lenses to evaluate justice in diff contexts

race and env history in the US

-Environmental history of injustice (the social construction of race, environments and the land in the US) -Robert bullard father of EJ -For the purpose of free man (white owning property), free land, free labor MANIFEST DESTINY

Global environemtnal justice

-Environmental injustices and struggle for EJ occur throughout the world--thus a global diversity of environmental justice issues and movements -Underlying global causes that connect the many local instances of the environmental justice struggles

Week 1 Reading: Environmental Racism and Dominion Energy:

-Environmental racism: actions and decisions that result in disproportionate exposure of people of color to environmental hazards and environmental health burdens -Dominion energy looking for place for buckingham compressor station and FERC and APCP chose predominantly A community of union hill--descendant of free african slaves Increased Air Pollution: -Part of atlantic coast pipeline and compresses the gas for efficient line--runes every hour every single day -It will increase air pollution--fine particles will increase by 69% and emit carcinogens and its argued that the increase is still below the states air quality standards Illegal Air Permit Goes to Court: -Jan 9 2019 DEQ issued air permit to dominion to construct on union hill--feb 8 2019 lawsuits were filed on behalf of Friends of Buckingham against DEQ for failure to follow law-- John Laury, Descendant of Freed Slaves: -John laury and wife ruby live in union hill within mile of compressor--descendant of freed african slave who lives in union hill--they are fighting pipeline environmental racism and corporate bullying by utility giant dominion energy Reckless, Racist, Ripoff: -Rally held in feb only weeks after va gov northam's blackfaced scandal-- -Former VP called the compressor a reckless racist ripoff--called govt to stop environmental racism but no response NEPA violations: -FERC, DEQ and VA APCP violated NEPA and EPA guidelines when approved site for compressor station--NEPA and EPA require us of best data to determine minority demos and ehealth issues in decision making -All of the first 3 used outdated info--2010 info--DEQ argued that union hill is not a minority community Door to door demos by UVA anthropologist: -Fjord a UVA anthro professor did survey that was published in 2018 using household data from people that live in mile of site--83% of residents were minorities instead of 34.7% that dominion and ferc and deq used -59% of residents also have pre existing health issues -The 3 places still concluded it was not a minority community 3 places violated federal law and civil rights of people on union hill

biosphere reserves

-Established by the UN education, scientific and cultural orgs programme on man and the biosphere beginning in 1971 (UNESCO) -In 2018, 669 BRs in 120 countries -In some ways visionary -Sought to reconnect and enhance biodiversity and human livelihoods -Failed to recognize value of TEK -Limited access to procedures -Limited effectiveness in both objectives -western scientific hegemony over TEK Biosphere reserves are the protected areas meant for the conservation of plants and animals.

Week 2 Lecture: Env Protection Paradigm

-Exists to manage, regulate, and distribute risks Reinforces existing unjust stratifications of people and places (way cities in US segregated on race, this EP reinforced unjust relationships bc US uses zoning laws and place industries in minority communities) EJ movement provides bottom-up challenge to this paradigm -Report toxic wastes and race at twenty 1987-2007 (time when US wasn't majority black): Racial and ethnic disparities in distribution of hazardous wastes are greater (WORSE) than previously reported People of color make up majority living in host neighborhoods within 3kn of nationals hazardous waste facilities -Host neighborhoods of commercial hazardous waste facilities are 56% people of color whereas non hos are 30% people of color--% of AA, hispanics/latinos and Asians/Pacific Islander sin host neighborhoods 1.7,2.3,1.8 time greater -Poverty rates in host neighborhoods are 1.5x greater than non host areas (18 vs 12) -Quote: all of issues of ER and EJ don't just deal w people of color -We are just as much concerned w inequities in Appalachia, where whites are basically dumped on bc lack of economic and political clout and lack of having voice to say no and that EIJ DELEGATES TO FIRST NATIONAL PEOPLE OF COLOR ENV LEADERSHIP SUMMIT (1991), DRAFTED AND ADOPTED 17 PRINCIPLES OF EJ

Week 2 Lecture: US EPA definition of EJ:

-Fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, income, w respect to development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies -EPA has this goal for all communities and person's across this nation. It will be achieved when everyone enjoys: 1) same degree of protection from env health hazards 2) equal access to decision making process to have healthy env to live learn and work

Week 1 Reading: THE FLINT WATER CRISIS: QUESTS FOR JUSTICE AND MECHANISMS OF SUPPRESSION:

-Flint water crisis led to diff forms of grassroots activism demanding political accountability, transparency and redress--residents experiences were continued to be suppressed in multiple way -Since 2014--an unelected technocrat decided to switch flint's water from detroit water and sewerage dept to corrosive flint water w no corrosion control and lead started to go into water supply -Residents demanded environmental justice in form of political accountability -Problematic roles of public authorities, media and academia: Public authorities failed flint: some respondents had misogynistic treatment in public hearings--women were called hysterical or are you on your period -Michigan dept of environmental quality also tried to discredit residents self organized water testing campaigns by presenting test results from areas w out lead plumbing -National media blackout--until 2015 total lack of coverage on media and ones were simplistic -To counter the simplistic residents went to social media--governor framed it in technical terms and many hate what he said bc undermines their demands for political accountability -To Residents, academic institutions contributed to obscuring: researchers are doing research to further careers and not helping -ROle of emergency management, or Flint as a canary in the (neoliberal) coalmine -Majority black city in a state w predominantly white--emergency management introduced in black communities across michigan--EM suspends powers of elected councils and undermines established democratic representation -Crisis of democracy to residents and democracy deficit to scholars--these takeovers target already weakly franchised populations -This thing occurred bc of longstanding racialized patterson of social exclusion--EM intensifies capital accumulation and contributes to suppressing people's demands for justice and accountability by privileging market logics over health concerns and blaming disenfranchised communities for perceived inability to govern themselves -Authorities interested in ending problem as unfortunate technical failures bc concerned about flint's reputation-- -Big paradox is that michigan is surrounded by great lakes--while flint is denied clean water the stant grants free access to public water resources for commercial use by private companies like Nestle -Political economic and historical embeddedness of flint water crisis

what's at stake

-Forests, CO2 and climate change -24% of nall carbon stored above ground in world is in tropical forests

prominent examples of nature-society hybrids

-Forests, domesticated crops and agriculture, genetically modified organisms (GMO), disease outbreaks and responses, sewage treatment and infrastructure, flood protection infrastructure, global climate change, cheeseburgers

North-South Distinctions

-Geography and history (former colonizers vs former colonies) -Economic standing and political hegemony (uneven access to power in the international arena) -More economically developed worlds vs lesser economically developed but developing worlds

Week 2 Lecture: EJ Definition

-Global social movement & interdisciplinary academic field of study encompassing a broad literature of various theories, concepts, and dimensions of justice -Field develops nitoin of justice that can be applied to both relations regarding env risks in human pops and relations between human communities and non human nature

coloniality and failures of recognition

-How can we enact equality, without recognizing social differences? -Colonization of the mind -Structures of hierarchies of power -Recognition of certain cases and identities inquisition -Social discrimination****

unjust conservation

-Indigenous peoples as the original conservationists -TEK as their library of best practices -Conservation as a modern concept -Preserving "pristine" non-human landscapes, waterscapes, habitats, and species -With little regard to social/human implications and issues -Reify nature-society divide -Reproduce colonial practices -Neglect indigenous rights and knowledge system -"Ecology without equity" -Injustices: Forced removal of local people to create protected areas Torture and intimidation of local people to enforce protection policies Restricting local people's access to natural resources Excluding local people from participating in decision making and management of local protected areas "Yellowstone Model" -Yellowstone, yosemite, and glacier national park -Tribal homelands, sacred spaces, economic livelihoods, and sustainable subsistence practices -Ongoing process of eviction and control -Bears ears national monument -Forced off and restricted from lands to conserve or develop them--for whom?

parallels between EJ in USA and Global EJ

-Inequity: unfair distributions of burdens and benefits -Dominance and hegemony: unequal participation and lack of recognition and respect -Ineffective legal institutions and norms: deficient international treaties and laco of procedural remedies (paris agreement is an acceptable if long overdue beginning)

WEEK 1 LECTURE: What is EJ?

