Background/Question/Methods Long before Mr. Eric Garner, Mr. George Floyd, or more than 70 other individuals screamed that they could not breathe, communities had been loudly, emphatically and unequivocally stating that they could not breathe, thanks in large part to where they live and the contaminants to which they are exposed. In the United States, communities of color and/or low income have been forced to live within certain city and state boundaries, both real and imaginary. Long-term exposure to particulate matter is associated with racial segregation, as more highly segregated areas suffer higher levels of exposure. Redlining practices and NIMBY – Not in My Back Yard – are still experienced by some people. Vulnerability to climate change is determined by the ability of a community or household to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the direct and indirect impacts of extreme weather events and geophysical shifts. These same communities are impacted by biodiversity loss and the same pollution pathways and the same connections to life. For example, carbon dioxide contributes greatly to global warming. It is also food for trees and plants and when it is combined with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, helps trees grow and thrive. But as carbon dioxide concentrations rise, trees become unhealthy, as do humans. In addition, living in areas with fewer trees means higher air pollution, extreme temperatures, urban heat islands and higher health issues, including increased asthma, cardiopulmonary issues, rates. Results/Conclusions A scarcity of trees disturbs the water cycle and may reduce rainfall, leading to droughts. Trees and plants act as a natural barrier to slow water as it runs off the land. Roots bind the soil and prevent it from washing away. The absence of vegetation causes the topsoil to erode more quickly. Soil erosion, while a natural process, accelerates deforestation. Deforestation results in decreased water holding capacity of soil. This reduces the infiltration of water into the ground, which causes floods. Climate change can be mitigated by increasing carbon absorption. Marine plants, algae and bacteria produce up to 80 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Trees, sea grass, ocean waters and other species absorb carbon and other air pollutants. Understanding the connection between people and the planet and putting our ecological system back into balance will lead to a healthy and thriving Earth.
