What is the environmental justice issue and why is it important to you
Your final project will be a research project with two deliverables – an in-class presentation and a written report. You will select and research a current environmental justice issue disproportionately impacting a low-income, indigenous, or community of color anywhere in the world. Try to choose a topic that is important to you and is not well-known publicly. The project should highlight a community that is disproportionately impacted by air, soil, or water pollution. The source of the pollution can vary – e.g. agriculture pesticide runoff, industrial air, soil, or water contamination, transportation pollution (e.g. freeways, railways, airports, ports), etc.
Research Questions:
To receive full credit for this assignment, your research must answer the following questions:
What is the environmental justice issue and why is it important to you?
Who is impacted by the environmental justice issue?
In class we have talked about cumulative burdens. Is the community facing multiple injustices at the same time? If so, what are they? If the historical context of any of these burdens is relevant, please explain what that historical context is (e.g. colonial relationship, historic redlining).
What research and data (if any) exists to explain the health, economic, or social impacts that the pollution is causing? What role did the impacted communities play in these studies, if any?
Choose one stakeholder that is trying to stop and / or raise awareness around the environmental justice issue? What strategies are they using? What solutions are they promoting?
What is (or are) your recommended solution(s) for how to solve the environmental justice issue you have selected?
Deliverables
You will submit your research findings in two deliverables (you must complete both for full credit):
A 4-5 minute in-class presentation with 2-3 minutes of Q/A with the class, AND
A 3-5 page written report on your findings.
Please answer the (6) questions above in both deliverables. The presentation should be a very high level overview, while the paper will allow you to provide more detailed responses. The purpose of the two deliverables is for you to practice using multiple mediums to communicate complex issues. Feel free to integrate photos into either deliverable. Sources of your research can include class lecture, guest speakers, our class books, other relevant readings, internet research, and interviews of people with first hand knowledge.
Presentation – For the presentation, you can use powerpoint (or equivalent) slides or speak without slides. Please practice your delivery and time yourself to complete the presentation within 5 minutes. You will lose points for going over 5 minutes or under 4 minutes. You will then have 2-3 minutes of Q/A with myself and your classmates for a total of up to 8 minutes of presenting. No need to cite resources in your presentation.
Answer preview What is the environmental justice issue and why is it important to you
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