Understanding Environmental Risk Awareness Levels in West Oakland Junn Masongsong Abstract Low income communities and communities of color carry a disproportionate amount of environmental risk. In this study, environmental risk is defined as the “likelihood, or probability, of injury, disease, or death resulting from exposure to a potential environmental hazard” (European Environmental Agency 2000). There is a void, however in the understanding of the level of awareness of environmental risks in these communities. West Oakland, California is a community that is both characterized by low incomes and people of color. This community also is exposed to a disproportionate amount of environmental risks. The Port of Oakland, located in West Oakland, is a source of some of these environmental risks. Maritime development projects are responsible for an increase in traffic on the roads, noise in the community, and air pollution from increases in diesel truck use. This study analyzes the level of awareness of West Oakland residents to these environmental risks. An investigation of data gathered through a telephone survey of West Oakland residents tested for associations between age, ethnic/cultural backgrounds, income, and information sources, with awareness levels of environmental risk. As a result, it was discovered that age and income did factor into determining a resident’s level of awareness while their ethnic/cultural background and information source did not.Introduction Some communities carry a disproportionate amount of environmental risk in comparison to other communities (Setterberg and Shavelson 1993). As a result, addressing this inequity in the distribution of environmental risks has become a national issue due to the environmental justice movement (Rechtschaffen and Gauna 2002). By one definition, Environmental justice is achieved when everyone, regardless of race, culture, or income, enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work (EPA 2003). The environmental risk experienced by low income communities and communities of color is an issue that the government as well as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are trying to address. Since the government alone is not addressing many environmental justice issues, communities that are affected have taken action to address the disparities in environmental risk in their communities (Newell 2001). The inequality among communities regarding environmental risk has resulted in an environmental justice movement that “began to address disparities borne by the poor as well as people of color, acknowledging the substantial overlap between the two demographic categories” (Rechtschaffen & Gauna 2002). During the Clinton administration, an executive order on environmental justice reflected the desire of the president and perhaps the nation to establish equality among all communities with respect to environmental risks. The executive order called for every federal agency to address the possible consequences of their actions to minorities and low-income populations (Clinton 1994). The environmental justice movement began in the 1980s as an after thought of environmental racism but has evolved into the complex concept that it is today (Rechtschaffen & Gauna 2002). Initially, the movement focused on finding specific sources to blame for the inequity in environmental risk (Preston et al. 2000). The problem with this approach was that it focused on the siting of polluting sources while paying little attention to the lack of environmental risk awareness in the community (Preston et al. 2000). Understanding what the community perceives as a risk to them and whether or not that perceived risk is valid is vital to an understanding of environmental justice (McIntyre 2002). Gaining knowledge of what a community perceives as an environmental risk can provide vital insight into their level of awareness of that risk. If they feel that are not at risk from an environmental hazard, then their level of awareness about that hazard will not be very high. Thedifference between perceived risk and actual risk is important because simply not seeing a risk does not mean that they will not be harmed by it (Arcury et al. 2002). Achieving equity among communities with respect to environmental risk can be gained through raising awareness levels. Since education is such an important factor in increasing awareness levels of risk in a community (Preston et al. 2000) providing appropriate information in a form that best suits the population is imperative (Arcury et al. 2002 and Claudio et al. 1998). A case study of West Oakland, California analyzing whether the residents are receiving appropriate information in the best form concerning their environmental risks was conducted. In order to assess the relevance of the information that this community receives, a test of their awareness of environmental risk from maritime development projects at the Port of Oakland occurred. This assessment of awareness levels was conducted through a telephone survey of West Oakland residents. The survey also determined the effectiveness of the information sources from which the residents received their data. The data that this case study provides can be used to change current environmental health education practices to better suit the West Oakland community. Communities experiencing similar issues can conduct a similar experiment in order to assess the levels of environmental risk awareness and the effectiveness of information sources in their community. Methods Study Site A case study focused on West Oakland residents was conducted where the levels of environmental risk awareness with respect to the Port of Oakland maritime development projects was measured. West Oakland consists of about 20,000 people who are mostly African American, Latino American and Asian American (Census 2000). For the purposes of this study I have defined West Oakland in terms of zip codes so as to provide a framework for gaining telephone number prefixes. I have defined West Oakland as being the following zip codes: 94612, 94607, 94626, and 94625 (Valley Yellow Pages 2001). Data Collection I used a survey that consists of three parts (Appendix I). The first part of the survey measured the environmental risk awareness of the
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