The socioeconomic disparities between the global north and global south are especially evident when considering environmental degradation. People in the global south are the primary victims of environmental degradation, feeling the effects of it first and most devastatingly. These effects are felt in ways that are gendered and related to class and race, with poor women of color being the most heavily implicated.
In many communities in the global south, women are typically tasted with fulfilling duties regarding domestic tasks like cooking and cleaning, as well as those related to agriculture and health care within the home. Environmental degradation contributes to dwindling access to clean water, both through privatization and contamination of existing supplies. In our own country, the privatization of water supplies has had disgusting consequences, for example in Flint, Michigan, where while a nearby Nestle Plant bottles water for profit for only $200 a year, residents still have limited access to clean water. This demonstrates how environmental racism is not just an issue globally, but also domestically.
Another way women in the global south are impacted by environmental degradation is that as global warming worsens, this causes more frequent natural disasters and at higher intensities. This impacts those closest to the equator most. This demonstrates how those least responsible for environmental degradation face the greatest consequences. According to a 2017 CDP report, “25 corporate and state producing entities account for 51% of global industrial GHG emissions. All 100 producers account for 71% of global industrial GHG emissions.”
While western countries have significantly larger ecological footprints, communities in the global south feel the consequences of this, as shown in the chart below. Its important to note that in certain countries with higher ecological footprints, it largely a result of globalization and the movement of American and International factories there to exploit lower manufacturing and labor costs. This means we must consider who is consuming the products produced there when evaluating the ecological consequences of production. Those working in these factories are grossly underpaid, often working under inhumane conditions that cause long term affects to their health, and dealing with the pollution caused by their workplace outside of it as well in their communities. 
Swider, Gabriela. “Which Countries Live Within Their (Ecological) Means.”Frankly, western perspectives on any topic are almost always rooted in colonialism and imperialism. In any case, especially on issues like the global south, I am inclined to believe the eastern perspective is less self-interested and more appropriately evaluates the issues. Both western and eastern perspectives acknowledge the link between womanhood and nature, though eastern perspectives more closely evaluate the implications of this link in the global south, along with considering the way western ideologies and systems further contribute to this and harm women and nature. Eastern perspectives analyze how for many women, the link to nature is not just symbolic as western perspectives suggest, but material as well – with women in the global south dependent on the environment as a resource as well as directly harmed by its destruction. Eastern perspectives also acknowledge the potential for “women as actors” in this oppression, acknowledging the privileges had, particularly but wealthy white western women, and how it is sometimes wielded against women in the global south (Agarwal 119). Overall, I find eastern perspectives to be more comprehensive, acknowledging colonialism, imperialism, white supremacy, and capitalism, as vehicles for enforcing and perpetuating the oppression of women and nature.
***Also side note, Ghandi was a pretty awful person. He sexually exploited girls and woman, and was also was very anti-black. You can read more about that here and here. I think any analysis of the work he did must also be critical of who was excluded in his vision of liberation and acknowledge that there’s a lot of evidence supporting that he was predator.
Works Cited
Agarwal, Bina. “The Gender and Environmental Debate: Lessons From India.” Feminist Studies, vol. 18, no. 1, 1992, pp. 119-58. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3178217.
Banerji, Rita. “Gandhi Used His Position To Sexually Exploit Young Women. The Way WE React To This Matters Even Today.” YKA, 2014. Retrieved from https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2013/10/gandhi-used-power-position-exploit-young-women-way-react-matters-even-today/
Griffin, Paul. “Carbon Majors Database 2017 Report.” CDP, July 2017. Retrieved from https://b8f65cb373b1b7b15feb-c70d8ead6ced550b4d987d7c03fcdd1d.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/cms/reports/documents/000/002/327/original/Carbon-Majors-Report-2017.pdf?1499691240
Lakshmi, Rama. “What did Mahatma Gandhi think of black people?” The Washington Post, 3 Sept. 2015. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/03/what-did-mahatma-gandhi-think-of-black-people/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5f4f5961f865
Swider, Gabriela. “Which Countries Live Within Their (Ecological) Means.” Distinct Values, 27 April 2017. Retrieved from https://blog.data.world/which-countries-live-within-their-ecological-means-a0e81245069c
Hi Kelsey,
I love your blog post! I really like that you used Flint as an example because so many people have forgotten that this is happening right in front of our eyes and our government doesn’t care. What a slap in the face from Nestle to the residents of Flint, I’m not surprised after the Nestle CEO said water is not a human right. The Eastern perspective immediately came off as very intersectional and drew me in while the Western perspective was a lot of pointing fingers. Also, I love that you linked the disgusting acts Ghandi did. He did something really good but that doesn’t mean he was a good person.
