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The Flint, Michigan water crisis began in 2014 when the city switched its water source to the Flint River to save money. The water was not treated properly, leading to corrosion of pipes and contamination with lead. This posed serious health risks, especially for children. The crisis was exacerbated by environmental racism, as Flint is a predominantly black community with high poverty rates. Authorities initially ignored residents' complaints and downplayed the issue. The crisis gained national attention through independent investigations and research. The government's response was inadequate, with quick fixes that did not address the lead problem. The crisis also led to an outbreak of pneumonia caused by fecal bacteria in the river. Environmental racism is a major factor in the crisis, and addressing it requires self-education, amplifying the voices of impacted communities, and holding representatives accountable. The government's negligence and failure to take proper action have caus Welcome to Decoded. I'm your host Jasmine Brown. On this special episode we'll be talking about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. The questions I'll answer include what is the Flint, Michigan water crisis and why you should care. Stay tuned for part one. So let's start from the beginning. The Flint water crisis is classified as a public health crisis occurring in none other than Flint, Michigan in April of 2014. How did it begin you ask? It began when the city of Flint under emergency management switches water source from the Detroit water and sewage department water to the Flint River. You may ask yourself, why was there a switch in the water source? I'll answer, of course, to save money. I know what you're thinking, so what they changed water supplies. Great, now they're saving money. Well short answer is no. The water from the Flint River was not properly treated. This lack of treatment led the pipes to corrode and leaving lead in said pipes. This contaminates the drinking water with lead and other pollutants. For the viewers who don't know, lead in water is hazardous to humans and especially dangerous for children. Lead contaminated water can cause brain damage, especially in children, leading to cognitive issues and learning disabilities. It can also cause reproductive issues, heart issues, and developmental issues. I think you can see where I'm going with this. Lead contaminated water is detrimental to developing minds and adults alike. The Flint River for decades has been the city's go-to spot for disposing of waste, meaning Flint's factories, paper mills, and meatpacking plants, both treated and untreated, dump their waste into the rivers and they've done so for years. Now I see it earlier that this issue started in April of 2014, but when was it resolved? For years the people of Flint ingested hazardous water, but here's the catch. Well, I guess you'll have to wait here and get the catch on my next episode of Decoded, What Happened in Flint, Michigan. Welcome back to another special episode of Decoded. I'm your host Jasmine Brown and this is episode two of Decoded, What Happened in Flint, Michigan. To recap, Flint, Michigan switched its water supply in April 2014 and in June of 2014 it was revealed that the water was contaminated with lead. Now that you're all caught up, I'll answer what the catch was in episode one. Well, the residents were aware that something was different. The water was reported to be discolored and smelly. Now listeners, what would you have done in that situation? I wouldn't have let that fly. Oh my gosh, that is insane. So suddenly your water is a different color and it smells. Well that wasn't the end of it. Flint, Michigan residents started having health issues, but authorities tell residents it's nothing to be concerned with. I wonder why authorities didn't immediately spring into action. Hmm, well for one let's look into this who this public health crisis affected. Flint has a population of around a hundred thousand people and of that 53% are black. Flint is also home to incredibly high poverty rate and also has low level access to education. So a third of the Flint population falls under the poverty line. So to break it down, Flint is comprised of predominantly black residents with a low income. Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking? Racism. Not just racism, but environmental racism. That's not real. What is that? I've never heard of that. Environmental racism is defined as the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards, pollution, and the sitting of waste facilities or other environmentally harmful activities on communities of color, particularly African-American, Hispanic, and indigenous. It includes and is not limited to the intentional and unintentional discriminatory practices that communities disproportionately being plagued with environmental risks and hazards are faced with. And let's compare this to the wealthier or predominantly white communities where this would have never happened. Stay tuned for the next episode where I'll answer how you can combat environmental racism, how the Flint, Michigan water crisis became leading news, and well, I guess you'll have to tune in to learn more. