Overview
Purpose: This discussion is designed not only to deepen your understanding of environmental (in-)justice issues but also to explore the complex debates surrounding 'clean' and 'dirty' energies. By examining the real-world case presented in 'The Last Mountain,' you'll gain insight into how environmental justice is not just a theoretical concept but a lived reality for many communities. This discussion will help you understand the various facets of environmental justice and how they intersect with broader energy policies and corporate practices. Through this lens, we aim to explore the ethical, social, and political dimensions of energy production and its impact on communities and the environment.
Instructions: Please carefully follow the directions below.
Preparation: Ensure that you have studied the module readings before you start. Then watch The Last Mountain. The documentary serves as a poignant case study to explore how energy decisions—in this case, coal—can profoundly affect local communities and environments. Although the documentary takes an activist stance, it effectively chronicles the determined struggle of a small West Virginia community against a much larger and more powerful coal mining corporation. Their fight to save the "last" large coal mountain in Appalachia draws us into the heart of the ongoing battle over the future of energy in the United States. While The Last Mountain is a bit dated now, it still does a fantastic job highlighting key issues within environmental justice. To deepen your understanding, consider doing a bit of extra research on how this case has evolved over the years—how much has changed, how much hasn’t, and why? Exploring these questions will provide insight into the broader challenges of energy policy, corporate influence, and environmental activism today.
Original Post (min 200 words): Study the different types of environmental justice frames below. Then do the following:
- Select one theoretical justice frame (e.g., distributive justice) from the provided list or the textbook.
- Apply this frame to analyze the events depicted in the documentary, discussing how the community's experiences reflect a case of the chosen type of environmental justice.
- Suggest possible societal measures to prevent such environmental (in-)justices in the future.
To enrich our discussion, try to cover various justice frames. If a classmate has already discussed one frame, consider using a different one (e.g., restorative justice) to bring diverse perspectives to the conversation.
***Types of Environmental Justice ("Justice Frames"): Here are four types of environmental justice that, in addition to those discussed in the textbook, you can use to analyze the nature of environmental justice issues touched on by the documentary.
Distributive Justice refers to fairness in how environmental goods (e.g., access to clean water and air) and environmental bads (e.g., air and water pollution) are distributed among different groups and subpopulations (e.g., classes, races, communities). This type of justice stresses the idea of having a "fair share" in something. Procedural Justice refers to the fairness that different subpopulations have in terms of access to decision-making procedures or decision-making bodies (related to environmental issues) that affect their lives (e.g., government agencies, municipal governments). This type of justice focuses on the concept of "fair play" as opposed to the fair share of distributive justice. Restorative Justice refers to fairness in addressing environmental harms already done (idea = restitution). This often involves demands for environmental actions such as cleanups, nature restoration, and/or financial, cultural, and/or emotional compensation. Restorative justice is also known as corrective justice. Retributive Justice works on the principle of holding the environmental offender accountable, although what constitutes fair and proportional accountability is widely debated. It may involve calls for prison terms, shutting down harmful business operations, and/or leveraging fines against the perpetrators.