-Justice is the first virtue of social institutions as truth is of systems of though -When organizing our society, our 1st priority is justice--justice must be enacted--need to conduct our lives in way that's fair and just

VIDEO: Keeping the River: How Klamath River's Native Peoples Maintain their Relationship w Salmon

-Klamath CA--river brings them food and everything they need -River meets the ocean--Requea--all comes and goes through mouth -Dip net to catch fish--as long as people there they have to have salmon--way of life and brings them together -Main food 100 years ago was acorns deer meat fish--salmon essential to Yurok people -1930s river close and prohibited indian families from fishing but some kept fishing at night and got caught and SC case reaffirming rights in 1970s -A lot of fishermen on river and they claimed ownership so didn't like indians fishing "Salmon wars" something always happening--Yurok people afraid for their lives-- -People celebrating on river and people came to scare them--they were so scared--tribes still struggling and still struggling today over the river -In 2002 over 70000 adult chinook salmon died, making it largest slamin kill in history of west Bc of water diversions in Klamath basin by farmers during a drought year -Had to close fisheries--knew imbalance of world--but so many still fishing even tho dead salmon everywhere -Tribe presented idea to gov to have water provided to save fish but didn't and helped farmers instead -Tribe wants to deal w weed and drugs bc takes lots of water that fish need--water is too warm for fish to live--most weed growers have large ponds that are cool and that water should be in the river -Haven't seen fire in 100 years--need fire to call salmon up river--food for the salmon--smoke going up shades river and cools water temp -Ceremonies and worldview based on these relationships--they understand physical dilemma of the landscape -Little stream of water cools down river and fish stop to rest when coming from ocean to have cool water--but dams block most fish -Lots of juvenile salmon dying before getting to ocean--dams have toxic energy and pesticides from farmers--yurok medicine man predicted this -Want to remove dams on main stem of river--want to have runs of stream chinook in river--always want to protect resources bc its their responsibility -Want to work for tomorrow's generation -If river sick people sick bc ceremonies and spirituality and health all connected to river--they are one -Yurok man wants to help people catch fish and make them better fishermen

indigenous landscape transformations: agriculture

-Large populations, agriculture, deforestation (fire) and cultural savannas, wildlife management, earthworks, roads, fields, settlements -Agriculture: domesticating potato began 10,000-7000 ybp near lake Titicaca region of Peru and Bolivia -Domestic corn began 6000 ybp in S. Mexico (20,000 varieties all adapted to diff conditions), created over thousands of years and stolen from them -Mann "to get corn out of teosinte is so--you couldn't get a grant to do that now bc it would sound so crazy...somebody who did that today would get a nobel prize"

Ecological debt

-Liability of the most developed economies for the problems caused by resource extraction, waste dumping, and other environmental hazards, both within and outside of their borders -Globalization of ecological responsibility: e.g. climate justice the level of resource consumption and waste discharge by a population which is in excess of locally sustainable natural production and assimilative capacity.

Week 1 Lecture: core premises of EJ

-Management of environment, resources, and access to resources should be no different--should seek JUSTICE as first priority -Need just environmental governance 3 DIMENSIONS/QUESTIONS OF COURSE: Do policies lead to fair distribution of resources? Respect diff cultural approaches to nature? Are they democratic (do enough people get a say)?

just conservation

-More recent toward just conservation -Tensions between biodiversity protection and environmental justice? -Interdependence of biological diversity, human livelihoods, well-being?***if want bio protection and human livelihoods then it has to exist together

REDD+

-National level initiative -UN deals w state actors -Payments for intact or regenerated forests in the global south -RECOGNIZE indigenous communities as vital stakeholders -Distributional and procedural justice in doubt -Commodifies forests and their ecosystem services -Restricts access and economic activity -Exacerbates inequalities w in communities -Resistance from many or most indigenous groups -General efficacy of program in doubt

the reality (opposite of the pristine myth)

-Native american landscape of earth 16th c was a humanized landscape -Large populations, modified forests, cultural grasslands (grasslands created by particular cultures), wildlife disrupted, and severe erosion in places -Earthworks, roads, fields, and settlements ubiquitous -Old world disease, indian depopulation, environmental recovery (mainly disease--it depopulated and caused societal collapse and by time colonists came in was a landscape of communities already depopulated*) -Human presence less visible in 1750 than in 1492 (william Denevan)

merchant's relationship between race and env history

-Native americans removed from lands they had managed for centuries during settlement and creation of national parks and forests (ongoing process still like Standing Rock) -Confined to reservations, but natives resisted -Efforts to maintain autonomy/sovereignty and access to resources -Maintained ancestral practices and relationships w environments -Slavery and soil degredtion=interlined systems of exploitation -Deep seated connections between enslavement of human bodies and enslavement of the land (disposable people, disposable environments) -Black people resisted enslavement in complex ways that created unique african american ways of loving on the land -Post civil war: emancipated balck people expected to pay for land w low wages -Lands taken from indians and promoted to while settler families via homestead act and other policies -As white fams fled urban areas to suburbs african americans bore disproportionate levels of pollution and diseases -Black neighborhoods became toxic dumps and black bodies became toxic sites -Beginnings of african american env activism in the progressive era and EJ movement of late 20th century

EJ and Biodiversity Conservation

-Nature-society divide is a recognition issue -Also counter-productive in terms of distributive and procedural justice -For some conflicts, false dichotomization wrongfully serves social and env justice -Cultural and biological diversity are mutually-constitutive and mutually supportive -There is no pristine nature to return to -People w millennial connections to land know best how to care for it -What are the best management systems to return to or to allow for? Recognize, redistribute, grant autonomy

old world diseases in Peru/Incan

-Old World diseases in Peru/Incan empire -Smallpox 1525--a single sick spaniard in mexico--arrived in peru 7 years before spanish--killed half of incan empire--including leader, created political vacuum, and wars of succession -Typhus 1546, influenza/smallpox 1558, diphtheria 1614, measles 1618 (handful of spaniards come in)

old world diseases brought by columbian exchange

-PIGS--carried anthrax, brucellosis, leptospirosis, taeniasis, trichinosis, and TB--breed exuberantly--transmit diseases to deer, turkeys, etc--just a few spanish pigs could wander off and infect the forest -Give pigs as gifts in new world unknowingly passing along all those diseases, then pigs breed, offspring run off and transmit diseases to mammals until entire landscape overtaken without humans penetrating into interior -Old world diseases triggered native american depopulation and env recovery -"The indians had died on heapes, as they lay in their houses, the english trader Thomas Morton noted" Mann -90% of New England natives died in 1600s

wilderness areas (merchant)

-People wanted wild or unspoiled environments so made parks but they're cultural/political creations -They are products of interactions among: biophysical processes, specific physical environments, long histories of human occupation, labor, and management (social) -Examples: shenandoah national park, amazon rainforests**, redwood park

overall abt population in these areas

-Population of 40-80mill people lived in Americas before 1492 -By 1650, 85% decline to 5-6 million (demographic, political, societal collapse)

Global environmental justice lecture: geographic terminology/global difference

-Post WWII: decolonization of Asia and Africa -Emergence of the "Third World" -"Peripheral" nation-states unaligned w the capital west (USA) or the communist east (USSR and China) Global Difference: "Third world", "developing world", "global south" Different definitions, different geographies Wallerstein's core-periphery model: core (MDC) richer or dominant, periphery (lDc) poor/developing Brandt Line (1980)--divides global north from global south

PES-Payments for Ecosystem Services--what is REDD+ and UN Payments

-REDD+: reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, PLUS the sustainable management of forests, and the conservation enhancement of forest carbon stocks UN provide payments, support for: -Reducing emissions from deforestation -Reducing emissions from forest degradation -Conservation of forest carbon stocks -Sustainable management of forests -Enhancement of forest carbon stocks