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown. Welcome back to Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and in episode 2, I revealed that Flint, Michigan's water crisis is a prime example of environmental racism. So now that you're all caught up, today we'll be talking more about environmental racism. Today, I have special guest Cameron Harris, political scientist and incoming master's student for foreign policy. Cameron has extensively studied environmental racism. Hi. Thank you, Cameron, so much for being here today. The viewers are begging to learn more about environmental racism. I'm happy to help. Well, thanks to our amazing audience. They've sent in questions for our expert, you, Cameron, to answer. So first, can you explain environmental racism? So environmental racism is defined as a form of racism leading to negative environmental outcomes such as landfills, incinerators, and hazardous waste disposal disproportionately impacting communities of color that violate substantive equality. Wow. So you're saying that there's no inequality in environmental racism? Hmm. Maybe it's a little like racism racism, but with a twist. Thank you for that amazing answer. I also want to ask, because our viewers are dying to know, do you believe that Flint, Michigan's lack of motivation to solve this issue was racially motivated? I feel like it could have been racially motivated because of the people that live in Flint and how those people are mostly black and brown and it was more of a social economic problem as well. Wow. Social economic? Can you talk more about that? Because the poverty line in Flint, Michigan is lower than other places in Michigan. I feel like they weren't jumping to go help them. Wow. I think you're right about that. Wow. You hear that, Cameron? Everyone's really excited to hear more from you. So let's move on to our next question. How do government policies and regulatory practices contribute to environmental racism? So environmental racism occurs because of social economic and political factors. For example, unfair practices such as redlining where certain neighborhoods or areas are marked on a map have harmed communities of color. For example, in many communities of color, there are people where they can't buy land because it's all rented because of redlining. So they can't generate wealth and so they just stay in the poverty line. There's also places where it forces individuals and families to live in areas with few resources and more environmental dangers, such as food deserts. Or they do things such as put highways in the middle of low income areas or building pipes through Native American land. Wow. That is really hard to hear. Huh. Well, for our next question, what can our viewers do to take action? What can they do to combat environmental racism? Now that they know what it is, of course. Thanks to you, Cameron. So true environmental justice refers to redistributing decision-making power back to vulnerable communities that are systemically impacted by environmental racism. I would say that they should do three things. The first thing is to practice self-education. It is always very important to educate yourself about any issue that you're passionate about and to be able to have a conversation with other people about it. Number two is to elevate the voices of impacted communities, to support the people that are speaking up and make sure they can be heard. And number three is to hold your representatives accountable. Your votes matter. Making sure you elect people that will support what you support and what you believe in is very important. Wow. I think I'm going to act like that. I think I'm going to make a step for change. Thank you so much to our special guest, Cameron Harris. That was insightful and educational. Now, on our next episode of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan, I'll answer how the crisis made world news. Tune in for more. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown. Now, let's talk more about Flint, Michigan, the water crisis. This is Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. In this episode, I'll be answering how the crisis made worldwide news, how the community was affected, and where Flint, Michigan is now. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown. So, you're wondering how the Flint, Michigan water crisis made national news, huh? Tell me. Okay, okay. Hold your horses. Independent researchers and Flint, Michigan residents did their own investigation and spoke out about the issue until it received national attention. Then, a study of Flint, Michigan water was conducted by Virginia Tech researchers. Their research revealed a spike in lead levels in the water, and it was a spike so high that it exceeded the federal level where corrective measures must be taken. Did you hear that? Must be taken. But, it was also revealed that the children in Flint, their blood levels containing lead had doubled from the previous year. Gosh, this sounds awful, right? Well, that's not all. If you recall earlier, I said that the Flint River was basically the city's dump site for waste. Well, hold on to your seats, because the river was also home to fecal bacteria that caused an outbreak of pneumonia. What? Yeah, you heard me right. This illness killed 12 and resulted in the sickness of almost 100 Flint, Michigan residents. So, now it's confirmed that there's lead in the water and fecal bacteria. The government has to fix the issue, right? Well, long story short, no. The