Contaminated air, water, food, and deteriorating physical plants pose the most significant risks. These risks are higher for children than adults for a variety of reasons. Children s organ systems are immature, growing rapidly, and are therefore more susceptible to toxic reactions following exposure to environmental contaminants. Of at least equal importance is clear evidence that children are exposed at higher levels than adults to many environmental contaminants. There is a growing body of research demonstrating that the poor are more exposed to pollutants than the affluent especially in urban areas.
New Haven lies within one of the most affluent regions of the world.
Yet in Connecticut, the truly affluent normally live in the suburbs, where the air is cleaner, schools produce more college graduates, and crime is lower. Here as in other parts of the world, being richer means being safer. Thus our group of inner city teachers became quite engaged in trying to understand how pollution levels vary among communities, and especially how urban poor may be at special risk. The capacity of the wealthy to better understand and manage their exposure to risky technologies or contaminated environments than the poor was a topic of deep interest for the seminar. For example, just testing water for pesticides is extremely expensive.