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Earth Day 2021: Health, environment, and inequality

“Amid a devastating third wave of COVID-19 in many parts of the country, Earth Day serves as a reminder of the relationship between human and environmental health, which we simply can’t ignore. The current overlapping crises also reinforce the need to meaningfully address ongoing and worsening inequities.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

Ottawa (21 April 2021) — Earth Day 2021 occurs just over one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, this day was cause for reflection on experiencing the dual crises of COVID-19 and climate change, and on the lessons to be learned.

One year later, we reflect on the links between health and the environment that have received new or renewed attention during the pandemic.

“Amid a devastating third wave of COVID-19 in many parts of the country, Earth Day serves as a reminder of the relationship between human and environmental health, which we simply can’t ignore,” said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. “The current overlapping crises also reinforce the need to meaningfully address ongoing and worsening inequities.”

COVID-19 and the environment

Over the last year, there have been many questions raised about the impact of the pandemic on the environment. For example, there are reports of increased household waste due to more time spent at home and a surge in online shopping (CBC News). But it’s not yet clear whether we are producing more waste overall, or if it has shifted from now-shuttered commercial spaces to our homes.  

It also remains to be seen what more working from home means for the environment, as NUPGE has examined. On the one hand, fewer people are commuting, but on the other, individual household energy costs, for example, may be higher. Also, the focus on individual workers or consumers obscures the systemic impacts on the environment of activities like global trade, transportation, and resource extraction, which continued unabated.

But, what the last year has perhaps reinforced most of all is the impact of environmental factors on individual and public health. And the pandemic has also shone a light on how we’re not impacted equally.

The case of environmental racism 

This is exemplified by the problem of environmental racism.

Environmental racism is defined as “the inequitable and disproportionate placement of toxic facilities and other environmental hazards near communities of colour and the working poor” (ENRICH Project).

There are numerous examples in Canada. The book, There’s Something in the Water, by Dalhousie University’s Dr. Ingrid Waldron, and the Netflix documentary of the same name, provide a comprehensive overview of environmental racism in Black and Indigenous communities in Canada and its roots in settler colonialism. 

Health disparities based on inequality

Environmental racism, an aspect of systemic racism, has serious negative impacts on people’s physical and mental health.

Just one example is the location of what is known as Chemical Valley, a highly concentrated area of petrochemical refineries near Sarnia, Ontario, right beside Aamjiwnaang First Nation. The exposure to chemicals has not only harmed the First Nation’s air and water, but it also threatens the health of community members. 

The impact of inequality on health has become an all-too-familiar story during the pandemic, as NUPGE has observed. Racialized communities in Canada have faced a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and death, as statistics show. Workers of colour and low-wage workers have also faced higher rates of COVID-19. 

An opportunity for Canada to do better

There is much work to be done to address the root problems of these inequities. One cause for hope is the growing public awareness of environmental racism. And, last month, a private member's bill on addressing environmental racism in Canada passed second reading in the House of Commons.

Bill C-230, if passed, would require the federal government to collect data on the location of environmental hazards and the health outcomes in these communities. As the COVID-19 crisis has shown, collecting this type of data can be key to helping decision makers understand the scope of the problems that communities have long been aware of.

The bill would also require the federal government to compensate affected communities and to ensure they are involved in future policy making. This is critical because another component of environmental racism is the lack of involvement of Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) communities in environmental decision-making and policymaking (ENRICH Project).

The bill, if fully implemented, has the potential to make real strides to address environmental racism.

We must all act

BIPOC communities have long been speaking out on — and resisting — environmental racism in Canada. It is time for the rest of Canadians to speak out and demand action, as advocates have urged.

Individuals can sign the petition to support Bill C-230. They can also contact their government representatives (samples available here). 

In our movements, we must also centre the voices and leadership of BIPOC communities in the fight against environmental racism.

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