California: Regional
Differences and Similarities
Although similar environmental health issues affect
children throughout California, the intricacies related
to air quality, capacity building, environmental justice,
pesticides, and water quality differ regionally.
Air Quality
Practically all Californians interviewed expressed
concern over air pollution emitted from mobile sources
(cars, trucks, and buses), but additional concerns
varied. In Southern California and the San Francisco Bay
Area, leaders also attributed air pollution to industrial
sources, whereas in Northern California and Central
California, the main air pollution concerns were related
to agriculture, such as rice burning and pesticide
spraying.
Capacity Building
Regions also differed in their capacity and ability
to take action on children's environmental health. For
example, in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area,
several organizations, agencies, and institutions already
address issues related to children's environmental
health, while these efforts are less prominent in other
parts of the state. Communities that do not address
children's environmental health as frequently may receive
fewer financial resources and training.
Environmental Justice
Specialists across California described that
environmental justice impacts lower income communities
throughout the state. However, in urban areas like Los
Angeles and Oakland, communities of color also bear the
environmental justice burden. And although pesticides and
air pollution affect most Central Valley residents,
farmworker families in this region potentially face the
greatest environmental justice threats because of
occupational exposures to pesticides, a lack of access to
health care, contaminated drinking water, and poor
quality housing.
Pesticides
Pesticide use also differs throughout California. Leaders
in diverse regions expressed concern that children living
in agricultural areas may face greater exposure to
pesticides compared to children living in
non-agricultural areas. In addition to the food sprayed
with pesticides affecting most Californians who do not
eat organic foods, these children are exposed to
pesticides in their air and water from agricultural
spraying. In response to concerns about pesticides, some
cities like Sebastopol and Humboldt no longer allow
pesticides for use on city-owned parks or lawns.
Moreover, some communities in Northern California, like
Nevada City, grow foods free from pesticides.
Water Quality
Californians we spoke with frequently described water
quality as a concern impacting children, but gave diverse
explanations. Specialists in Southern California and the
Bay Area mentioned pollution in the coastal waters and
bays, whereas in the Central Valley and Northern
California, experts described a lack of water quality
monitoring for private wells. Leaders stated that the
Central Valley also faces clean drinking water shortages.
For example, one expert explained that sometimes schools
must temporarily close because of insufficient drinking
water.
Back
to California Interim Findings Main Document
|
