Environmental injustice in the air quality for digital platform delivery workers in Bogotá, Colombia, 2021 / Injusticia ambiental en la calidad del aire para repartidores de plataformas digitales de Bogotá, Colombia, 2021

Introduction: Air quality is a matter of interest for public health due to its rapid deterioration in low- and middle-income countries and the effects of polluted air on the health of populations. Objective: To explore the air quality conditions in which digital platform delivery workers carry out their work, evaluating the localities of Kennedy and Usaquén in Bogotá, 2021. Materials and methods: We developed a mixed parallel convergent study based on four sources of information: 1) Ethnographic observation in five commercial locations of the two localities; 2) Monitoring of PM10 and PM2.5 in 56 delivery routes using a low-cost sensor; 3) Daily logs of the routes to support the device data interpretation, and 4) A semi-structured interview applied to the drivers to explore their danger perception during the routes. Results: We identified elements causing environmental injustice among digital platform delivery workers between the two study locations. The routes made by the delivery drivers in the locality of Kennedy registered higher concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5, compared to the values observed in Usaquén. The sources of air pollution identified by the delivery drivers through ethnographic observation and the router logbook showed the worst parameters in Kennedy. Conclusions: We evidenced that air quality, urban equipment, road infrastructure, mobile sources, and geospatial location are elements that mark the presence of environmental injustice for the digital platform delivery drivers in the studied localities. To reduce this inequity, it is necessary for digital delivery platforms and the district government to implement strategies that reduce the exposure and emission of air pollutants to protect the health of digital platform delivery workers.

Introducción: La calidad del aire es un asunto de interés para la salud pública por su rápido deterioro en los países de bajos y medianos ingresos, y los efectos del aire contaminado en la salud de las poblaciones. Objetivo: Explorar las condiciones de la calidad del aire en las que los repartidores de plataformas digitales desarrollaron su trabajo en las localidades de Kennedy y Usaquén de Bogotá durante el 2021. Materiales y métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio mixto, paralelo y convergente, basado en cuatro fuentes de información: 1) observación etnográfica en cinco ubicaciones comerciales de las dos localidades; 2) monitoreo de PM10 y PM2.5 en 56 rutas de reparto, empleando un equipo de bajo costo; 3) bitácoras diarias de los recorridos que apoyaron la interpretación de los datos del equipo, y 4) entrevista semiestructurada con el rutero para explorar sus percepciones frente a los peligros durante los recorridos. Resultados: Se identificaron diferencias en las condiciones de trabajo, las percepciones y las exposiciones a material particulado de los repartidores entre las dos localidades de estudio que constituyeron fuentes de injusticia ambiental. Los recorridos que realizaron los repartidores en la localidad de Kennedy registraron mayores concentraciones de PM10 y PM2.5. Las fuentes de contaminación atmosférica identificadas por los repartidores mostraron los peores parámetros en Kennedy. Conclusiones: Se evidenció que la calidad del aire, el equipamiento urbano, la infraestructura vial, las fuentes móviles y la ubicación geoespacial son elementos que marcan la presencia de injusticia ambiental para los repartidores. Para disminuir esta inequidad, es necesario que las plataformas de reparto digital y el gobierno distrital implementen estrategias que reduzcan la exposición y la emisión de contaminantes del aire con el fin de proteger la salud de los repartidores de plataformas.

Injusticia ambiental en la calidad del aire para repartidores de plataformas digitales de Bogotá, Colombia, 2021 / Environmental injustice in the air quality for digital platform delivery workers in Bogotá, Colombia, 2021