government, in an effort to fix their mistakes, added more chlorine to the water without fixing the lead issue. Oh, my gosh. Right, people? Folks, this is what we call a quick fix, and from what I know about quick fixes, the problem is almost never solved. The government was saying, But, correct me if I'm wrong, folks. Have the people of Flint, Michigan not given the government a reason to make change? Well, their change was adding chlorine in the water, which, of course, proved to be a breeding ground for cancer-causing chemicals. Now, folks, you asked your government for help, and instead of getting help, they give you a quick fix. How would you fix the problem? Well, how would you react? How would you be in this situation? I know, personally, that I would not be the best resident. I'd be raising, I'm sorry for a lack of better words, hell. These poor residents have faced illness after illness, and in every turn, the government has failed them. So, the people of Flint, Michigan decided to petition to the Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, for And they did this in the hopes that there would be action. Finally, just some action. But, of course, the EPA failed to act. Fed up and frustrated by the lack of response, Flint, Michigan resident Melissa Mays, and what I like to say, local hero, after you hear all this, and a lot of supporting groups, sued the city. Isn't this what we all needed? All they wanted was clean water. Thankfully, in March of 2016, all the residents were provided with a faucet filter because of the actions of Melissa Mays. Like I said, guys, she's a local hero. And, of course, a year later, in March of 2017, a judge thankfully granted the residents of Flint a settlement that states the city must replace lead riddle pipes, get free bottled water for at least 13 months, and test the tap water, while including a nice, robust health program to help those affected by the lead infested water. Just in case you forgot, folks, lead infested. So, I think you can see where this is going, right? Well, it might just have to be a bit of a break. Well, this sounds like it might just be a happy ending, right? Well, things aren't always as they seem, and I guess you'll have to find out more in the last episode of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and I'll see you soon. Welcome back, listeners. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown, and this is the final episode of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan. Last time, we talked about how a judge granted Flint residents a settlement, and that stated that the city must replace the lead riddle pipes, get free bottled water for at least 13 months, and test the tap water, and, of course, give more health programs to those affected by the water. A happy ending, as I said last time? Well, I guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out. I'm sorry to disappoint, folks, but there is no happy ending. The city of Flint has not actively been checking for lead in the water, and it's not been replacing the pipes that's contaminated with lead, so it is very possible that, though the lead levels have been below the federal level, that residents are still being exposed to lead in their water. This is not the end I was hoping for. So, just to be completely clear, any level of lead in water is hazardous. It doesn't really matter if it's below the federal level, and water contaminated with lead should not be consumed. Wow, this is just tragic. And now, we're forced to ask ourselves, who paid the price of this? Well, the residents paid the ultimate price, and continue to pay, as many residents do not have the choice of moving. They're unable to sell their homes. Come on, ask yourself, would you want to live in Flint, Michigan? Would you buy a house in Flint, Michigan, and subject yourself and any potential family members to what the people of Flint, Michigan have been going through? Obviously not. And of course, those in Flint, Michigan who are wealthy enough to move have escaped the daily exposure, but of course still feel the effects. So, you're saying to yourself, someone has to pay for this. People are getting hurt, and they're still being hurt. Well, no government officials were criminally prosecuted. And of course, the residents of Flint continue to fight in civil court, but it's been years. What can we really do now? Now, that's the horrifying reality of the Flint, Michigan water crisis. So, after hearing that, folks, I hope you're really thinking, and right now, I'm going to challenge you to educate yourself about environmental racism. Sure, we had amazing speaker Cameron Harris here, but there's so much more you can learn. You need to start supporting social justice advocates, and that's not just liking Instagram posts. That's going out. That's protesting. You hold your representatives accountable, and you read the policies that they're coming up with, because maybe you'll see that it's not fair. And please listen to the people of color. I want you to act. Go protest. Speak up, and I promise you, you won't regret it. Flint, Michigan should have never happened, but in this world, there are more Flint, Michigan, and they never got this kind of recognition. I want you to think about the stories that we haven't heard. I'm Jasmine Brown, and this is the last episode of Decoded, What Happened to Flint, Michigan? Signing off, goodbye.