The environmental and human impact of our global economy is visible in ports, where chemicals, oil, natural gas, and massive containers of goods are moved, shipped, and stored. In this video op-ed, activist Jan Victor Andasan describes how the pollution spewing from these ports, pipelines, refineries, and rail yards contaminates the air of nearby communities, causing long-term health problems for their family and neighbors. Andasan explains how organizations like the East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice advocate for clean air, such as requiring ports to move to zero-waste operations.
- Andasan’s op-ed focuses on the working-class communities that surround the container ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Who lives in these communities? Why is the air so polluted in these neighborhoods? How does the pollution affect the people who live in these communities?
- Andasan makes several strong, vivid claims in their argument. Find a quote from the video or the written op-ed (0:43) that stands out to you. Sandwich that quote using the techniques explained in Chapter 3 and explain why you think this claim is significant.
- This video, which features the sights and sounds of the ports, freeways, rail yards, and refineries, was produced in response to Andasan’s written op-ed published in the Los Angeles Times. Read this op-ed (0:43). How does hearing and seeing Andasan affect how you respond to the argument? Compare the tone of the written argument and the video argument. Which argument do you find more persuasive? Why?
- At the end of the video, Andasan responds to the “so what?” question by asking, “Do you think about pollution as violence?” (2:30) Explain what this means in your own words. Who is responsible for the violence? Who gets hurt? Why do you think Andasan chooses to describe pollution as “violence”?
I agree with Andasan that port economic activities pose a serious threat to the body of people living nearby. There is no doubt that economic activities play a significant role in the development and competitiveness of the United States. It is common to discover economic communication and corporation in different countries. A massive amount of semi-finished goods and finished products need to be shipped, transported, moved, and stored as inventories. As a result, ports and railways are crucial for contributing to shipments between two distinct points. There are factories near the port as well. However, those economic activities such as ports, pipelines, refineries, and rail yards release large amounts of gases causing serious air pollution. They are harmful to the human body. People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. For residential areas that are built near the ports, those harmful gases cause huge damage to the residents through respiration which cannot be reversed if they live there for a long period of time. For example, Andasan and his brother have got asthma. Those people may not have enough capital to move to a higher living environment like new immigrants and low-income classes. Therefore, it is crucial for people who are responsible to take action immediately. In order to prevent more serious damage to residents. The port responsible should import a zero-waste or environmentally friendly scheme as soon as possible to build a clean-air community for the residents nearby. It is suggested to regulate constantly to prevent a lack of follow-up management for those improving schemes. So that the ports are able to be developed a sustainable environment for enhancing economic activities.
Posted by: Michelle Liu | 07/29/2022 at 01:51 AM