Final Thoughts

Through out the course of researching and writing for this blog, I have learned a great deal about policies along, within, and around the Delaware River and largely those contributing to environmental injustices in the city of Chester.


Before committing to this project, I knew very little about the Delaware River or the greed and injustices associated with it. I had originally planned to research about the political and economic aspects of environmental policy associated with the Delaware River, but found myself drifting to the results of poor environmental and economic polices.

The Clean Water Act was the main focus of this project as its implementation created almost immediate effects and enhanced water quality. But this only happened in certain areas, largely around Philadelphia but just south of the city, another was deteriorating. Chester had once been a booming port city with plenty of jobs and wealthy residents but the city's prosperity soon diminished as cancer rates sky rocketed and wealthy residents moved elsewhere.

Environmental policies have huge faults and Chester falls right into one, as the quality of life in this city is far lower than those neighboring it. The fault in policies involving the Delaware River is pollution dumping in and around the river. In Philadelphia, the city can afford to enforce such laws and enhance the surrounding area. The city of Chester does not have the funds to enforce pollution laws and because of the manufacturing businesses in the city, little government intervention is favored so environmental policies can easily be disregarded.

Profit maximization, dirty economic policies, and loop holes in the environmental laws have ruined the lives for the residents of Chester because they cannot afford to stand up against the industries that ruin their environment.

Through this blog, I hope to increase awareness on the issues involved with environmental injustices and polices along the Delaware River. From research I have gathered I can strongly conclude that this is not only happening in Chester, but in many cities all over the world and it's extremely unfair for a group of people to suffer for the betterment of others. But I also wonder about the ethics and history involved with such issues, as individuals have been suffering for the enhancement of a group for centuries (think slaves, pyramids and Cleopatra). Regardless of how much one group has suffered, our environment has been suffering the most time after time and it's time we start taking care of people and the environment, perhaps a lot of problems would be solved if world poverty was eliminated and a sustainable lifestyle established and enforced.

I hope this blog has been informational and inspires you to find out more information about environmental injustices and to create change in your community.