Week 1 Lecture: EJ, a timeline of the movement

-Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962)---birth of modern environmental movement--groundwork 1962; highly influential powerful impact on global environments movement--called silent spring bc decade prior shed be in places w water and birds and vibrance and then it was quietly eerie -Demonstrated effects of pesticides and other synthetic chemicals on humans -Cesar Chaves and Dolores Huerta--National farm workers association--1962 (happening at same time as Carson) -Latino and AA farm workers organized for protection from harmful pesticides in Cali's San Joaquin Valley -19964-68: Legislation of US civil Rights Movement Civil Rights act 64, voting rights act 65, civil (housing) rights of 68 as assassination -1968--Memphis Sanitation Strike: early intersection of civil rights movement and environmental activism Memphis worked against toxic waste and things and were organizing for--as this happens Dr. King dies -1970s: Hazel M. Johnson--mother of environmental justice -People for community recovery, public housing and toxic waste southside Chicago, built on landfill surrounded by toxic facilities polluted water. Local mitigation and national policies --organized against living amongst all this stuff -1978: Love Canal--working class neighborhood in Niagara Falls NY -Abandoned canal project turned chemical landfill Investigative journalism and grassroots door to door health surveys reveal high level of rare illness like asthma and migraines--and abnormally high rates of birth defects and miscarriages -ALSO white working class community--able to get media attention and state and gov is bc almost all white -Super Fun Legislation--led to remediation of nearly 400 toxic sites -Precautionary principle: food safety studies in EU follow this--food producers have to prove that their food does not cause health probs but US takes opposite approach--sell what you want and up to consumer to determine if food cause health probs Pres Carter declares 2 national emergencies in 78 and 81 relocates hundreds of fams -1980 comprehensive environmental response, compensation, liability act AKA superfund--area can become eligible to money from gov if superfund site to help clean up (american taxpayer) Important early example effectiveness of grassroots organizing for EJ st--federal gov gives money to clean up abandoned hazardous waste -1982 sit in against warren county NC polychlorinated biphenyl landfill -Toxic waste disposed in an AA neighborhood w state support -Galvanized research/activism into unequal burdens of environmental degradation borne by minority and working class communities -Eventually allowed for landfill against wishes of black community 1987 landmark study by commission for racial justice, United Church of christ: - toxic waste and race in US: national report on racial and socioeconomic characteristics of communities w hazardous waste sites -Race most sig among variable tested in association w location of commercial hazardous waste facilities--presents consisten national patter -Communities w greatest # commercial waste facilities had highest racial and ethnic diversity among residents -Communities w 2 or more facilities or 1 of nation's 5 largest landfills, the av minority % of pop was more than 3x ath of communities without facilities (38% vs 12%)--more diverse more likely toxic waste In communities w 1 hazardou facility, avg minority % of pop was twice the avg. minority % of pop in communities without such facilities (24 vs 12) -Although socio-economic status appeared to play important role in location of commercial hazardous waste facilities, race still proved more statistically significant--remained true after study controlled for urbanization and regional diffs -Incomes and home values substantially lower when communities w commercial facilities were compared to communities in surrounding counties w out facilities 1990: Congressional Black Caucus meets w EPA 1992: EPA establishes office of environmental equity, becomes office of EJ in 1994--dont want equality and spread waste equally she said we want justice 1994: Pres CLinton signs executive order 12898--directed fed gov to make env justice part of federal policy-making processes--created EJ offices in EPA, DOJ< and other agencies

TEK as place-based knowledge and compared to EJ

-Recognition as lip service -Without real commitments, no real enforcement, just lip service unless tied to other dimensions Without procedural justice? -No access to decision making processes Without distributional justice? -No access to land, env, and/or ecological processes Full recognition often implies reparation

case study: chico mendes

-Rubber tapper in the brazilian amazon -Legacy for local management of rainforest ecosystems and livelihoods -The creation of extractive reserves -Conservation territories in which local communities are allowed sustainable use of resources (harvesting rubbers and nuts)

Development and conflict in USA

-Standing rock and DAPL -"Consultation and consent"--gov must consult and get consent for all things done on indigenous land -Section 106 of national historic preservations act (NHPA) -Procedural access for distribution decisions -Recognition? Starts w recognition -Standing rock sioux tribe vs US army corps of engineers -Env review=lip service (not doing what should)

NATURE/SOCIETY LECTURE: thinking through 'environment'

-The biotic and abiotic surroundings of an organism or population -Ranges from microscopic and global -Natural vs. built environments?

other terms of TEK

-Traditional and local knowledge -Indigenous knowledge or science -Folk knowledge -Farmers and fishers knowledge -Tacit knowledge--problem? Knowledge by accident

NATURE/SOCIETY LECTURE: modernity and perceptions of the environment 2 DIVIDES

-Two conceptual dichotomies (divides): 1) Between nature and society (false divide) 2) Between the west (europe and derivatives) and the Rests (indigenous and ancestral communities colonized or imperial subjects) -Underpin Modern thought, but just one possible worldview among limitless possibilities

TEK and Recognition Justice

-Validity -Difference -Complexity -Ecological relationships -All are valid in own right bc perspectives of diff groups of people, also very different, complex bc diff answers depending on context and sometimes no answers, boil down to ecological relations (that include humans)

conservation and livelihoods

-Wangari -Studies show that community-managed forests consistently out perform protected forests -Landscapes managed by indigenous, traditional, and local communities experienced lower and less variable annual deforestation rates than "protected" forests -Higher levels of plant and animal diversity

Rio 2012: indigenous people international declaration of self determination and sustainable development:

-We affirm w one voice that it is time to assume the historical responsibility to reverse centuries of predation, pollution, colonialism and violation of rights and genoice -Time to assume responsibilities toward our future generations -1. Culture as fundamental dimension of sustainable development -2. Full exercise of human and collective rights -3.Strengthening diverse local economies and territorial management -Map itself is not the terrain but only one representation of it -TEK (each TEK tradition) nd Western Science as different maps of the same terrain

Week 1 Lecture: Environmental Equity

-What some in the EJ movement see as the US government's response--redistribution of environmental risk--EJ movement seeks elimination of environmental risks

Week 2 Lecture: Dr. Robert D. Bullard

-academic/activist--"father of EJ" -Wife attorney in Bean v. Southwestern Waste Management, Inc--waste management putting its waste facilities placed in AA community

3 dimensions of EJ

-distributive -procedure -recognition

Procedural Justice

-governance, w emphasis on participation and the processes of policy, rule, and decision making -How decisions are made and who has the privilege, rights, or responsibilities to participate in making them (a form and function of freedom and democracy) -Who and what groups get to weigh in on policies, rules and laws? -EXAMPLE: Water Crisis in Flint Michigan--pipes carrying led water to home in flint--procedural bc deals w who made decision to switch Flint's water--city about to go bankrupt and unelected city manager got to make infrastructure decisions and saved money by switching water source and system fail and lead in water (also distributional and recognition)

Distributive Justice

-how environmental harms and benefits are allocated among individuals and groups (dominant and most researched dimension of EJ) -How are environmental harms (air pollution, landfills, factories) as well as environmental amenities (parks, treens, pools) distributed across space? Do certain groups or individuals suffer/enjoy more exposure/access? -EXAMPLE: BUck the Buckingham Air Permit--pipeline set to go through VA to build air compression stations--lots of concern on how it would pollute air and water around AND people living in area did NOT want it there (Union Hill Community)--historically African American--way fossil fuel harms are harming minority community and benefits spreading out to others

terra nullius

-legal framework for land exploitation, no one there to claim land -"The myth persists that in 1492 the Americas were a sparsely populated wilderness, 'a world of barely perceptible human disturbance'" (William Denevan)

Justice as Recognition

-the accommodation and respect of different peoples, their cultures, their relations to nature and the environment, their identities and their knowledge systems (about unlearning some assumptions you've made) -Respect of social and cultural difference and varying claims to justice -Malrecongition related to discrimination and/or disrespect based on race, ethnicity, gender, SES, more 3 KEY MECHANISMS: 1) formal or customary institutions (land tenure and land ownership dominated by males) 2) cultural norms m(leadership positions unavailable to women, minorities) 3) forms of knowledge and related discourse (privileging of modern science knowledge systems and formal economy or failure to recognize alternative or local knowledge systems and ways of life) -Justice as recognition or participatory justice might be most consequential dimension of EJ -Focusing solely non distributions and procedures obscures social structures and instinctual contexts in which environmental decisions are made -Without recognition and respect cannot participate in DM -Recognition/identity cannot be distributed Need to analyze relations between social, cultural, and env harms/benefits as well as lack of demo participation -EXAMPLE: Mohawk Nation in diff places all over US and Canada--have a reservation on border or US Canada on lake--strong cultural link between that nation of people and their environment (the lake)--took on toxic pollution and nation could not do fishing in lake--US and Canadian gov got together and said they'll give them food stamps--severed an ancient connection between people, lake, and fish they lived in harmony w--few years later when using food stamps obesity takes off, diabetes epidemic, and erosion of cultural knowledge--if just think of food and give them food stamps thats distributive justice AND problem w procedure--reason for those injustices is lack of recognition of their heritage and culture EXAMPLE: Hurricane Katrina telling them to leave 2 days before--failure to recognize essential workers, those without cars, etc EXAMPLE: standing rock reservaiton