Awesome blog post!
-Elizabeth
Kelsey,
The last bit of your blog post was a complete game changer for me. I read books about Gandhi and can say it’s hard to hear. Thanks for bringing it up though. I do on one hand like Shivas take on Gandhian philosophy. I’m curious if she’s ever spoke about it?
Kelsey,
Thank you for mentioning that people who are least responsible for climate change are most effected. A lot of big corporations will go to third world companies and exploit females and the environment to cut costs in production. It’s disgusting. H&M and Gap Inc. are two companies known for this behavior. The link below gives insight the the work place harassment that females deal with at these companies.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jun/05/female-garment-workers-gap-hm-south-asia
The link below describes the environmental pollution caused by popular manufacturing companies.
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jun/13/hm-zara-marks-spencer-linked-polluting-viscose-factories-asia-fashion
Hi Kelsey,
Thank you for bringing up Ghandi’s behavior. I got into an argument with my mother a few months back when she said her hero is Ghandi. She did not believe me when I told her he was sexist and racist. I must look back in my messages but I’m pretty sure I sent her that same Washington Post article, although I cannot say she read it. Haha.
Your post on the topic is great. Bina Agarwal does link her feminist environmentalism on the material relationship that women in India have to their natural resources. Since women are the ones that are responsible for fetching food and fodder, they are the ones that come into contact to water borne illnesses. Agarwal (1992) also points out that health care is not equally distributed between men and women as the admission rate for women in lower in India. It’s incredibly sad that according to women’s grassroots movements such burdens on women have caused suicide rates to rise in recent years (Agarwal, 1992, p. 140).
Like you I have to say that Agarwal’s ideology is much more comprehensive. She does acknowledge colonialism and imperialism but makes sure to note a gender-class divide. Not all women in India have it this hard. Upper-class women who do not live on rural lands do not suffer this same hardship. Her ideology is much more intersectional and does not essentialize women. It looks at a specific group of women and analyzes their relationship with the environment.
Looking forward to more of your posts!
-Nina
Hi Kelsey,
I really liked your focus on evaluating our perspective and the struggles faced by women in the global south. The issues in Flint as you acknowledge comes from the issue of racism and careless attitude Western nations have towards people of color, even those who are their own citizens. By seeing the graph, you provided and to understand that as a citizen of the USA I am partaking in the second largest ecological footprint on the earth is really awakening. Any person with a little bit of knowledge would know that we must have a large ecological footprint but knowing that I am facilitating one of the largest is distressing and yet frankly, makes sense. Though the knowledge you share about Gandhi and some of the negative practices are worrisome and insightful, I do feel that it’s almost out of place and seems as if the conversation you created through your post about the issues faced by those in the global south and the abuse and ecological destruction was done by mostly Western nations is somehow inline and the fault of Gandhi’s racism and misconduct. Though both are part of a similar system, the patriarchy, allowing men to abuse people of color, women, and the environment without any consequence, these issues surrounding Gandhi are a bit unrelated to the water crisis in Flint. We must focus on the people at the top of this power system who are directly responsible for curating oppression and allowing for abuse within our societies. Those who turn a blind eye, put laws in place to protect abusers and big corporations, and don’t punish those who take advantage or mistreat our people and our environment. Gandhi and many other abusers are a pond in a chess game that can only be won if we focus on checkmating the persons in power, the King. All in all, very well done and interesting post!
– Mirko Lopes
is ecofiminism relate to feminism?
How exciting to get a comment on this project a few years after! Ecofeminism is a form of feminism that looks at the connection between women and nature, particularly in regards to patriarchal violence. Can I ask how you found this blog?