I am currently summarizing  a couple of pages for a class that I am doing called history of the environment. The book is called "Ingrid R. G. Waldron, There’s Something In The Water: Environmental Racism in
Indigenous & Black Communities, Fernwood Publishing 2018," Preface pgs. 12 – 33                                                                                                                                                                  
so far this is the information I have about it and what I wrote down: "In the book the main overarching topic discussed is about the environment and how it is used / weaponized to harm poc and natives. In the book it even discusses how environmental racism could also be the structure of the environment.  This main theme has been discussed and brought to the reader's attention by several examples such as Saro-Wiwa having a peaceful protest just to get charged with murder and then subsequently hanged for it even though it was fraud charge, Flint's water being switched to the flint river and causing the water to be corrosive. Not including the lead pipes that were used since the start. They were informed about this situation 18 months after the damage had already taken place. The book also goes in depth in discussing what's racial expendability. Numerous examples of this taking place where the people in power make sure that the poor poc are the ones dealt with the bad hand. The book draws from the 4 pillars of CEJ studies (critical environmental justice). The book doesn't talk about what these 4 pillars are. 

The book argues that there is a need for environmental justice. One of the reasons discussed is Saro-Wiwa’s death and how it was due to him gathering “300,000 ogani to march peacefully to demand a share in oil revenues and some form of political autonomy. Mosop also asked the oil companies to begin environmental remediation and pay compensation for past damage.”(there's something in the water, p23)    However after seeing this what did the oil companies do? “Saro-Wiwa was abducted from his home and jailed along with other MOSOP leaders in connection with the murder of 4 Ogani leaders… convicted of murder in october 1995… he was handed later that year along with his co defendants”(there's something in the water, p23) This shows to me that in fact the book is correct about the need for environmental justice as I am personally african and can attest to the things the book is talking about. From interest rates to government corruption. This addresses the course learning objectives because it adopts a multi perspective approach my addressing not just conflicts on race but oil, money, power, resources, etc


The book mentions “having to drink from the flint river. Residents soon started complaining that their water looked, smelled, and tasted strange. Later virginia tech researchers found the water to be highly corrosive ( hernandez 2016)” (there's something in the water, p23). When the city government switched between Lake huron to flint river it caused a myriad of issues to arise to the people. However what's not discussed in the book is how this corrosive water mixed with lead in the pipelines is going to be dumped back into the water. This means that not only is the water dangerous to drink from but the environment itself would contain toxic chemicals.Affecting the plants, animals, trees etc.This relates back to the course because it showcases learning objective 1. I say this because it shows human and environment interactions, showing how humans not only hurt themselves but also the environment in which they live."