Resumen Introducción. La calidad del aire es un asunto de interés para la salud pública por su rápido deterioro en los países de bajos y medianos ingresos, y los efectos del aire contaminado en la salud de las poblaciones. Objetivo. Explorar las condiciones de la calidad del aire en las que los repartidores de plataformas digitales desarrollaron su trabajo en las localidades de Kennedy y Usaquén de Bogotá durante el 2021. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio mixto, paralelo y convergente, basado en cuatro fuentes de información: 1) observación etnográfica en cinco ubicaciones comerciales de las dos localidades; 2) monitoreo de PM10 y PM2.5 en 56 rutas de reparto, empleando un equipo de bajo costo; 3) bitácoras diarias de los recorridos que apoyaron la interpretación de los datos del equipo, y 4) entrevista semiestructurada con el rutero para explorar sus percepciones frente a los peligros durante los recorridos. Resultados. Se identificaron diferencias en las condiciones de trabajo, las percepciones y las exposiciones a material particulado de los repartidores entre las dos localidades de estudio que constituyeron fuentes de injusticia ambiental. Los recorridos que realizaron los repartidores en la localidad de Kennedy registraron mayores concentraciones de PM10 y PM2.5. Las fuentes de contaminación atmosférica identificadas por los repartidores mostraron los peores parámetros en Kennedy. Conclusiones. Se evidenció que la calidad del aire, el equipamiento urbano, la infraestructura vial, las fuentes móviles y la ubicación geoespacial son elementos que marcan la presencia de injusticia ambiental para los repartidores. Para disminuir esta inequidad, es necesario que las plataformas de reparto digital y el gobierno distrital implementen estrategias que reduzcan la exposición y la emisión de contaminantes del aire con el fin de proteger la salud de los repartidores de plataformas.

Abstract Introduction. Air quality is a matter of interest for public health due to its rapid deterioration in low- and middle-income countries and the effects of polluted air on the health of populations. Objective. To explore the air quality conditions in which digital platform delivery workers carry out their work, evaluating the localities of Kennedy and Usaquén in Bogotá, 2021. Materials and methods. We developed a mixed parallel convergent study based on four sources of information: 1) Ethnographic observation in five commercial locations of the two localities; 2) Monitoring of PM10 and PM2.5 in 56 delivery routes using a low-cost sensor; 3) Daily logs of the routes to support the device data interpretation, and 4) A semi-structured interview applied to the drivers to explore their danger perception during the routes. Results. We identified elements causing environmental injustice among digital platform delivery workers between the two study locations. The routes made by the delivery drivers in the locality of Kennedy registered higher concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5, compared to the values observed in Usaquén. The sources of air pollution identified by the delivery drivers through ethnographic observation and the router logbook showed the worst parameters in Kennedy. Conclusions. We evidenced that air quality, urban equipment, road infrastructure, mobile sources, and geospatial location are elements that mark the presence of environmental injustice for the digital platform delivery drivers in the studied localities. To reduce this inequity, it is necessary for digital delivery platforms and the district government to implement strategies that reduce the exposure and emission of air pollutants to protect the health of digital platform delivery workers.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Urban Forest Diversity and Structure in Green Areas of Santiago de Chile.

Urban trees enhance biodiversity, provide ecosystem services, and improve quality of life in cities. Despite their benefits, trees are not distributed equitably, and many cities exhibit a "luxury effect". Given the importance of public green space for providing access to urban tree benefits, we investigated the relationship between socioeconomic level and tree diversity and structure in 60 green areas in Santiago de Chile. Species richness and total tree abundance did not significantly vary among socioeconomic levels; however, a differential effect was found according to species origin. Introduced tree species exhibited similar abundance and species richness across socioeconomic levels, but native tree species were more abundant and richer in higher socioeconomic level areas compared to lower ones. Tree cover was higher in the high and medium socioeconomic level areas than in the low socioeconomic level area. A higher average DBH was found in the medium socioeconomic level area, which may be explained by older neighborhoods and a legacy of the luxury effect. Our findings reveal that socioeconomic groups are associated with differences in tree cover, width, and the number of native species in public green areas. Consequently, urban residents have different provisions of ecosystem services and opportunities to interact with natural heritage. Increasing the amount of tree cover and native species available to vulnerable groups will reduce disparities.

Feminist perspectives on environmental justice and health in Jamaica.

Jamaica is an island nation with a history that is informed by Taino settlement, European colonisation, chattel slavery, disinvestment, and continued extractivism. This perspective paper leverages a historical analysis to explore environmental injustices affecting the health and quality of life of Jamaicans living in Jamaica. This article hopes to contribute to a growing but limited body of scholarly research that contends with environmental and climate justice in the context of the Caribbean. In discussing a lack of critical environmental infrastructure, such as reliable solid waste management, and the impacts of extractive industries, such as bauxite mining, the paper intends to highlight the environmental, public health, and social harms that are produced. Employing an intersectional approach grounded in Black feminist epistemology put forward by Patricia Hill Collins, the authors use their lived experiences as a source of knowledge. The paper analyses how these environmental injustices harm Jamaican communities at large but underscores the compounded challenges faced by Jamaican women who experience marginalisation on the basis of gender, urban/rural residency, and class. The paper concludes by urging researchers, policymakers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders to conduct further research and create sustainable and equitable environmental standards that have considerations for environmental injustice in Jamaica.

