ABSTRACT
Despite significant improvements in environmental protection over the past several decades, millions of Americans continue to live in unsafe and unhealthy physical environments. Many economically impoverished communities and their inhabitants are exposed to greater health hazards in their homes, their jobs and in their neighbourhoods when compared to their more affluent counterparts (Bullard, 1990; US Environmental Protection Agency, 1992; Bryant and Mohai, 1992). Much of the world does not get to share in the benefits of the United States’ high standard of living. From energy consumption to the production and export of chemicals, pesticides and other toxic products (including tobacco), more and more of the world's peoples are sharing the health and environmental burden of the United States’ wasteful consumer-driven throwaway society.
