This is the first in our weeklong series examining "Poverty & the Environment in North Carolina."  This entry was excerpted from a longer article written by Grady McCallie, policy analyst with the NC Conservation Network.  Click here to read the full article.

The NC Justice Center estimates that fully 33 percent of North Carolina’s working families earn less than a living income.  The percentage of low-income North Carolinians has increased, with the state’s median income falling 6.8 percent since 2000.  Furthermore, poverty is not race-neutral - 38 percent of Hispanics, 32 percent of blacks and 13 percent of whites in North Carolina are poor.

For air pollution, inequitable exposures cut along racial as well as class lines.  Two reports by the national environmental organization Clear the Air, found that 71% of African Americans and Latinos live in counties that violate air quality standards, compared to 58% of whites

One poster issue for the links between poverty, environmental exposure, and health is asthma. Between 10 and 20 percent of children in North Carolina are diagnosed with asthma, along with roughly 7 percent of the adult population.  Multiple theories have been offered to explain what causes asthma, but most boil down to a combination of poor quality housing, bad indoor air quality, and bad neighborhood air quality – all of which are correlated with poverty.  And it’s a vicious circle: asthma can impose a crippling financial burden on families seeking to escape poverty.  

Wealthier families can make daily consumption choices that guard against environmental threats.  Several pieces in the recent Grist series on poverty and the environment tackle this issue from different directions.  Tom Philpott’s I’m Hatin’ It discusses the way federal agricultural and food policy has subsidized unhealthy, low-nutrition foods.    A more controversial article considers the differences between ‘living simply’ as a chic lifestyle choice and struggling to get by in poverty. 

Several upcoming events offer advocates the opportunity to take action in support of environmental justice.  On May 16, local residents are hosting a large rally in East Arcadia, Columbus County, against a municipal solid waste landfill proposed to be sited in a predominantly African-American community.  On May 24, advocates from across the state will gather at the NC General Assembly in Raleigh for Clean Water Lobby Day.   For advocates concerned about the interaction of environmental issues and poverty, we recommend that you bookmark the website for the NC Environmental Justice Network, the coordinating force for groups to work together to promote environmental justice in North Carolina.

Click here to read the full article.