Confined within a sugarcane monoculture: A participatory assessment of water pollution and potential health risks in the community of El Tiple, Colombia.

Communities neighboring monoculture plantations are vulnerable to different forms of pollution associated with agro-industrial operations. Herein, we examine the case of El Tiple, a rural Afro descendant community embedded within one of the largest sugarcane plantations in the Americas. We implemented a participatory approach to assess water pollution, exposure via water ingestion, and non-carcinogenic health risks associated with the use of local water sources available to the community. We conducted household surveys to unveil demographic characteristics and family dynamics linked to water consumption. Additionally, we measured water quality parameters and assessed the concentration glyphosate, its major metabolite (aminomethylphosphonic acid) and metals and metalloids. Drinking water El Tiple households is sourced from three primary sources: the local aqueduct system, water delivery trucks, and private deep wells. Tests on water samples from both the local aqueduct and delivery trucks showed no traces of pesticides, metals, or metalloids surpassing regulatory limits set by Colombian or EPA standards. However, we found concentration of contaminants of primary concern, including mercury (up to 0.0052 ppm) and lead (up to 0.0375 ppm) that exceed the permissible regulatory thresholds in water from groundwater wells. Residents of the peripheric subdivisions of El Tiple are four times more reliant on well water extraction than residents of the central area of the town due to lack of access to public drinking water and sanitation infrastructure. Finally, adult women and school-age children have a higher health risk associated with exposure to local pollutants than adult men due to their constant presence in the town. We conclude that expanding the coverage of clean water and sanitation infrastructure to include all households of the community would be the most recommended measure to minimize exposure and risk via ingestion of water pollutants.

Local and traditional knowledge systems, resistance, and socioenvironmental justice.

In this essay, for the debate series of Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, I argue against the oversimplified causal argument that the maintenance of local and traditional knowledge systems is related to less advantaged circumstances. This statement is based on a colonialist perspective of what a less advantageous circumstance is, which is being questioned by several authors. It also ignores the struggles and resistance of traditional knowledge holders and the urgent call for socioenvironmental justice. As an ethnobiologist, I argue that we must face this reality to build science with justice and inclusiveness.

Opposite Responses of Native and Nonnative Birds to Socioeconomics in a Latin American City.

Due to the massive increase of the urban population, a global target is to achieve sustainable cities that are sensitive to nature and environmentally just for urban dwellers. To accomplish this, it is important to understand the responses of native and nonnative birds, identify the environmental variables that promote native species and limit nonnative species, and understand how they vary among socioeconomic groups. Although many cities in the Global South exhibit strong social and environmental segregation, few studies have investigated the relationship between socioeconomics and biodiversity. Therefore, to help promote ecological justice and biodiversity conservation in the developing world, we investigated the influence of socioeconomic level and woody cover on bird species richness and abundance in the city of Santiago de Chile. We also investigated whether bird response changes with species provenance-it is important to understand the response of native birds separately from nonnative birds because they imply opposite management strategies (e.g., conservation vs. species control/eradication). Thus, we surveyed 120 sites located in residential areas of high, medium, and low socioeconomic levels across the city and fit generalized linear (mixed) models that described bird species richness and abundance for total, native, and nonnative birds according to socioeconomic level and woody vegetation cover. We found that both socioeconomic level and woody vegetation cover influenced the bird community, but their effects changed with bird species origin, having opposite effects on native and nonnative birds. Residential areas where wealthier people live supported greater species richness and abundance of native birds than residential areas where people of lower socioeconomic status live. In contrast, residential areas where vulnerable people live had greater bird abundance that was mainly composed of nonnative birds. Therefore, affluent neighborhoods provide more opportunities to encounter native birds and experience nature close to home than poorer neighborhoods. Due to woody cover having positive effects on native birds and a negative influence on nonnative birds, increasing tree and shrub cover will contribute to supporting more native birds in residential areas deprived of woody vegetation, which are commonly low socioeconomic areas. Additional variables that can explain bird response among residential areas of different socioeconomic levels need to be investigated to better understand the factors influencing the distribution of birds in cities and promote a more biodiverse and environmentally just city.