negative consequences of nature-society divide AND what it actually should be

1) notion that society can be freed from nature 2) notion that society works against nature, rather than with it 3) erases non western (traditional and indigenous) contributions to environments** 4) dismisses non-western (traditional and indigenous) env values and forms of management 5) displaces indigenous and traditional communities from parks and preserves 6) privileges certain kinds of biophysical and ecological processes, minimizes others 7) isolates humans from their environments, creating a false dichotomy of economics and ecology ** INSTEAD "nature" remains fused with "society" to form the "environment" Humans are natural Humans are part of the "natural world" Nature-society or nature/society Nature-society hybrids

people first podcast

20 years ago tried to reimagine relationships between indigenoal us groups and environmental conservation Amazon conservation team stories Nature does not need management it's people Colombian amazon--the threats that come into territories like roads say they will bring benefits but no one looking at spiritual impacts In 1970s/80s conservation in change--new conservationists trying to change past Created protective areas like national parks--but new conservationists wanted to change this--market based solutions and partnered w corporations Lillian Adrian forsyth and others tried something new--looked at map of amazon and saw 25% of forrest in hands of indigenous who did not have support to play fundamental role in sustaining the forests critical to climate change They approached it on their terms and understanding what and how they wanted things--biocultural conservation--works on grounds of communities and integrates culture and indigenous values into everything and how survival of indigenous communities is global thing How conservation orgs fail t-o recognize how to work effectively--leave behind projects but need to make it happen in a few years or sustain the course Tried to address disparities in who participates and who is silenced--Raquelle Gomez helped lilliana--indigenous people need territory in order to change their destiny Indians never have part in this work--important to know what is important to them End result should be to work themselves out of a job--people need management not nature About greed-- New approach seeks to remedy absence of indigenous groups in decisions Heard of hallucinogens in costa rica--cultural tourism and stuff are barriers to awareness of this She did it got welts all over her body--so she turned to conservation strategy to buy all of land She had to listen to spirituality of communities she was trying to work with Her experiences show doing this conservation work includes local communities and conservationists learn diff ways of understanding the world Need to look at where we come from His vision seemed impossible but vision came to life and mountain became national park--now center of mass conservation corridor that will ensure biodiversity--taken 2 decades but lots of successes but still does not capture how people from their lives have been changed Tradition identity and life has changed Is this all coincidence or humility that we do not know all and need respect for those things and need ability to listen

indigenojus and community conserved areas (ICCAs)

3 characteristics to identify ICCA: -An indigenous people or local community has strong and profound connection w a territory, area, or species habitat -That people or community is major player nin decision making and implementation of decisions (government and management) regarding that territory, area, or habitat -The peoples or community's governance decisions and management efforts lead to the conservation of nature in the territory, area, or habitat, and to the associated conservation of cultural values and community well-being (nature-society)

Reading: american environmentalism's racist roots have shaped global thinking about conservation

Americans realizing how racist ideas have influenced every sphere of life in country Sierra Club recognized racist views held by its founder John Muir--described NA and blacks as dirty lazy and uncivilized Sierra club executive director Michael Brune said they are re-examining things However prob is not just w Sierra club America's environmentalism's racist roots have influenced global conservation practices--longstanding prejudices against local communities and focus on protecting pristine wilderness--this pays little thought to indigenous and poor people who rely on these lands Racist legacies of nature conservation: Decades before muir John James Audubon published Birds of America engravings--skilled naturalist but also a slaveholder His research benefited from info and specimens collected by enslaved people Theo Roosevelt who is looked at as first environmental president led the Smithsonian African Expedition to kenya--shooting trip and killed more than 11000 animals People say trophy hunting pays for wildlife conservation in africa but little evidence to support this Ecologist Aldo Leopold who is father of wildlife management was early contender of argument that overpopulation was root cause of environmental probs--this implies economically less developed nations w large pops are biggest threats to conservation Even jane goodall blamed environmental challenges on overpopulation BUT also conspicuous consumption and energy intensive lifestyles of wealthy have much larger impact on environment than actions of poor Fortress conservation: Wilderness movement founded by anglo-american conservationists is institutionalized in form of national parks--some say national parks best idea of america But national parks and other lands set aside for wilderness conservation are ancestral homelands of native peoples and forced off these lands by euros However largest areas of national parks set aside in countries w high levels of economic inequality and poor democratic institutions--poorest countries like Tanzania had set aside more than 30% of territories for only wildlife and conservation This happens bc corrupt govt officials and commercial tourism and safari operators can benefit from it and hunters and documentary makers from global north This is called "fortress conservation"--80%n of rural indigenous communities protect 80% of global diversity but receive little benefit Better Models: Ecologists have shown that natural landscaped interspersed w low intensity subsistence agriculture can be most effective for biodiversity conservation--provide support for indigenous communities When governments enact socially just nature conservation policies they are better able to handle conflicts over use of resources--it is possible under 2 main conditions 1) indigenous communities have concrete stakes in protecting those resources 2) can participate in policy decisions

Reading: The Atlantic 1491

Before the new world the western hemisphere was more populous and sophisticated than has been thought The amazon rainforest may be largely a human artifact Going toward brazilian border--few minutes roads and houses disappeared and only human evidence was cattle but they too disappeared Beni the bolivian province was peculiar and remote and a watery plain that drew in researchers and one of only places we people who have never seems westerners w cameras Clark Erickson and William Balee--in plane looked down at forest islands--trees grew Views of the two men: this picture of indian life is wrong in every aspect (indians came to americas across bering strait and lived in small groups and has so little impact on env that env remained mostly wilderness) Much of today's env movement is animated by william denevan "the pristine myth" the belief that the americas in 11491 were almost unmarked land untrammeled by man The beni is a case in point--built up beni mounds for houses and indians trapped fish in flooded grassland--set huge fires to keep out unwanted tree growth Like a Club between eyes: History of plymouth colony and how survived 6 weeks before winter w no shelter--by robbing indian houses and graves All through the coastal forest the indians died in heapes Euros carried a disease and gave it to jailers and epidemic took years to exhausted and killed 90% of coastal people 1966 Dobyns published "estimating aboriginal american population: an appraisal of techniques w a new hemispheric estimate"--noted when spaniards arrived indians died Smallpox epidemic--then typhus, influenza and smallpox together, smallpox again, diphtheria, measles all raved the remains of incan culture Well known that NA had no experience w euro diseases and were unprepared but Dobyns realized that such diseases could've swept from coastlines then inland where indians were--first white to explore americas may therefore encountered places already depopulated Dobyns has many critics Inventing by the Millions: Hernado de Soto in Florida--on his journey his men raped tortured killed and enslaved many indians and brought the pigs After soto left no euros visited part of mississippi valley for more than century but french wee first La salle saw no indian village for 200 miles Pigs transmitted diseases to wildlife in forests too Indinas faced many plagues Indigenous biochemistry may have also played a role--no one's immune system can identify all foreign presences In 1966 dobyns insistence on role of disease was shock to colleagues but today undisputed We can make of the historical record that there was depopulation and movement of people from internecine warfare and diseases but know one knows how much No matter how many died the sorrow in the hemisphere was immeasurable bc entire ways of ife just vanished Buffalo Farm: Henry Brackenridge came to Cahokia which is illinois--he saw a huge pile of earth and area almost uninhabited Clear it had been constructed by indians Human history in Crosby's interpretation in marked by two world-altering centers of inventions: middle east and central mexico Indinas developed huge number of maize varieties for diff growing conditions so crop spread across planet Led to old world population boom Maize transformed africa romania moldavia southern euro In america's indian agriculture long sustained world's largest cities like Tenochtitlan Western hem was larger richer and more populous than europe and freer Indians often viewed euros w disdain Said physically weak and sexually untrustworthy and ugly and dirty Indians survived by exploiting env Green Prisons: Northern visitors first reaction to storied amazon rainforest is often disappointment Area east of lower amazon town of Santarem is exception--lots of ancient history Some say apparent lushness of rain forest is a sham--soils are poor Green activists saw the implication: development in tropical forests destroys both forests and their developers Amazonian indians literally created the ground beneath their feet Terra preta Novel Shores: When disease swept indians from the land that's exactly what happened--after diseases killed them buffalo extended their range Guided by pristine myth mainstream env want to preserve much of the world's land as possible in a intact state but that means run by human beings for human purposes NA managed the continent as they saw fit and modern nation must do the same If they want to return as much of landscape as possible to 1491 state they will have to find it within themselves to create world's largest garden

recognizing a human environment--how western social construction developed

CULTURE: concepts of wilderness and unspoiled natural world and civilized society POLITICS AND ECONOMICS: mastery of nature (dangerous proposition) SCIENCE AND ACADEMY (divide): natural sciences, social sciences

