Environmental and race issues are issues that have continued to raise concerns across the universe. According to Purdue ecocriticism is defined as “the study of relationships between literature and the physical environment” The following articles and the Ted Talk make the argument that this simple definition does not include real human beings or ethnic minorities and how their experiences and lives play a role in the environment. They are not taken into account nor are they valued as something worth evaluating or learning from their stories. Often, they are used as a platform in which to place blame on by those who are in power. T.V. Reed in “Toward an environmental Justice Ecocriticism”, talks about conserving the environment for the prosperity of human life. Literature has a unique role to play in environmental conservation. Reed says the use of literature to criticize the environment’s handling helps ensure that the ecosystem is conserved for the prosperity of supporting life adequately. Vandana Shiva in “Earth democracy”, advocates for the reasonable use of natural resources such as air, water, and biodiversity to warrant environmental sustainability. The earth community has a right to enjoy life democracy from natural gifts. Those with some power, for example, political should not take advantage of selling or own natural gifts like water bodies since every living creature has a natural right to sustenance. Shannon Prince insists on the significance of the black race. The black race has been despised for long, and their capabilities downplayed. Shannon believes that African American literature has a unique role in informing the world of the importance of environmental conservation. Tupac, for example, is a legendary rapper whose work still tells to date. Shannon advocates for taking care of the environment because it ensures the sustenance of life and even increases birth rates. She finishes by saying that black is the new green (TEDx, 2017).
The intersection between environmentalism and social issues is the unfair treatment of poorer communities and/or minority groups that are exposed to harsh environmental conditions in comparison to wealthier classes in society. In the media, I see a lack of information on this particular topic, and to be honest, this topic wasn’t something I had thought about or was aware of until this discussion post. Race and environmental issues are, therefore, intertwined. Most people despise environmental conservation for selfish gain even when they know that environment is crucial for survival. The same way the minority races has been hated as inferior, yet they have unique abilities to help in advocating for environmental conservation. If we really want to examine the world around us we must start the discussion for environmental justice.
Inside the Mind of Los 