Agroecologia e soberania alimentar: lutas por justiça e alimentação saudável em territórios periféricos urbanos / Agroecology and food sovereignty: Struggles for justice and healthy food in urban peripheral territories

RESUMO Neste trabalho, destacam-se aprendizados com pesquisa realizada pelo Núcleo Ecologias e Encontros de Saberes para a Promoção Emancipatória da Saúde (Neepes) em parceria com o Centro de Integração na Serra da Misericórdia (CEM) e o Movimento dos Sem Teto da Bahia (MSTB), que atuam em territórios periféricos no Rio de Janeiro e em Salvador. A pesquisa buscou apoiar e sistematizar conhecimentos e práticas emancipatórias de promoção da saúde protagonizados por essas experiências, tendo por base quatro eixos temáticos transversais: alimentação, cuidado, moradia e proteção ambiental, além de comunicação. No artigo, enfocaram-se as reflexões coletivas em relação ao primeiro eixo temático, envolvendo estratégias para promover agroecologia e soberania alimentar, com experiências de produção, circulação e acesso a alimentos saudáveis. Com base nessas reflexões, visou-se contribuir com discussões sobre Territórios Sustentáveis e Saudáveis (TSS), especialmente pelos aprendizados possibilitados com a sistematização das experiências territoriais com base na noção de Promoção Emancipatória da Saúde, que aponta para importantes aportes nas dimensões de justiça ambiental e cognitiva. Com a sistematização dessas experiências, destaca-se sua capacidade de resistir, a partir de um movimento de reexistência de saberes tradicionais e comunitários em periferias urbanas, que apontam caminhos possíveis para a construção de TSS em periferias urbanas.

ABSTRACT In this work, we highlight lessons learned from research carried out by the Nucleus Ecologies and Encounters of Knowledge for Emancipatory Health Promotion (NEEPES) in partnership with the Center of Integration in Serra da Misericórdia (CEM) and the Movement of Homeless People of Bahia (MSTB), in peripheral territories in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. The research sought to support and systematize knowledge and emancipatory practices of health promotion carried out by these experiences, based on four transversal thematic axes: food, care, housing and environmental protection, in addition to communication. The article focused on collective reflections on the first thematic axis, involving strategies to promote agroecology and food sovereignty, with experiences of production, circulation, and access to healthy food. Based on these reflections, we aim to contribute to discussions regarding the idea of Sustainable and Healthy Territories (SHT), especially through the lessons learned from the systematization of territorial experiences based on the notion of Emancipatory Health Promotion, which points to important contributions from the dimensions of environmental and cognitive justice. The systematization of these experiences highlights a movement of re-existence of traditional and community knowledge, which points to possible paths for the construction of SHT in urban peripheries.

Urban Stress and its Association with Symptoms of Depression, Fatigue, and Sleep Disruption in Women in Mexico City.

Women in urban neighborhoods often face disproportionately higher levels of environmental and social stressors; however, the health effects from urban stressors remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the association between urban stress and symptoms of depression, fatigue, and sleep disruption in a cohort of 460 women in Mexico City. To assess urban stress, women were administered the Urban Annoyances (Nuisances Environnementales) scale. Six constructs were summarized to create an overall index. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Depression Scale; the Patient-Reported Outcomes Information System scales were used to assess sleep disruption and fatigue. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association with continuous symptoms comparing women with high urban stress to those with lower levels. Models were adjusted for socioeconomic status, education, age, social support, and previous depressive symptoms. High urban stress was associated with greater depressive symptoms (ß: 1.77; 95%CI: 0.83, 2.71), fatigue (ß: 2.47; 95%CI: 0.87, 4.07), and sleep disruption (ß: 2.14; 95%CI: 0.54, 3.73). Urban stress plays an important role in women's psychological and physical health, highlighting the importance of including these measures in environmental health studies. Urban interventions, such as promoting alternative transport options, should additionally be addressed to improve health of urban populations.

Metal(loid)s in Common Medicinal Plants in a Uranium Mining-Impacted Area in Northwestern New Mexico, USA.

