Terry J. Cole wrote an interesting essay, including an important question, "So why should People of Color be concern about the environment?". He described how White people came from a different land, leaving their ancestors behind, and took over the New Land. It was described as misunderstanding the connection of the nature between People of Color and White People. Another point was made by how Black people don't have the same opportunity and access to healthy food, and that they live in areas where toxins are abandoned. Cole even researched the medical conditions of different races, he wrote that Black people have higher chance of getting many disease than the White people, mostly is caused by where they live.
I agree with Cole's opinion about People of Color living in communities that are more exposed to toxic waste. I think it is mostly caused by the increasing price of rent in the areas with fresher air and cleaner environment. But my question is, should only People of Color be concern about the environment?
I say no, everyone should be concern about the environment because where we live, later on bounces of on our health. People in most parts of Manhattan have better access to the fruits and vegetables supplies, cleaner environment and more park space. This could be also the cause of the education level, jobs, income, and where people can afford to live. A person with low income will not rent out an apartment in Manhattan because the rent is too high. So what he/she will do, is search for an apartment where he/she can afford. Most likely it will be an environment close to a factory or far away from privileges, for ex. market place or public transportation. As the article, An Outer Borough Drought by Courtney Gross, says, "But out of Manhattan, greens get elusive. In the South Bronx, residents have about half of that supermarket space". It is true, and might be based on the average income of that community, but according to me it's because renting the space to open up a market might be too expensive, and to supply it with fresh fruits and vegetables could be too much of a cost.
Where we live and how we eat, shouldn't be based on the color of our skin but on education and how much we earn. It's logical that if we have a low pay job we won't be able to live in a nice, clean neighborhood, and a super market close to our house, where we can supply ourselves with as much healthy food as possible. So what I think is, stop with the pity, get to work, and don't blame the color of your skin for how much you earn. It's America, everyone is EQUAL.
One important issue you raised in this post is that we all should care about the environment and I would say especially because we all live together; that is, the pollution of Queens, say, will eventually affect those in Manhattan anyway, so it is in everyone's interest in stopping it now.
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