The Environmental Injustice of Oil Drilling: Health Impacts on Ethnic Neighborhoods

by | Jan 27, 2024 | environmental studies

In this essay please talk about how oil drilling is an environmental racism issue that can come with very negative health problems and please talk about how they only choose to put oil drills in ethnic neighborhoods. Talk about how they do this in South Los Angeles, mainly. You can mention them doing this in other communities but I kinda want to focus on my readers community which is South Los Angeles. This is an argumentative essay so can you please try and convince the reader that they should agree with me. Can you do this by giving multiple examples of how oil drilling can be extremely harmful to those who live around them. Please provide a clear thesis statement in the beginning of the essay that clearly states that oil drilling is horrible for our health and thats why the government decides to put it in ethnic neighborhoods, because they are racist. Also, please provide enough evidence to support what you are saying. Thank you so much for your help. Please make this high school appropriate by not using very big words:)! I want to make sure the high schoolers understand. If you have any questions, please contact me. Again, I really appreciate this thank you so much.
Here are some sources that I really want you to use:
– https://theconversation.com/los-angeles-long-troubled-history-with-urban-oil-drilling-is-nearing-an-end-after-years-of-health-concerns-175983
– https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/project/stand-la/
– https://www.thenation.com/article/environment/los-angeles-oil-drilling-nalleli-cobo/

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

 

The Environmental Injustice of Oil Drilling: Health Impacts on Ethnic Neighborhoods

Introduction

Oil drilling has long been a contentious issue, with its detrimental effects on both the environment and human health. However, when examining the distribution of oil drilling sites, a disturbing trend emerges—these operations are often situated in ethnic neighborhoods, leading to environmental racism. This essay will argue that oil drilling is an environmental racism issue, particularly in South Los Angeles, by highlighting the negative health consequences associated with such operations and providing evidence of the disproportionate burden placed on marginalized communities.

Thesis Statement

Oil drilling is a grave threat to public health, and the decision to locate these operations in ethnic neighborhoods, such as South Los Angeles, is a testament to the underlying environmental racism perpetuated by the government and oil industry.

Health Impacts of Oil Drilling

The health consequences of living near oil drilling sites are significant and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Several studies and reports have documented the following negative health effects:

Air pollution: Oil drilling releases toxic chemicals into the air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter. Exposure to these pollutants can lead to respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and an increased risk of cancer.

Water contamination: Oil drilling activities can contaminate groundwater and nearby water bodies through spills, leaks, or improper waste disposal. This pollution can render water sources unsafe for drinking and irrigation, posing grave health risks to communities that rely on these resources.

Noise pollution: Oil drilling sites are noisy environments due to heavy machinery and equipment. Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise can lead to sleep disturbances, stress-related illnesses, and impaired cognitive function.

Increased cancer risk: The proximity of oil drilling operations to residential areas exposes residents to hazardous chemicals known to cause cancer, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Studies have shown an elevated risk of cancer among those living near oil drilling sites.

Environmental Racism in South Los Angeles

South Los Angeles serves as a prime example of how environmental racism manifests through the placement of oil drilling sites. The following evidence illustrates this troubling pattern:

Concentration of oil drilling: South Los Angeles is home to a disproportionately high number of oil wells compared to wealthier areas. According to the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, nearly 580,000 people in Los Angeles County live within a mile of an oil well, with communities in South LA bearing the brunt of this burden.

Health disparities: South Los Angeles already faces numerous health disparities, including higher rates of asthma and cancer. The placement of oil drilling sites exacerbates these disparities by exposing residents to additional harmful pollutants, further compromising their well-being.

Lack of regulation: The government’s lax regulation and monitoring of oil drilling operations perpetuate environmental racism. This lack of oversight allows for the continuous exploitation of marginalized communities without proper consideration for their health and safety.

Conclusion

Oil drilling in ethnic neighborhoods, such as South Los Angeles, is an egregious example of environmental racism, with severe consequences for public health. The negative health impacts associated with oil drilling are well-documented and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. The concentration of oil wells in South LA highlights the government’s complicity in perpetuating environmental injustice. It is imperative that we recognize and address these issues by advocating for stricter regulations, equitable resource allocation, and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Only through collective efforts can we rectify the injustices faced by communities living in the shadows of oil drilling operations and ensure a healthier future for all.

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