The objective of this study was to determine uranium (U) and other metal(loid) concentrations (As, Cd, Cs, Pb, Mo, Se, Th, and V) in eight species of plants that are commonly used for medicinal purposes on Diné (Navajo) lands in northwestern New Mexico. The study setting was a prime target for U mining, where more than 500 unreclaimed abandoned U mines and structures remain. The plants were located within 3.2 km of abandoned U mines and structures. Plant biota samples (N = 32) and corresponding soil sources were collected. The samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma−Mass Spectrometry. In general, the study findings showed that metal(loid)s were concentrated greatest in soil > root > aboveground plant parts, respectively. Several medicinal plant samples were found to exceed the World Health Organization Raw Medicinal Plant Permissible Level for As and Cd; however, using the calculated human intake data, Reference Dietary Intakes, Recommended Dietary Allowances, and tolerable Upper Limits, the levels were not exceeded for those with established food intake or ingestion guidelines. There does not appear to be a dietary food rise of metal(loid) ingestion based solely on the eight medicinal plants examined. Food intake recommendations informed by research are needed for those who may be more sensitive to metal(loid) exposure. Further research is needed to identify research gaps and continued surveillance and monitoring are recommended for mining-impacted communities.

No Country for Old Men. Assessing Socio-Spatial Relationships Between Air Quality Perceptions and Exposures in Southern Chile.

An extensive body of research has been noted that many socially deprived communities tend to live in areas characterized by higher levels of outdoor air pollution. Whilst there is an expanding literature documenting this disproportionate distribution, most previous studies have taken place in the Global North, have focused with industrial or vehicle air pollution sources and have tend to ignore the complex interactions between exposures, public perceptions and social factors. In this paper, we investigate the social vulnerability to and risk perceptions of air pollution sourced from domestic heating in two Chilean cities with particularly high levels of PM2.5 during winter months. To this end, we integrate primary survey data, with geographically detailed estimates of air pollution exposures and area-level characteristics obtained from the Chilean Census. We first examine the spatial distribution of PM2.5 exposures and air quality perceptions, and subsequently explore relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, air pollution exposure, and health concerns. Our results revel evident spatial patterns of dispersion, with some neighborhoods being more polluted than others. Age and percentage of roofs in poor condition in the participant's census tract are the best predictors of PM2.5 exposure. We find no correlation between perceived and real levels of contamination. Our multivariate analysis indicates that personal perceptions of air quality are significantly associated with age, gender, family structure, and heating behaviors. Such detailed depictions provide insights into potential meaningful strategies to improve air quality and highlight the need to incorporate measures to better protect older adults.

Air Pollution and Environmental Justice in Latin America: Where Are We and How Can We Move Forward?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Air pollution in Latin America is a major environmental threat, yet few studies have focused on aspects of environmental justice with regard to air pollution in the region. We examined the scientific literature and described whether and how this issue has been addressed, identify possible gaps in knowledge, and offer suggestions for future research to contribute to policies that seek greater equity concerning air pollution impacts in Latin America. RECENT FINDINGS: There is a limited literature that has addressed issues of environmental justice or environmental health inequalities about air pollution in Latin America, with studies concentrated in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. Studies that examined disparities in exposure to air pollution found a clear pattern of higher exposure in socially deprived areas. Studies that examined disparities in health impacts associated with air pollution have mixed results, but many found a clear modification of effect with those in the lower socioeconomic groups presenting greater effects. Despite Latin America's colonial and slavery history, no studies have considered ethnicity or minority populations. The literature shows that health risks (exposure and susceptibility) associated with air pollution are unevenly distributed among Latin American populations. Methodological approaches varied and can be improved in future studies, especially for exposure assessment to air pollution, as well as for assigning socioeconomic position to individuals. Using smaller geographic units and spatial regression techniques will allow a reduction in measurement error. Attempts should be made to include both individual and contextual socioeconomic indicators in the analysis. Better quality information will help understand these differential exposures and effects and provide inputs to policies to tackle these inequalities.

Toxic Colonialism in the Territorial Isles: A Geospatial Analysis of Environmental Crime Across U.S. Territorial Islands 2013-2017.

The following study explores the geographic distribution of EPA environmental violations across the unincorporated territories within a criminological framework. Using data obtained from the EPA ECHO database, we conduct a geospatial legal analysis to identify island areas bearing a disproportionate number of green criminal activity between 2013 and 2017. Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Mariana Islands, and American Samoa reflect a combination of green criminal patterns tied to tourism, commercial production, militarism, and nuclear testing. These remote and relatively biodiverse isles are consistently found to be bearing the burden of toxic waste which originated on the other side of the sea.

