Peter Gibson in this article argued a very good point – that people in poorer areas are simply too busy with life to worry about ozone depletion. He points out that the majority of people in green groups (in developed Western nations, at least) are mostly white middle class. In other words their message and concerns are for areas already well established and rich, or rather environmentalism is for those who afford to be concerned about the environment.
Most of the world’s population today still do not have internet access. So I am really talking preaching to other like-minded people who do not need to hear the message. What I do need to do then is not work for my already nice clean area, but help those in other areas in need of help.
Often I have talked about leaving human concerns out of the equation – calling this “strong sustainability” – but really leaving economics and government out is not the same thing as working for human rights. So I must reassess my line of thinking.
The work ahead then is both for the environment and for humankind. While the environment is most definitely a victim of politics and capitalism, I now must reconsider that the underprivileged and the need-not-be lower class are also part of the same systematic victimization.
Thank you, Mr Gibson.
signature103 
I’ve been getting a little rusty on the observation side lately. Too much parenthood I would put it down to. I have noticed you blog has been slow also. But I guess your work is mainly on YDN.
Hope you are well.
LikeLike
This is great observation. As one ‘segment’ of all sentient beings, the economically disadvantaged are the ‘human population’ most affected by environmental degradation. I alluded to this earlier when commenting here about the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Why are polluting business operations often co-located with economically disadvantaged populations? It is a self-organizing process. The ‘poor’ do not have the power to fight the location of a polluting facility in their pre-existing neighborhoods, and once located in a neighborhood, polluting facilities lower property prices such that these neighborhoods become the only ‘affordable housing’ for those impoverished.
Good to see your posts, sig103! Oh, and if you have time in the next day or so, please sign Imago’s Birthday blog! His birthday is May 9. The name of the Birthday blog is ‘prajnaparamitra’ and is set-up here at wordpress . com.
Regards.
LikeLike