Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumStudy: People of color breathe air that is 38 percent more polluted than white people’s
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/17/study-people-of-color-breathe-air-that-is-38-percent-more-polluted-than-white-peoples/Study: People of color breathe air that is 38 percent more polluted than white peoples
By Scott Kaufman
Thursday, April 17, 2014 8:06 EDT
~snip~
We were quite surprised to find such a large disparity between whites and nonwhites related to air pollution, Marshall told The Minnesota Post. Especially the fact that this difference is throughout the U.S., even in cities and states in the Midwest.
Across the country, the study found, people of color are exposed to 38 percent more NO2, which comes from vehicle exhaust and power plants, and which has also been linked to an increase in asthma and heart disease. The Environmental Protection Agency considers NO2 concentration one of the most significant threats to air quality, and monitors it alongside other pollutants, such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and lead.
According to Marshall in the article, the researchers studied NO2 levels in urban areas across the country and compared specific areas within the cities based on populations defined in the U.S. Census as nonwhite or white.
The health impacts from the difference in levels between whites and nonwhites found in the study are substantial, Marshall continued. For example, researchers estimate that if nonwhites breathed the lower NO2 levels experienced by whites, it would prevent 7,000 deaths from heart disease alone among nonwhites each year.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 690 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (12)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Study: People of color breathe air that is 38 percent more polluted than white people’s (Original Post)
unhappycamper
Apr 2014
OP
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)1. I would imagine that I could have conducted this study for 1/2 the costs or for free for that matter
In cities, you have many more cars and industries "polluting" the air and a vast amount of people in general live in the cities. The amount of minorities are larger populated in cities.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)2. when they cut the data by income they still found tha gaps
When Marshall compared the exposure gap between high-income Hispanics and low-income whites, for example, the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations were still higher among high-income Hispanics.
So does this mean that neighborhoods with high percentages of "people of color", across a range of incomes, tend to be in areas where there is more air pollution? If yes, that suggests that some kind of redlining may be the cause.
Loudly
(2,436 posts)3. It's those buses.
KT2000
(20,581 posts)4. Environmental Justice
There was an office of Environmental Justice at the EPA for years but it has been neutered. It has long been known that nonwhites have suffered from not only greater pollution but have had their communities used as grounds for toxic waste disposal and industry.
It is not just the cities but rural areas where their air and water is contaminated by mounds of toxic waste.