Indigenous and local communities can boost seed supply in the UN decade on ecosystem restoration.

The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is poised to trigger the recovery of ecosystem services and transform structural injustices across the world in a way unparalleled in human history. The inclusion of diverse Indigenous and local communities to co-create robust native seed supply systems is the backbone to achieve the goals for the Decade. Here we show how community-based organizations have co-developed native seed supply strategies for landscape restoration from the bottom-up. We draw on the interconnections over two decades of seed networks in Brazil and the emerging Indigenous participation in native seed production in Australia. From an environmental justice perspective, we provide a participatory seed supply approach for local engagement, noting local geographical, social and cultural contexts. Meeting large-scale restoration goals requires the connection between local seed production and collaborative platforms to negotiate roles, rights and responsibilities between stakeholders. An enduring native seed supply must include a diversity of voices and autonomy of community groups that builds equitable participation in social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Environmental Justice and Circular Economy: Analyzing Justice for Waste Pickers in Upcoming Circular Economy in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Sustainable development (SD) presents three pillars: environment, equality, and economy. Many scholars agree that circular economy (CE) currently displays a social gap, as most studies so far focus mostly on economic aspects and, occasionally, environmental too. Although some developed countries and especially the EU heavily promote it, there is little possibility of developing countries accepting CE unless it can fill what it is lacking. This study suggests the use of Schlosberg's tripartite environmental justice (EJ) perspective to complete the concept of CE, bringing it closer to that of SD. Due to their significant contribution to both circularity and the environment, and, likewise, due to their poor social conditions, this paper focuses on the social group of WPs, mainly in Brazil. After conducting 19 semi-structured interviews, EJ was applied to the case of the Ecopoints in Fortaleza (northeastern Brazil) and each element-recognition, distribution, and participation-detected conflicts, such as underappreciation, continuously reduced access to recyclables, distrust, and miscommunication. If CE is successful in LMCs, it will heavily rely on WPs. The analysis suggests that it is necessary to recognize their contributions in order to value their work and consequently, promote their social inclusion.

Border Environmental Justice PPGIS: Community-Based Mapping and Public Participation in Eastern Tijuana, México.

Community mapping projects have been studied as important contributions to the field of environmental justice and Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS). As a collaborative project between the Colectivo Salud y Justicia Ambiental and Red de Ciudadanos por el Mejoramiento de las Comunidades (RECIMEC), the "Mapeo Comunitario de la Zona Alamar" was created as a mechanism for community participation in the urban planning process in Tijuana, México. This paper outlines the project's community mapping process, including planning, data collection, priority identification, and data submission. Results from this community mapping project are analyzed including the (1) particular environmental risks and goods in this border region, (2) the influence that the project data had on the urban planning process, and (3) the impact that the community mapping process had on community organizing capacity. Our findings point to particular environmental challenges in this border city including clandestine trash dumps, and contaminated water runoff points. The mapping project influenced the land use planning process by identifying the key environmental risks and goods to prioritize in the zoning and ground truthing urban planning data. The community mapping project also had a key impact on community organizing through the fomenting of knowledge and relationships between community members and government representatives at the city's urban planning agency.

Hydropower development, collective action, and environmental justice in the Brazilian Amazon.

The Brazilian Amazon has long served as a site of infrastructure development and natural resource extraction. Development projects including dams and mines have largely benefitted distant urban actors at a cost to local communities and the environment. We draw from theories of internal colonialism and environmental justice to examine the ways that dam building undermined the well-being of communities affected by construction of the Belo Monte Dam, and to understand how those communities engaged in collective action to minimize negative impacts on their livelihoods. Drawing from semi-structured interview and ethnographic data, we find that farmers and fishers impacted by Belo Monte used a variety of tactics to resist exploitation and ultimately receive more equitable compensation for their losses. We propose two processes were central to their success in mobilizing for environmental justice: transformative resistance and collaborative claims-making.

Lack of Safe Drinking Water for Lake Chapala Basin Communities in Mexico Inhibits Progress toward Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6.