CORN

Corn as bread and basis of civilizations: Tortillas, tamales, pupusas (corn as indigenous innovation, sacred seeds, nuestro maiz) US CORN: World's largest producer About 96 mill acres Tend of consolidation into larger farms Feed Grain for livestock Ethanol starch ***

western science and traditional knowledge reading

Cultures all have diff view of nature throughout history Many rooted in traditional systems of beliefs that indigenous people use to understand their biophysical environment Importance of traditional knowledge for protection of biodiversity is slowly being recognized internationally And traditional indiegnous interaction w environment is model for healthy interaction w env Many indigenous pops have relied for centuries on direct env for subsistence and autonomy--overtime develop way to manage resources Traditional societies interested in preserving own social cultural and env stability than maximizing production Strong sense of interconnection to env Ethics part of traditional approach--activities in traditional societies often also have strong symbolic dimension Traditional knowledge is based on co-evolution w env and respecting the carrying capacity of ecosystems--this all helps indignenous adapt to changing env Traditional knowledge has potential value for management of NR and could be useful in conservation education Not all indigenous people living in peace w nature--many exhaust env to keep pop alive Big diff between western science and traditional knowledge--western is positivist and materialist and traditional is spiritual In western science scientists separate themselves from nature and traditional does not Traditional have more holistic approach--traditional looks at reality as world of constantly forming cycles where all elements part of entangled web of interactions Western science does offer some interesting ideas of knowledge is process of qualitative refinement and quantitative accumulation--goal is to disclose ultimate foundation and provide neutral universal language According to classic epistemological approach the creation of knowledge is process of qualitative refinement and quantitative accumulation--goal is to disclose ultimate foundation and provide neutral universal language Complex thinking has strongly questioned notion of meta point of view--it seeks and analyzes web of relations among diff perspectives Traditional env knowledge is important to humans cultural heritage--cultural diversity important for future biodiversity However euro colonization has eroded much of traditional knowledge by replacing w western education and cultural systems First need new approach to dialogue among cultures --need common principle shared by all participants By acknowledging uniqueness of each knowledge system we can go beyond pluralist approach to knowledge We need to open ourselves to participating in the experience of others and this opening must start from our POV or tradition which we belong Historical perspective is "the initial directedness of our whole ability to experience" Dialogue can become a tool for social cohabitation as well as for discovering and enhancing**

measuring global difference

DEVELOPMENT (2 types): more and less developed countries, global north and global south ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Indicators: GDP (value of all goods produced within a country), nGNI (combines GDP with trade revenue from outside the country= HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Indicators: human development index (life expectancy, literacy, educational attainment, gender equity, income)

what is Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)

Definition 1) cumulative body of knowledge (accumulations and changes overtime), practices, and representations that describes the relationships of living beings w one another and w their physical env (so between people and env), which evolved by adaptive processes (forward changing--smart people adapt to changing situations) and has been handed down through generations by cultural transmission (from elders to young people) 2) knowledge base acquired by indigenous and local peoples (indigneous very involved in production of ecological knowledge but not limited to them) over many hundred of years through direct contact w env (knowledge adapted and changed overtime by directly being w env--field work). Includes intimate and detailed knowledge of plants, animals, natural phenomena, the development of appropriate techs for hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry, and a holistic knowledge or "world view" which parallels scientific discipline of ecology (equates TEK w western eco knowledge--just as valid as science

Week 2 Lecture: ER

Disproportionate burdens of env hazards and risk are borne by individuals and communities of color--EJ is the movement's response to ER (ER alleged in warren country so seek EJ as anecdote)

Merchant Reading--Shades of Darkness Race and Environmental History:

Environmental history of race--negative connections between wilderness racie cities and race and toxics and race Slavery and soil degredation are interlined systems of exploitation and deep connections between enslavement of human bodies and land--blacks resisted enslavement in complex way maintaingng african culture and creating unique AA life NA removed from lands managed for centuries during creation of national parks and forests--indians resisted to maintain autonomy and access to resources NA and AA perceived wilderness in differing ways from whites Coincidental order of injustice reigned in post civil war america as emancipated blacks in south expected to pay for land wages at same time free lands taken from indians promoted to whites AA bore brunt of early forms of env pollution and neighborhoods became toxic dumps INDIANS AND WILDERNESS: 1964 wilderness act defined wilderness as were man is visitor who does not remain National parks and wilderness areas set aside for white tourists--by end of century indian removal became part of a program to provide tourists w access to wild animals and scenery and without negative encounters w indians At same time indians being characterized as dark and dirty --often contrasted indians w wilderness saying they're opposite of pristine lands found on Visited alaska and expressed admiration of totem poles while preferring clean wilderness without them Bad was Muir--Mary Austin championed cause of american indians Blacks , Blackness, and the Environment: White black differences more pronounced than indians Whites business was in african trade--associated blackness w witchcraft Slave system caused destruction of black bodies and degradation of southern soils as tobacco rice sugar cotton became cash crops Blacks resisted enslavement Blacks like indians maintained many of culture Henry David Thoreau protested slavery--Abe lincoln eventually ended slavery W urbanization after civil war many AA live din segregated areas in american cities--neighborhoods organized among color lines Environmentalism and AA: Conservation movement at turn of 19th century emerged during same period cities became negatively signed balck areas Separate but equal legitimized racial segregation in US for 70 years Colonized "others" Segregation and poverty still militate against equal access to resources and encourage toxic waste dumping in dixie Control of wild represented kind of state that western societies could export throughout world to colonized other lands Conclusion: People of color found themselves colonized or enslaved as euro civilization spread through globe--they have been left out or victims Degraded soils and threatened now by wastes dumped on lands and neighborhoods EJ provides justice for people of color, women, and nature and reverses past env jinjustices disproportionately experienced by minorities EJ is righting of inequities of past through laws regulations compensation and removal

analyzing nature-society hybrids

Example: Katrina, Sandy, Ida Observes that politics and wind, language and water, ideologies and levees, discourses and storm surges together produced an outcome that remade the world** In every interaction, w every object on earth, such outcomes are produced on a tiny scale every day

