By Alyssa Dykman, Public Policy Institute of California, August 5, 2020
Three crises facing the nation—COVID-19, systemic racism, and the economic recession—have placed environmental justice in the spotlight. Disparities across the environment, the economy, and COVID-19 are inextricably linked to race/ethnicity and disproportionally affect communities of color. At the same time, people of color are more likely than whites to be concerned about these inequities. PPIC’s latest survey on environmental issues takes a closer look at Californians’ views.
Communities of color more often face environmental hazards such as water and air pollution, storms, and heatwaves, an imbalance now amplified by the pandemic. For instance, power plants and oil refineries are disproportionally located in African American neighborhoods, exposing communities to poor air quality and a higher risk for coronavirus.
About six in ten Californians say air pollution is a very serious (21%) or somewhat serious (42%) threat to their health and that of their immediate family. While at least half of Californians across regions and demographic groups see air pollution as a serious health threat, African Americans and Latinos are about twice as likely as Asian Americans and whites to express this view.
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