BACKGROUND: Access to safe, affordable and accessible drinking water is a human right and foundational to the third and sixth World Health Organization's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Unsafe drinking water is a risk factor for chronic and enteric diseases. Both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diarrheal disease are highly prevalent in the Lake Chapala basin, Jalisco, Mexico, suggesting disparities in factors leading to successful achievement of these two SDGs. METHODS: This study aimed to assess progress towards SDG three and six in the Lake Chapala basin. Qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial data were collected between May and August of 2019 from three towns within the municipalities of Poncitlán and Chapala. RESULTS: Ninety-nine households participated in this study. Water sampling analyses determined 81.18% of samples from water jugs (garrafones) and 70.05% of samples from tap water were contaminated with total coliform bacteria, often including E. coli. Additionally, 32% of garrafón samples and 61.9% of tap water samples had detectable levels of arsenic. Approximately 97.94% of respondents stated that they believe clean water is a human right, but 78.57% feel the Mexican government does not do enough to make this a reality. CONCLUSIONS: This mixed methods approach highlights water quality as a serious issue in communities around Lake Chapala, and demonstrates inadequate drinking water as a key hazard, potentially perpetuating the high disease burden of both CKD and enteric disease in the region.

Nitrogen dioxide exposures from biomass cookstoves in the Peruvian Andes.

BACKGROUND: Household air pollution from biomass cookstoves is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality, yet little is known about exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ). OBJECTIVE: To characterize NO2 kitchen area concentrations and personal exposures among women with biomass cookstoves in the Peruvian Andes. METHODS: We measured kitchen area NO2 concentrations at high-temporal resolution in 100 homes in the Peruvian Andes. We assessed personal exposure to NO2 in a subsample of 22 women using passive samplers. RESULTS: Among 97 participants, the geometric mean (GM) highest hourly average NO2 concentration was 723 ppb (geometric standard deviation (GSD) 2.6) and the GM 24-hour average concentration was 96 ppb (GSD 2.6), 4.4 and 2.9 times greater than WHO indoor hourly (163 ppb) and annual (33 ppb) guidelines, respectively. Compared to the direct-reading instruments, we found similar kitchen area concentrations with 48-hour passive sampler measurements (GM 108 ppb, GSD 3.8). Twenty-seven percent of women had 48-hour mean personal exposures above WHO annual guidelines (GM 18 ppb, GSD 2.3). In univariate analyses, we found that roof, wall, and floor type, as well as higher SES, was associated with lower 24-hour kitchen area NO2 concentrations. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Kitchen area concentrations and personal exposures to NO2 from biomass cookstoves in the Peruvian Andes far exceed WHO guidelines. More research is warranted to understand the role of this understudied household air pollutant on morbidity and mortality and to inform cleaner-cooking interventions for public health.

Downscaling a Human Well-Being Index for Environmental Management and Environmental Justice Applications in Puerto Rico.

Human well-being is often an overarching goal in environmental decision-making, yet assessments are often limited to economic, health, or ecological endpoints that are more tangible to measure. Composite indices provide a comprehensive approach to measuring well-being in terms of multi-dimensional components, such as living standards, health, education, safety, and culture. For example, the Human Well-Being Index (HWBI) framework, initially developed for the U.S. fifty states, was recently applied to quantify human well-being for Puerto Rico. However, the paucity of data at spatial scales finer than state or county levels, particularly for social metrics, poses a major limitation to quantifying well-being at neighborhood-scales relevant to decision-making. Here we demonstrate a spatial interpolation method to fill in missing fine-scale data where coarser-scale data is available. Downscaling from municipio (i.e., county-equivalent) to census-tract revealed a greater range of variability in well-being scores across Puerto Rico, in particular, a larger proportion of low well-being scores. Furthermore, while some components of wellbeing (e.g., Education, Health, Leisure Time, Safety and Security, Social Cohesion) showed consistent improvement over time from 2000-2017 across Puerto Rico, others (e.g., Connection to Nature, Cultural Fulfillment, Living Standards) were variable among census tracts, increasing for some but declining for others. We use a case study in the San Juan Bay estuary watershed to illustrate how approaches to quantify baseline levels of well-being can be used to explore potential impacts of management actions on communities, including to identify environmental justice inequalities among neighborhoods. Spatial clustering analysis was used to identify statistically significant cold or hot spots in well-being. This study demonstrates how indicators of well-being, coupled with interpolation methods to overcome limitations of data availability, can help to monitor long-term changes over time and to better communicate the potential value of ecosystem restoration or resource management.