reading: global env justice and biodiversity conservation

In nagoya new era of living in harmony was born and new global alliance to protect earth was established Nagoya remembered as city of biodiversity Conference marked by divide between developing countries and industrialized countries over market based and other business approaches to biodiversity Southern countries pointed at the env and social risks of market based mechanisms of the north Notions of justice permeate debates regarding env issues infused w tensions arising from centuries of colonial exploitation Main arg is that in order to make progress EJ will need to move beyond distributive dimensions of justice and deal w recognition To show this they highlight cases of conservation in developing countries where efforts to improve distribution can require potential beneficiaries to assimilate to dominant ways of knowing and living w nature Beyond Distributive Justice: An understanding of biodiversity conflicts can best be understood through multidimensional conception of justice that emphasises distributive, procedural, and recognition Distributive concerned w benefit and burden sharing who gets who Distributive justice is important for biodiversity --poor pay disproportionate cost for conservation while rich secure most benefits Determining just distribution may be based on attempt to determine what individuals deserve to receive or gaining agreement regarding fair procedure for allocation--so procedural justice is close w distributional Recognition offers distinct and important additional conception of env jus while also recognizing constraints that prevent recognition Considerable cultural diffs between parties Recognition abt seeking equality between diff ways of knowing world and understanding whose culture is privileged Emphasis on procedural and distributional does not mean people will have respect so need recognition Western liberalism focuses on state based arguments that are inadequate so we need identity based arguments for recognition and understanding lack of status and respect of marginalized people Analysis of recognition must consider how status hierarchies bias distribution and procedure for different identity groups If we define justice recognition as aiming for state affairs where all people have right to equal respect Lessons from history: Setting aside of land for conservation of species and habitats is associated w restricted access to resources by elites and displacement of access by peoples less able to common dominance Clearance model exported from other countries to new world landscapes through creation of national parks of yellowstone and yosemite w military management and eviction of indigenous people who shaped new wilderness landscapes These engender 4 justice transgressions like human rights and ignore all procedural distributional and recognition practices CIHR Conservation practice recently looks to how we can redress past injustices and create new policies and practices that are more inclusive Ways of knowing or ways of not recognizing: Since coinage in 1980s term biodiversity The rapid bio loss in tropics is one of pressing env issues of out times and human activity is major cause Current justice practices in biodiversity conservation: This way of knowing biodiversity has brought progressive allocation of territyo to conservation activities a phenomenon that can be associated w displacements and loss of resources for local people New management and technologies have been developed Most significant interventions to make conservation more fair seek to uphold rights to benefits via system of distribution 2010 Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization--intended as framework that balances access to genetic resources on basis of prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms w fair and equitable sharing benefits while taking into account role of traditional knowledge Seeks to limit distributional injustice By recognizing traditional knowledge, ABS agreements help to lessen effects of past agreements Need more recognition Widespread use of tourism revenue sharing schemes: in tanzania more abt gaining greater leverage t\over communities and commodifying nature for tourism then addressing community concerns abt distribution ABS and PES might be mechanisms for improved distribution Efficient, create new prop rights and can redistribute benefits or costs in ways favorable to poor Social justice and environmental sustainability: Conflicts between demands of biodiversity conservation for the many and demands for social justice by the few who live near to its hotspots Separation of env and social in moral thinking is a product of perceived contest between fear of extinction and its repercussions for the common heritage and desire to respect human rights Social justice and env sustainability not always compatible objectives If want to achieve biodiversity conservation need to align social and env justice Conclusion: Biodiversity is infused w justice issues Call for maintenance of political economy analyses of the locations of aliens of contemporary socio environmental justice issues w nuanced understanding of roles of capitalist structures and assumptions in the production and mitigation of these issues

reading: indigenous peoples crucial for conservation

Indians have deep connections to lands inhabited and it persisted despite colonization, displacement and suppression of identities How much do indiegnous people still own or manage? Make up less than 5% of global pop but still own much of land Indigenous lands cover 38 mill square kilometers or quarter 4 of all land outside antarctica 87 countries have people who are indigenous and have land they still own or is managed Valuable lands for conservation--65% of lands have not been intrusively developed Indigenous lands encompass ⅔ of world's most remote and least inhabited regions--lowest levels of built env, crop land, human pop, night time lights, roads and more 40% of lands listed by nat gov around world managed for conservation are indigenous Great Contribution: Indigenous have great contribution to conservation--land management regimes Danger in making assumptions about aspirations of indigenoujs peoples Without proper consultation conservation based on indig stewardship may be unsuccessful and bring back colonial legacies Conservation projects only good if rights, knowledge systems, and practices of indigeous are acknowledged Local perspectives to indigenous relations w land are important Much more than biodiversity that relies on indigenous management of land For many countries the areas we have mapped are the minimum--prob even more indigenous influence Crucial message: indigenous peoples hold the future of much of the world's wilderness in their hands

podcast: participatory mapping

More indigenous territory been claimed by maps than guns How indigenous groups protecting their land and culture are putting name on map Suriname--indigenous people make up most of it but it still does not recognize indigenous land claims Indigenous groups literally not on map Lots of legal contracts allowing people to work build and more on their lands and its bc of conflict there Indigenous people forced and abandoned traditional beliefs and habits Participatory- mapping-indigenous groups in s using maps to document and promote their knowledge and stick claim to their land Participatory includes locals and gives them power Mathway--community based mapping starting--suriname independent nation A quarter of S population were formerly enslaved Matawhy--live in buffer zone so their territory provides additional protection for biodiversity and stuff People come for coal mining and tourism and ask locals to sell resources which Started mapping late in this community Its from imminent importance from present and future to start mapping and save lands--pieces of community left abroad when they come back they can look at map and read history and know where they're from First want to document natural highways flowing through territories--rivers--bring food and travel and central part of like for Maroons Then from there the matawhy added everything they knew First step in mapping process is consulting community Next thing is to get actual locations of where creeks and local features the locals gave you are--can bring in GPS or other stuff to visit places Using these tools they can look into ecosystem types, deforestation and more and it helps to create forest cover data sets Field officers provide training to indigenous groups to become certified as indiegnoujs park guards and become park rangers in territory Important for food security issues--IPG do more than mapping Lots of potential in community based mapping--difficult in beginning but like new baby and eventually you learn Now learn from person who started all of this w hand drawn maps: all started 150 miles to south in Trio community Make your own map by putting own names for things Began to hand draw maps from memory All started without technology but now use it to make it more efficient (TRADITIONAL LANDS) Show local knowledge and heritage and show pride--chief proudly stands up When local people see efforts and knowledge it makes locals wanna participate Want to hold protect cherish all of the land and map essential for that Radical thing isn't technology but the platform maps give indigenous group--helps them to communicate why territory important in world that doesn't recognize them It is THEIR map While map is useful also gives claim that stuff is theirs--enables community to document own knowledge In our centuries local knowledge increasingly being lost Indigenous still struggle for recognition is world that has erased them from official map Determination to ensure that one's community and culture have right to survive and to claim that one's community family and env exists and will continue to exist now that knowledge is on map

true nature: revising ideas on what is pristine and wild reading

New research shows that humans have been transforming earth and ecosystem for millennials--what is unspoiled nature and what should be preserved We like to think most nature was untouched until recently--have calculated that at least ⅕ of the land across most of world has been transformed by humans as early at 5000 years ago Human footprint huge from day we began burning grass lands and forests for hunting--extended more w slash and burning agriculture As much as a tenth of trees in the Amazon grow on man-made dark hearts created by pre columbian farmers Much of amazon is actually forest regrowth--overgrown gardens Other tropical rainforests seem to have been farmed The bison-grazed plains in NA were remade by native americans long before europeans showed up Book shows how many superficially natural ecosystems are heavily influenced by introduction of alien species Human activity has also drastically given alien species more room to travel Extinctions caused by new arrivals happen and can sometimes be devastating--most invaders settle down and become model eco citizens and after a while we forget about them Usually invaded ecosystems end up w more species than they had before--anthropogenic melting pots In new analysis, ecosystems begin to look a lot more accidental and transient than niche theory suggests Novel ecosystems are different but not necessarily worse--aliens may contribute to rewilding those parts of the planet we no longer need Change including rapid and disruptive change is a natural feature of the world Ecosystems constantly being remade by fire and flood disease and new species--"ecological fitting"--coevolution is a bit-part player in ecosystems --most times species muddle along and fit in as best they cAn Ecosystems have always been in constant state of flux--change is natural feature of world--humans have dramatically speed up change If novelty and change is then orm does it make sense for growing business of ecosystem restoration to try and recreate static historic ecosystems Doing that you are not creating a functioning ecosystem you are creating museum exhibit Conservationists argue need to be more positive about ecological benefits of traditional farming some argue--some think need more intensive industrial farming to provide food world needs while leaving land for nature Good news from all this is that nature emerges as resilient and adaptable and can bounce back from horrible things In an era of rapid climate change if any species are going to thrive surely it will be the desperadoes, stowaways, and vagabonds that have been hitching a ride around world w humans--species that closely resemble us So if novels are the new normal, should we be encouraging their travels rather than stopping them at the border?

externalities of one hardwood board $2.28

Price excludes: -Value of a trees as: shade, rooting soil, water and filter carbon sink, home for birds and biodiversity, intrinsic cultural values -FUll cost of production: air, water pollution, fossil fuels, social costs of low wages?

knowledge of terra preta, its creation, and its uses:

Terra preta de índio Biochar modern , capitalist co-opting of indiegnous knowledge

