From Our readings this week, I believe that environmental Ethics and injustices are related in many ways while they can also be separate issues at times, they also carry some relations. From our readings and just from the things we have learned over time we know that all humans deserve and should have rights to basic things like clean water, food, shelter, etc. However, as we can see worldwide this isn’t the case. Many populations who live in poverty or below the poverty line do not have access to these basic things that at times those of us who have them can take for granted. I think when environmental issues arise, or disasters happen from unethical placement of say hazardous materials in a poverty driven neighborhood people can turn a blind eye to it because of the area its in. And to begin with those who live in areas away from things like this don’t care much because something like a landfill isn’t near their home or area, somewhat of an out of sight out of mind deal. There are many that live in these areas that have to deal with companies putting hazardous waste sites or disposal sites in near their homes which could contaminate their water or make their living conditions even worse, but they aren’t protected against the unfair environmental risks.

As the worlds population continues to skyrocket, the need for basic goods continues to rise to meet the consumption requirements of the worlds people. Water is a basic human right and as Americans, for the most part, we have access to clean, potable water almost anywhere. When you read an article on a water shortage or an issue in regards to a lack of or pollution issue with water, it may trigger an emotional response, but unless you have actually experienced what it is like to not have that available to you, then you could never fully understand. People from affluent backgrounds have options, if there is an issue with water and if you have money, there is a workaround. If clean water is not available, you can buy some at a store, you can have water delivered, you can build containers to store water for your household etc. When options like this are available to you, it is hard to feel the impact and truly empathize with a person who might not have those secondary options available.
A human beings set of ethics are driven by the environment that they were exposed to as a child. When you see nothing but positives and not only are you basic needs being met with ease, but your luxurious ones too, your care for environmental ethics could be less than others that don’t have the same good fortune. However, there are people from these wealthy backgrounds that do take the time and see the issues of the world and dedicate their lives to trying to fix them. People from these arenas of life as environmental activists can be very successful as they have direct access with people who have significant amounts of money to donate. It is all about what the individual person decided to do with there life…
“With almost 60% of the world’s population at risk of death because from one or more of these four categories (and their causal connections with poor sanitation), we are not very far along the road toward reaching the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal 7, target 10 to “halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water” (UNDP 2003).” (Boylan 2014). We are facing a potential catatrosphe down the line with our water. We need to to drink and bathe. It is the esential bulding block of human life and the planet we inhabit. Unless we can all come together from all sides and backgrounds to battle the issue head on, we will be doing our future generations a grave injustice.