Social Sustainability

 Social Sustainability 

https://www.thegivingmachine.co.uk/corporate-social-responsibility-simple-guide/

Ch. 4 Even Breathing is a Risk... (p. 35) - 

U.S., black people are about three times more likely to die from exposure to airborne pollutants than others. The study also concluded that many of these deaths could be prevented if the federally mandated air quality standards were tightened. Reducing current levels of so-called fine particulate matter by just one micro-gram per cubic meter of air would save about 12,000 lives every year, the scientists found.

I feel there have been too many instances where deaths have to occur in order for us to see change. It really makes me question "what is more important than human life?" I understand the process of regulating air quality to a desirable condition does not get resolved overnight but there has to be a temporary solution until the main issue is handled that ensures safety to the community as they live in undesirable conditions. Within this line I learned a surprising fact that people of color are at a higher risk than Caucasian people to die in the circumstance of an exposure to airborne pollutants. It is sad to hear that many have to endure the poor air quality because of not enough money to buy their way out of that environment. They have to endure it, which is something we would not have to if we took the initiative to work on this problem as a community. 

 Ch. 4 Even Breathing is a Risk... (p.36) - 

People in Griffin Park and the wider community of Parramore say they have tried in vain to get officials to focus on the air pollution and other environmental problems they fear are creating health problems for residents.

This line caught my attention as it tells me how vital the planet's impact is to us. It is either with us or against us and that depends on how we treat it. The community of Parramore is concerned about the poor air quality creating health problems as they should and did the right thing by reaching out to officials to highlight the problem. The officials let them down by not being quick in their response as they planned to do a health assessment of the area in the next five years. As the health assessment took place there were high amounts of carbon dioxide and dust found in the apartment buildings. The poor air quality was so bad that there was a paramedic on site taking in residents for heath issues. It is disappointing that it takes people dying for something to be done. Its readings like this that make me contemplate how long it will take for us to come to our senses that if we do not start caring about the planet then it will catch up to us and take a turn for the worst. 

 

Ch. 9 Bang Your Head Against the Wall Long Enough... (p. 80) -   

Most workers harvesting Florida tomatoes are picking the hard, round green tomatoes later sprayed with ethylene gas to get that orange-red color of out-of-season supermarket tomatoes.

This line was surprising because it was not until I watched the Food Inc. movie that I was exposed to the truth. I was not aware that tomatoes naturally produce produce their own ethylene gas and go at their own pace to slowly redden as they ripen. I learned that tomatoes are sprayed with ethylene to replicate it being ready as it is forced to turn red rather than getting the chance to develop its natural, juicy flavor on its own time. At first I was confused to why we have to go through these measures but it hit me that as we 1) demand more from our resources and 2) as we go through them quickly are the main reasons why we feel the need to produce quicker without considering the quality of food being consumed. It is crazy how the simple solution to this problem is to use the resources we have in the present rather than compromising future generations of their resources. 

References 

Leopold, A. (2018). Even Breathing is a Risk in one of Orlando's poorest neighborhoods. In S. Jackson, A. Nunes-Zaller, J. Salmond, B. Thomas (Eds.). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy (p. 34-38), Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Leopold, A. (2018). "Bang your head against the wall long enough...". In S. Jackson, A. Nunes-Zaller, J. Salmond, B. Thomas (Eds.). A Sustainable Future: Equality, Ecology, and Economy (p. 79-92), Kendall Hunt Publishing.