There's Something In The Water
Density-Independent Factors
Fresh water contamination water
When fresh drinking water is contaminated by pollutants and waste, it will impact the population regardless of the population size or density
Mass amounts of pollutants
Air that is polluted by factories and smoke from burning garbage will highly increase the chance of one getting cancer or other harmful illnesses regardless of the population size or density
Density-Dependent Factors
E. coli contaminations
E. coli has a much higher chance of spreading with a higher population size and density as more people have the chance to carry the bacteria and spread it to other surfaces or people
Limited supply of fresh water
As fresh water is contaminated by waste, the amount of drinking water available in a community becomes scarce and a high population size and density can create competition to be able to obtain drinking water
Environmental Racism
Stewiacke
A natural gas plant was created in a community largely populated by Mi'kmaq people
The natural gas contaminates the fresh drinking water in the community
A group of Indigenous women called the 'Water Protectors' are fighting for their rights to clean drinking water
The government ignores their calls for action to obtain clean drinking water and to fight for missing and murdered Indigenous women
Boat Harbour
Boat Harbour is a community in Nova Scotia which is home to many Indigenous people
A paper pulp mill was created in a nearby community and the wasted was pumped into the harbour contaminating the water and air
The company of the mill agreed to take down the plant, but instead only redirected their waste into a different body of water that still had a very negative affect on Boat Harbour
The pipe broke and spilled mass amounts of toxins in the community
The community was largely impacted by cancer and suicide
Shelburn
Shelburn is a community in Nova Scotia that has a large population of black people who escaped slavery
A garbage dump was created in the community in the 40s that produced terrible smells
The dump was burned and created mass amounts of black smoke and soot
Arsenic is found in much of their drinking water
$10,000 would be needed to create a well to provide Shelburn with clean drinking water, but the government spent $35,000 on a city fair
Very many people in the community have gotten cancer resulting in many deaths
Environmental racism is a form of systemic racism that occurs through environmental injustice particularly in places with high populations of black or Indigenous people