Reading: Terra Preta

Terras pretas-portuguese for black earth--cover small areas of two-20 hectares in lowland regions of Amazonia Soils also named amazonian dark earths found in vicinity of rivers Soils have higher nutrient content compared w other amazonian soiled and shower higher PH They are dark w large amounts of black carbon from incomplete combustion of organic materials Cover 6000-18000 square kilometers of wooded amazonian lowlands Formed 2500 to 500 years before present--soils valuable bc show fertility and many used for agriculture Dominating soils in amazon are extremely nutrient poor and acidic and not suited for agriculture Traditional form of cultivation in amazonian tropics is slang and burn bc it creates fertile fields The knowledge and localization of terras pretas in amazonia is traditional indigenous knowledge This knowledge remains scientific basis for research in this topic--ask locals Modern research only considers published articles which is bad makes it look like only white researchers were active producers in knowledge of terra preta Indigenous Knowledge on Terra Preta: Terra preta is local term from brazilian amazon lowlands--euro travellers first learned about soils through native companions These soils specifically searched for by native groups in Amazonia but also other river dwellers Indigenous knowledge is much older than white knowledge--but indigenous knowledge poorly documented Indigenous once knew origins and properties and had opinions considering terra preta origin Eije Erich Pabst's research focuses on how terra preta could've been formed and whether there still exists indigenous knowledge on soil management techniques that would have led to formation of terra preta He wanted to improve amazonian lowlands--but none of groups he interviewed knew recipe for terra preta production Possible knowledge once existed but lost w discovery of SA by euros and diseases brought and indigenous displaced from favorable regions and lived non-sedentary lives by force so traditional knowledge reduced His work did reveal some origins of indigenous idea--natural or stem grom gods and some say fire plays role Weather terra preta formed intentionally or unintentionally by product of indiengous ways of life is still big debate Arguments in favor of intentional: research shows that currently living Amerindian groups lifestyle leads to formation of formation of black earth--even if not still safe to say groups formerly living carried out soil management techniques by adding charcoal, ceramic sherds, and organic material Also safe to say if organic matter improves soil somewhere people will notice and carry it on Use of charred organic material probably from origin in east asia--plausible to assume that not only in east asia but also SA people developed methods of soil improvement via biochar use even if knowledge later lost Selective transfer of indigenous knowledge to foreign researchers: Second phase characterized by selective transfer of knowledge abt phenomenon and geo locations of terra preta to euro settlers and researchers like archaeologists The transfer of local indidgneous knowledge to euros is process of historical sig that has been analyzed Freyre attributes central role in process of knowledge transfer to cunha--the Tupi Guarani woman W out transfer the conquest of SA by euros wouldn't have happened bc conquest requires knowledge of how to survive in new and unknown env Euro researchers learned about dark earths from indigenous people--motivated first by discovery of potshers of cultures in these soils Where there is dark earth there are clay figures and zoomorphic appendages--do locals refer to soils as terra preta de indio--black earth of american indian Pre columbian settlements interested in the ceramics not earth Existence of fertile amazonian dark earths has far reaching sig for reconstruction of history of americas bc forces scholars to revise estimates of number of inhabitants in amazonia before 1492 Pre colonial pop of 8-10mill is plausible based on terra preta acreages in amazonia Scientific Characterization of terra preta de índio: Until first half of 20th century white knowledge of terra preta restricted to positivist knowledge Nimuendaju did research and postulated that wherever certain earth was found (terra preta) ceramic fragments of earlier cultures would also be found--following this he discovered remains of 63 previously unknown indigenous settlements in vicinity of San-tarem Terra preta reframed into manufactured stuff people can buy at garden centers He concluded terra preta and anthropogenic soils--intentionally or not they produced by indigneous pops having once settled there Said all terra pretas were of indigenous origin and formation due to burning of wood in hearths and not slash and burn Also said all dark earths where archaeological sites--so in opposition to earlier idea that presumed natural genesis of terras pretas So investigations: showed that black earths differ from chemical from reddish oxisols in amazon bc higher ph and more organic stuff Synthetic Black Earth as Climate Savior: 4th phase of knowledge of terra preta starts w idea that amazonian dark earth could be produced synthetically and such production might mitigate major social and env probs Wim Sombroek outlined diea to use biochar to sequester carbon which would be decisive for further story of terra preta Proposed to produce terra preta nova (new) through intro of charcoal into nutrient poor soils Gave inhabitants of amazonia an instrument to achieve greater harvests He argued sig contribution to fight against man made global warming could be made Combo of terra preta w climate change brought terra preta to international agenda Said terra preta novel could help w mitigation of climate change bc stored carbon He provided soil science w media attention --created research agenda and story To help climate problem from industrialization we use made made earth who we owe to indiegnou people living in forest in harmony w nature Terra preta nova as commodity and myth in industry and science: Somebroek's vision has been put into practice--in 5th phase terra preta reframed as commodity Terra preta nova is object of growing industry and has mae product out of amazonian soil that people cannot buy in gardens International biochar initiative founded whose goal is to support commercialization of biochar suitable for manufacture of black earth --should increase climate protection Elemental carbon in form of charcoal became focus bc of climate issue Terra preta nova diff from terra preta de indio--manufactured product, terra preta nova is de-contextualized substance that can be commercialized and produced anywhere Basically terra preta de indio became terra preta de gringo--a dark earth non place based w researchers and businessmen Also my constructed: new synthetic context for decontextualized substance Research must sell nowadays and it sells better w a good muth Bruno Glaser says terra preta can contribute to 3 of the Millennium development goals in that it fights for desertification, binds atmospheric CO2 and fights global warming, and helps to maintain biodiversity hotspots in tropical rainforests It would stop further degradation of rain forest and protect climate Some look at biochar soil as win win approach--producing bioenergy and sequestering carbon while improving climate Some say terra preta nova is a salvation as a return of something ancient--some tales tell story of prehistoric conditions and people and gods In this case it was pre-columbian indian who was in possession of secret to fertile soil--based on knowledge and wisdom Mythicizing is problematic in scientific context--suggests technical way out of problems First way to get out of global warming is not technical but political There are technical options but won't work bc global political will is limited Mythicizing fulfills functional purposes By end of march 2017 4019 publications published referring to terra preta or biochar Terra preta is framed as carbon sink and inspired research in waterways treatment Health considerations come into play like smoke and pyrolysis processes Mainly large companies profit from integration of terra preta nova and biochar And not easy to confirm that biochar is sustainably produced and noes not originate from illegal deforestation Outlook: In germany terra preta registered as protected names or trademarks but not productions of euro creativity They are intellectual achievements of people of amazonia Modern terra preta research would have hardly ever started w out indigenous knowledge And knowledge of special suitability of terra preta for plant cultivation originates in traditional indigeonous knowledge Still questioned whether ancestors of amazonian natives living today produced terra preta intentionally but observations support claim Who benefits? Terra preta nova intended to help local inhabitants of amazonia and mankind

what is the pristine myth?

The Pristine Myth: -scholarship/science is an argument -Contentious battle for acceptance Production of knowledge/"facts" -Function of POWER--who is powerful enough to exert his will? What are the implications of the world in question for the dominant class/dominant ways of thinking/knowing? -Pristine Myth-What is it? -"The belief that the Americas in 1491 were an almost unmarked, even Edenic land "untrammeled by man" -"Restoring this long-ago, putatively natural state is, in the view of environmentalists, a task that society is morally bound to undertake" (from reading for this weeks-Charles C Mann 1491)

