The ENRICH Project Story Map is part of the Enrich project (Environmental Noxiousness Racial Inequities and Community Health), which is a collaborative community-based project investigating the cause and effects of toxic industries situated near Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities. This story map explores the concept of environmental racism and how it relates to Nova Scotia. ENRICH plotted the locations of industrial polluters such as landfills, coal plants and toxic waste facilities on a map of Nova Scotia. The map aims to show that pollution disproportionately affects communities of African Nova Scotians and Indigenous People.
The map plots instances of environmental racism affecting African Nova Scotian and First Nations communities across Nova Scotia by showing the proximity of these communities to degraded environments. The map is fully interactive, allowing users to zoom in on communities to see exactly how they are affected by nearby sources of pollution. Students click on a feature in the map and receive data such as the proximity of communities to each hazardous facility. This map allows students to analyze the minority communities' proximity to hazardous facilities and the degree of material deprivation these communities face. The Material Deprivation Scale is an index created by Dr. Terashima to measure health inequality in Nova Scotia, considering various factors like income, education, and single-parent households.
The website also provides other resources about environmental racism in Nova Scotia as well as climate change impacts for this area
The story map is an excellent tool to engage students about marginalized communities living close to toxic sites around Nova Scotia. This interactive map is user-friendly; students simply click on a feature in the map and receive data such as the proximity of communities to each hazardous facility, such as waste disposal sites, toxic industries and thermal generating stations. Several resources are also provided through the web app for those interested in learning more about this important issue, including articles, podcasts, documentaries, and videos. The resource supports social studies and environmental science outcomes that address social justice and environmental contaminants health hazards.
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