Abstract
Historically-redlined neighborhoods across the metropolitan United States – often socioeconomically disadvantaged communities of color – have been shown in multiple studies to be disproportionately affected by environmental burdens, having greater exposure to air, water, and ground pollution as well as being subject to the “urban heat island” effect. Studies into the continuing environmental inequity present in these communities in Portland, Oregon specifically have addressed this phenomenon, finding that these neighborhoods are 8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer on average than their wealthier and (mostly) whiter counterparts, in large part due to a lack of green spaces and tree canopy. While the effects of extreme heat are well-documented (recently illustrated by the record-breaking heatwave in the Pacific Northwest), in what other ways are socioeconomically disadvantaged communities affected by inequitable environmental and urban policies? This project will use the programming language R to create an interactive visualization of 1) recent air toxic emissions and their relation to formerly redlined communities using facility emissions data from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 2) demographic shifts over the last 50 years using U.S. Census Bureau data, and 3) urban and environmental policies that have exacerbated socioeconomic disparity in the City of Portland. Preliminary results suggest that vulnerable communities are exposed to air toxics at a concentration higher than the average. Our goal is to create an open-access, interactive mapping tool that serves to inform and empower communities and guides policy makers to develop more solutions to address systemic disparities through the lens of environmental justice.
Presenters
Warren GunnStudent, Mechanical Engineering, Portland State University, Oregon, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Education, Assessment and Policy
KEYWORDS
Redlining, Environmental Justice, Geospatial Analysis, Air Toxics, Environmental Burdens
