Environmental Justice: What is the Path of Least Resistance?

Alsen. Institute. Emelle. West Dallas. These cities are just several examples of environmental racism and the path of least resistance in the United States.

As environmental justice gains more attention in the media, it is important to understand why industries choose specific areas to dump toxic waste and how this affects lower income communities.  

The Path of Least Resistance

The path of least resistance is the idea that lower-income, minority communities can be easily exploited because of a lack of environmental regulations, economic disparity, and uneven development (such as rural black belt communities). Robert Bullard’s book Dumping in Dixie explains race, class, and politics and the connection to the path of least resistance.  This is in comparison to whiter, higher-income communities that traditionally have not had the same systemic struggles as lower-income communities.

Companies have found cheap land and labor in the South due to poverty pockets, minimal labor unions, low community involvement, and a lack of economic development. This means that there is little resistance to environmentally hazardous facilities from a community, especially if a business pushes the idea that they will create new jobs. However, Bullard notes that companies do not actually bring in a high number of jobs, meaning that the communities don’t reflect the promises that a company made to better the economy.

Understanding the Placement of Toxic Waste Facilities

This is where the “path of least resistance” comes into play. Historically, low-income minority communities in the South have been the victims of hazardous environmental sites because of a lack of regulations and systemic issues such as limited political power in their cities. This environmental racism puts minorities throughout the country in unsafe health conditions.  Environmental laws in the United States in the past are focused on protecting the environment, not people.

A company’s right to pollute does not take economic disparity and uneven economic development into account when determining location, leading to health issues in these communities. This can lead to a fracture in the community as residents try to decide whether jobs or their health is more important. Alsen, Louisiana is a prime example of the conflict of a minority community’s health and economy prospects. One company continued to pollute the air, despite over 100 state and federal environmental citations from 1980-1985. 

Toxic Waste in my City

 In 2015, one of the middle schools in my city had a problem with toxic waste. Hanes Middle School was built on top of one of the most polluted grounds in the community. This middle school was home to a highly academically gifted program, a multiple abilities program, and catered to many of the children in the surrounding area. The community was furious at the time, especially the parents of children who attended, or had attended, the school.  

This wasn’t the first time that this has happened in my city. Another school that overwhelmingly served low-income minority students discovered the same chemical in 2013. While the community in my city was dismayed at this discovery, the reaction and media response were much different. The difference is that Hanes Middle School served a lower number of low-income minority students and the parents of that school community had more money and structure to discuss the matter with the School Board.

Learning More About the Path of Least Resistance

 If you live in a community that has not historically had issues with toxic waste facilities polluting your community and causing health issues, you can learn more about environmental racism and environmental justice. The resources listed below are book and documentary recommendations that can help you further understand this issue and learn more about other environmental justice issues.

• Buy Robert Bullard’s book Dumping in Dixie here to learn more about environmental racism in the South
• The Right to Harm is a documentary about the hog industry and effects on communities throughout the United States
• The book Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility can be purchased or listened to for free here
• Watch this documentary to learn more about Alsen, Louisiana

How to be Actively Involved in Your Community  

This issue will not go away quickly. The path of least resistance and environmental racism have been around for a long time. Without community involvement and push-back, these inequities will remain.  

If you live in a community that may be more at risk of having toxic industries move into your community, having a unified community is one of the most important things.  Unified communities have a better chance of hearing their concerns voiced directly to the local government and potential company. Holding companies accountable in your community is also an important way to ensure that they are fully disclosing health risks or will be held accountable to any harm done to the community.

Another way to ensure that your community or surrounding areas will not be negatively impacted by a toxic industry or waste is to understand your local and state environmental regulations.  If there is a lack of regulations, call your representatives and petition for more environmental and community protection.  

The main tools used in communities affected by environmental racism are protesting, litigation, fundraisers, and petitions. Grassroots movements such as “not in my backyard” have had success pushing industries to do health checks and push for more regulations. 
With this in mind, it is important to remember that you can help change and improve your community and those surrounding it. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it starts somewhere, whether it is by learning more about the issue or starting a conversation in your community about prioritizing the health of all residents. 

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