Poverty Quote by David Cay Johnston
““It is no coincidence that pollution so often accompanies poverty. Imagine a cost-benefit analysis of siting an undesirable facility, such as a landfill or incinerator. Benefits are often measured by willingness to pay for environmental improvement. Wealthy communities are able and willing to pay more for the benefit of not having the facility in their backyards; thus when measured this way the net benefits to society as a whole will be maximized by putting the facility in a low-income area.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The New York Times, 2015
Pollution and poverty are linked because low‑income areas bear environmental burdens while wealthier communities can pay to avoid them.
In simple terms: Poor neighborhoods get more pollution.
Key Takeaway
Address environmental justice.
Themes
environmental justice
inequality
public health
Mood
concerned
urgent
Type
policy
social
When to use this quote
- community advocacy
- policy reform
- land use planning
Key Concepts
externalities
cost‑benefit analysis
urban planning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can policy shift the burden away from low‑income areas?
- What incentives can encourage equitable facility siting?
A Different Perspective
Economic constraints often limit community resistance.
![“… what right [do] people in wealthy countries have to blame the poor for their poverty, much less for humanity’s environmental dilemma, when it [is] rich countries’ consumption patterns that [are] responsible for the vast majority of the world’s resource depletion and ecosystem destruction?” quote by Mark Hertsgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1cb/mark-hertsgaard-55219_demography_what-right-do-people-in-wealthy-countrie_2790374.jpg)
