The intersections with the privatization of the prison system in the U.S.
One subsidy of Tesla, SolarCity, has been criticized for using solar panels produced through prison labor-the laborers were paid less than one dollar per hour. Musk has made millions of dollars from government contracts in the past, generating accusations of crony capitalism (a system of privatized profits and socialized losses, which is generally not great for the general public).
There are a couple of things to pause on, however. In the case of Puerto Rico, Musk’s offer to rebirth the island as a template for scalable solar energy systems sounds like it should garner an automatic ‘yes vote’ – and in conversations across the world, this is what it has been getting. This has been happening at various scales for quite some time now, but as the global consumer economy continues to grow in pace with the growing awareness of, and demands for, environmental health…things could get really dystopian, really quick, for those who are already marginalized.Īnd really, no community is truly safe from the potential of becoming a future ‘sacrifice zone’, no matter how insular their world might seem at present. In a worst case – though not implausible – scenario, neglecting the latter could ultimately create two distinctly separate global classes: those with access to clean resources and, those living in the wastelands created by the excesses of the former group. Somewhat counter-intuitively, there are actual dangers embodied in the unchecked or unexamined ethos of ‘environmentalism’ when not tempered with concerns for ‘environmental justice’.
We are living in a disaster-prone era, which makes us both extra motivated to find, but also extra vulnerable in seeking, solutions to the crises that are continuously presented to us in real time. This presents an ideal, even crucial, time to engage in a conversation about global and national environmental movements, in contrast to environmental justice movements. Musk’s plan is not a short-term solution, but a long-term commitment – one that would not easily be undone. Suffice it to say, the issue has already raised some eyebrows.Įlon Musk is somewhat of a cultish figure to begin with, so it’s even more difficult to unpack what is really happening here, devoid of emotion while grounded in recognition of the genuine need to seek both immediate and long-term solutions to the crisis in Puerto Rico. The celebrations and accolades, however, may be a tad premature.įor those familiar with the writing of Naomi Klein and the concept of ‘disaster capitalism’, such a resplendent move from a famous global capitalist (some would say infamous crony capitalist) to come in and privatize a social service for a country recovering from disaster could easily generate concern. (Figure from EPA Pacific Southwest Region 9 Addressing Uranium Contamination on the Navajo NationĮlon Musk’s recent grandiose offer to save Puerto Rico by rebuilding their power grid through solar energy has been generating a lot of chatter, mostly positive. In the case of this radioactive ore, what is ‘clean energy’ for some, is unpotable water for others-namely, in the example cited above, the Dine. Yet, the uranium needed for that ‘alternative’ has to come from somewhere-and, the mining of it is anything but ‘clean’. There are hosts of credible, well-meaning, scientifically minded people who support nuclear energy as a ‘clean energy alternative’ to coal and fossil fuels. ‘Environmental justice’ is an important layer to this burgeoning mass consciousness and without it, environmentalism alone can harbor some latent flaws.Ī crucial example of how environmentalism can be co-opted to promote certain causes or activities, at the expense of environmental justice, is uranium mining on Navajo land. ‘Environmentalism’ is a crucial ethos that has enjoyed a vital quickening in mainstream consciousness over the past decade or so, worldwide. One more time for those in the back…but perhaps especially for those on the frontlines…there is a difference between environmentalism and environmental justice. Sweetgrass Protocols for Culturally Responsible Journalism.Indigenous Rights Journalism Partnership.
0 kommentar(er)
