Comments on: Will Restricting Immigration Protect the Environment? http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2009/10/29/will-restricting-immigration-protect-the-environment/ Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:51:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: ERocha /2009/10/29/will-restricting-immigration-protect-the-environment/#comment-22185 ERocha Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:49:26 +0000 http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/?p=3228#comment-22185 Great piece. There are a lot of holes in there argument. While it is easy to blame the newcomers, the truth is, immigrants tend to be poor and locating in low income areas, which actually is filling up the void caused by white flight. Those who do live outside the city, chose location where there are jobs, in other words, jobs that recruited them. That is why we are seeing new immigrant enclaves popping up. The area where you do find pockets do not consist of poor infrastructure and existing homes, which have been instrumental in revitalizing many old neighborhoods. The sad thing is, this leads to gentrification. Urban sprawl reflect consumer preferences to new and bigger houses and large yards. The problem it comes with consequences. Since we are now living in a post-industrial era, people have to commute back into the city for their office jobs. If they want to talk about environmental factors, then we must address environmental racism. In the United States, the victims of environmental racism are African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders, who live in environmentally hazardous conditions. Since you brought up Houston, those who live in Houston's East Side are predominately Latino. The Houston Ship channel happen to be located on the east side. As a consequence, the residents of this communities suffer poor health, poverty, diminished economic opportunities, substandard housing, and an overall degraded quality of life. I had never had allergies until I started working there. Let's talk about the border. As maquiladoras line the US-Mexican border polluting freely, degrading the border environment, while their corporate headquarters happen to be miles away reaping from the profits. All the while, the poor and working communities on both sides of the border are consigned to low-wage jobs and environmental health hazards. So where they, if they are so concern about the environment? Malthusians are nothing more but pseudo-environmentalist. Great piece. There are a lot of holes in there argument. While it is easy to blame the newcomers, the truth is, immigrants tend to be poor and locating in low income areas, which actually is filling up the void caused by white flight. Those who do live outside the city, chose location where there are jobs, in other words, jobs that recruited them. That is why we are seeing new immigrant enclaves popping up. The area where you do find pockets do not consist of poor infrastructure and existing homes, which have been instrumental in revitalizing many old
neighborhoods. The sad thing is, this leads to gentrification.

Urban sprawl reflect consumer preferences to new and bigger houses and large yards. The problem it comes with consequences. Since we are now living in a post-industrial era, people have to commute back into the city for their office jobs.

If they want to talk about environmental factors, then we must address environmental racism. In the United States, the victims of environmental racism are African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders, who live in environmentally hazardous conditions.

Since you brought up Houston, those who live in Houston’s East Side are predominately Latino. The Houston Ship channel happen to be located on the east side. As a consequence, the residents of this communities suffer poor health, poverty, diminished economic opportunities, substandard housing, and an overall degraded quality of life. I had never had allergies until I started working there.

Let’s talk about the border. As maquiladoras line the US-Mexican border polluting freely, degrading the border environment, while their corporate headquarters happen to be miles away reaping from the profits. All the while, the poor and working communities on both sides of the border are consigned to low-wage jobs and environmental health hazards.

So where they, if they are so concern about the environment? Malthusians are nothing more but pseudo-environmentalist.

]]> By: amodvaze /2009/10/29/will-restricting-immigration-protect-the-environment/#comment-22183 amodvaze Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:31:19 +0000 http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/?p=3228#comment-22183 I wholeheartedly agree that "blaming immigrants prevents wasteful Americans from taking ownership of their contribution to environmental pollution and degradation." It's easy to blame groups with no voting power because there is little or no retaliation from these groups. Perhaps in a moment of life imitating art, this reminds me of "Much Apu About Nothing" episode of The Simpsons (Season 7, Episode 23) when the unreasonable bear tax (referred to by Lisa Simpson as "the smallest tax increase in history") had to be instituted because of illegal immigrants. I wholeheartedly agree that “blaming immigrants prevents wasteful Americans from taking ownership of their contribution to environmental pollution and degradation.” It’s easy to blame groups with no voting power because there is little or no retaliation from these groups.

Perhaps in a moment of life imitating art, this reminds me of “Much Apu About Nothing” episode of The Simpsons (Season 7, Episode 23) when the unreasonable bear tax (referred to by Lisa Simpson as “the smallest tax increase in history”) had to be instituted because of illegal immigrants.

]]>