Biology & Sustainability

Event Title

Using GIS to Identify and Predict Environmental Racism in Indiana

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Subject Area

Biology & Sustainability

Start Date

11-4-2014 1:15 PM

End Date

11-4-2014 2:45 PM

Description

The environmental racism movement calls for the recognition that minority communities and individuals are burdened with a disproportionate share of environmental risk. In this project, we examine the relationship between race, socioeconomics, location, environmental and health hazards in Indiana using Geographic Information Systems. Specifically, we investigated the location of hazardous waste sites, industrial emissions, groundwater contamination, and negatively associated health effects including birth defects, endocrine disrupters, and cancer. Using data obtained from publicly available government and census websites, we investigated the correlation between geographic equity and hazardous environmental exposure in Indiana. Our results suggested that minority groups (black, asian, hispanic) lived in areas of higher environmental and hazardous impact. Furthermore, areas with a higher environmental and hazard index were more likely to be in areas of high child poverty. Our results suggest correlation between a hazardous index and negative health effects, mainly birth defects. However, we did not find significance relating industrial emissions and health effects, but given a longer study and access to more specific data we believe that we might find a correlation between emissions and negative health effects.

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Apr 11th, 1:15 PM Apr 11th, 2:45 PM

Using GIS to Identify and Predict Environmental Racism in Indiana

Indianapolis, IN

The environmental racism movement calls for the recognition that minority communities and individuals are burdened with a disproportionate share of environmental risk. In this project, we examine the relationship between race, socioeconomics, location, environmental and health hazards in Indiana using Geographic Information Systems. Specifically, we investigated the location of hazardous waste sites, industrial emissions, groundwater contamination, and negatively associated health effects including birth defects, endocrine disrupters, and cancer. Using data obtained from publicly available government and census websites, we investigated the correlation between geographic equity and hazardous environmental exposure in Indiana. Our results suggested that minority groups (black, asian, hispanic) lived in areas of higher environmental and hazardous impact. Furthermore, areas with a higher environmental and hazard index were more likely to be in areas of high child poverty. Our results suggest correlation between a hazardous index and negative health effects, mainly birth defects. However, we did not find significance relating industrial emissions and health effects, but given a longer study and access to more specific data we believe that we might find a correlation between emissions and negative health effects.