Chapter 2 Reading: A history of EJ

US Context: -Environmental justice came into use in 1980s--associated w events and resistance within the black belt region of the US deep south and carried out my communities of color in the face of unfair siting of environmental externalities like waste facilities in their community -Overburdened w environmental ills like pollution, toxicity and petrochemical industries -1982 protest demos by black community in warren county NC against siting of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) is critical event in justice movement -In 1982 they gathered to show opposition to PCB landfill--community was mostly black and poor and protests did not stop soil from being dumped and protest was punished w 414 arrests--first time anyone arrest for trying to stop toxic waste -Key movement preceding warren county protests in 70s was Love Canal, NY where community members responded to poisoning of neighborhoods by chems buried in hooker chemical company--protests and Lois Gibbs was held hostage in home from EPA to elicit action and response from US gov -Residents majority white here--gibbs never arrested for taking hostages but the peaceful protests in warren did--so effects of toxic waste treated diff in black and white communities -Events in warren county not unique to black communities--report in 1987--UCC important bc collected data verifying experiences of black communities living in degrading areas from unfair citing--the reports analysis of data demonstrated that race was most sig IV for commercial waste facilities and uncontrolled waste--laid groundwork for key environmental justice principle which is environmental racism -ER: "Any policy, practice, directive that differentially affects or disadvantages individuals, groups, or communities based on race" -Identifies way race function inselection of unfair distribution of benefits and costs associated w development -"The path of least resistance" --most vulnerable communities burdened w environmental ills Strategies of Resistance against environmental justice: -Structure of inequalities in environment follow patterns of domination and oppression--environmental injustice looks and feel and is handled differently by different communities -Settler colonialism is major issue that deeply affects environmental realities for indigenous nations and complicates privileging of environmental racism as foundational principle around US env justice was structured in 80s Environmental justice is movement starting a living w people: -while environmental justice has intellectual dimensions it is primarily a grassroots and people driven movement--"we speak for ourselves" -Allows those actually affected to speak and should liberate own communities--difficult convos about privilege and diffs in background history and resources -Detroit Black Food Security NEtwork: 2006, serve detroit black who were expecting high rates of food insecurity and small access to healthy/affordable food--product of various processes like economic recession, extraction of economic capital from city, legacies of slavery, racial apartheid, goverment mismanagement in city -Vision statement of DBFS--need to honor community members most affected and align them w processes of community action--dominant society usually ignores probs in these places--silence experiences of communities so much that they're not trusted -Track historical struggles of particular peoples that shape forms of resistance apparent in environmental justice movement--direct action non violent demos and grassroots come from global communities of color--all have resistance against domination and oppression--these forms of resistance belong to communities which are constructed a powerless by dominant society Need to honor strategies of resistance globally that communities have exercised Gender: -Gender important vector for considering environmental harm--women and children most vulnerable of global community especially environmental risk/ills -Many on front of grassroots and env change are women specifically women of color--women and children of color are most affected segments of community when comes to forms of oppression like poverty, gender violence, environmental degradation and more -Women take up resistance bc no one else will and women are charged w caring for homes and farms -This means women home more and monitoring health of immediate fams--exclusion of gender from environmental justice is troubling -Women of color are often behind the scenes leaders of resistance against env injustice in communities and organize events--yet least recognized in mainstream--even in communities of color the relegation of women to subordinate categories affects recognition they are afforded Academic Debates on Environmental Justice: -Academics have attempted to track and understand what env justice is--led to convos that concern which paradigms of justice are found in living forms of advocacy for clean and safe environments for all communities that are human and more than human -Scholars involved in debate in what kind of justice environmental justice is Theories of justice need framework for assessing nature of harm bc cannot make restitution for injustice that cannot be measured in agree dway -Theories include what is means to suffer from harms and parameters of what is means to repair communities that experience harms--harm tied to repair or what it takes to achieve justice -Current frameworks moving past purely distributive model of justice--bc concept of harm in environmentally unjust settings is too nuanced to be captured by distributive solution (people who live near polluting facilities treated as second class citizen who rest of society can ignore so solutions must involve cleanup and redistributing environmental burdens but also creating a positive community image and concept and correcting prejudices -May involve deep involvement meaning community members must have direct role in decision making process and not just experts (procedural justice) -Robert Figueroa's framework has environmental theory that owns up to challenge of moving past distributive justice: theory is bivalent in that addresses both community's need for fair distribution of env resources and its need for culturally/historically appropriate models of justice-- Claims that damage and harm of injustice not just about deprivation of environmental goods but harm also has deep physical and existential dimensions (example in australia where white british settlers colonized land already full by aboriginals--basically like aboriginals didn't exist--like today when black or vulnerable communities pay highest price of environmental toxicity for global "progress" elsewhere -Terra nullius in australia--said no harms can be perpetrated by aboriginals bc they have already been deleted from history and present context--hard to tell you don't exist -Environmental justice scholarship has expanded to trivalent theories and conceptions that attempt to address and combine frameworks of justice like distributive, procedural, and recognition -Communities experiencing environmental injustice also have diverse histories and heritages Global environmental justice: honoring diverse environmental histories, heritages, and identities: -Looking into how some communities like poor and color have been globally manufactured as probably recipients of environmental harm--need to think about global regimes of power that contribute historically and continuously to the relegation of particular geopolitical places and peoples to the bottom of global hierarchy -Environmental justice expands space of possibility for examining the intersectional sites of humans and environments and multiplies number of those whom we consider when talking about environmental degradation -Focus on environmental racism limits the place and identity of people of color in relation to environment to negative sites of interaction and oversimplifies struggles of diverse populations of color -The overwhelming focus on distributional issues and environmental racism does not constitute a limited approach in terms of analyzing particular environmental identities -Env justice movement emerged intending to serve communities whose env realities were not considered to be environmental by mainstream env movement which historically was limited in terms of privilege in race class and ability -Environmental privilege--privilege in one area of life can lead to this -Most of the time communities of color facing severe env injustice must focus efforts on surviving and resisting injustice affecting the stability of life -Also explore how historical narratives and heritages and identities of colored communities overshadowed by env injustice--so moving toward env justice involves acknowledgement of unique env histories and heritages -Env justice can overshadow resilient relationships to environments that precede env degradation Corps relied on vulnerability of communities of color produced by structural inequalities to identify those communities as least likely to thwart siting practices of harm "path of least resistance" or "powerless" -However these communities not powerless--have hundreds of years of intergenerational experience in combating global regimes of power that have attempted to appropriate their lands--their history precedes these env injustices -These histories of communities of color globally are marginalized within dominant discourse -Thinking communities who experience env injustice as only having that history leaves out their env heritages that are applicable to our current env crisis -Climate change discourse predominantly reproduces same environmental elitism present in mainstream environmental movement --constructs CC as urgent and new but globally minoritized people have been subjected to climate change for much longer -For env justice need to open our hearts to diversity of knowledge, resistances of powerful communities who survive in face of these awful obstacles -Majority of world incurs burdens of global community build on marginalized people and the west sees itself as only history worth telling and its achievements that are manufactured The developing world is developing bc was subject to corruption of west--no natural inferiority--it is structural system of land appropriation, brutalization, extraction and theft that renders the balance askew -If we want env justice we have to look at whole history of how and why our globe looks and feels way it does -Env justice for all means an honorable place for all peoples acknowledging their environmental contexts, histories and heritages so no community is ever labelled powerless or disposable .

Week 1 Lecture: Contemporary Struggles for EJ

Water crisis in Flint, MI -State agreed to $600M settlement -Standing Rock and DAPL: pipeline was very close to native american reservation if spills=bad--allowed to stay in operation pending env review due March 22 -Atlantic Coast Pipeline: abandoned by DE in July----Dominion energy pulled it due to grassroots organizing--compression stations along pipeline but placed in rural, historic, aa communities **MOVEMENTS/STUDIES OF EJ ARISE FROM: COMBOS OF SOCIOECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND GENDERED INEQUITIES**

social construction of nature reading

Welcome to the Jungle: Jungles of Borneo in south pacific split between malaysia indonesia and brunei What you see in these forests and what you think you see are both influenced by other people--they are socially constructed Our ideas of pristine and authentic tropical nature are not simply raw mental images it is social construct National park itself is social construct SO you say it's Natural? Nature has 3 common usages: essential quality and character of something, inherent force which directs either world or human beings or both, the material world itself, taken as including or not including human beings Notion of different biological races of humans has been debunked over past century Racial categories are social construction Social Construction of new world natures: Europeans though the world was unchanged since the creation of time--not realizing the slavery and NA that actually had changed the land Looked at it religiously Also political imagination--labor and natural rights Environmental Discourse: Discourse puts elements of a narrative, concept, ideologies, and signifying practices together Tragedy of the commons Environmental discourse analysis is method for examining constructions of nature that attempts to reverse trend toward stability of discourse by placing them under scrutiny Discourse of North Africa desertification: It has become a desert--largely due to overgrazing--still abundance of flowering plants-- William Cronon argues that the time has come to rethink wilderness--dominant view of wilderness as land untouched by humans in troublesome--nothing is untouched Also idea of wilderness has problems on american environmental movement as whole Scientists say many things we take to be natural objects of scientific inquiry are not found but socially constructed through process and practices of science Relativism: If knowledge of natural world rooted in social constructs, stories and ideologies it become difficult to establish reliable info and knowledge upon which to act

pristine myth and amazonia: terra preta

terra preta: black earth, anthrosols, anthropogenic dark earths (ADE's) Incorporated charcoal High levels of stable soil organic matter (SOM) Highly fertile soil relative to surrounding soils Ability to persist in the landscape, up to 2500 years Reproduces itself in the ground but still do not know how Idea for long time that amazonia people not sophisticated enough to have sustainable agriculture to have big pop and long reigning area (betty meggers)