Planetary Dysregulation & the Multi-Ethnic Working Class
INTRODUCTION
The multi-ethnic working class is a socially constructed umbrella term to describe those who have been marginalised and artificially classified due to their type of work and income. Historically this has included those doing physical labour such as hygiene workers, land labourers, or construction workers and it also meant earning under a specific threshold. In more recent history, it has become a culture with specific vernacular, social activities, and values independent of income.
“We have been both metaphorically and literally at the coal-face of environmental deterioration because we tend to work in the most hazardous environments, live in the unhealthiest neighbourhoods, and are the least able to find individual solutions such as changing jobs and homes […] we have a strong vested interest in achieving sustainability.”
- Karen Bell, a senior lecturer in human geography and environmental justice at the University of West England (source)
SCENE SETTING
“In addition to being warmer, poorer neighborhoods lacked critical resources in their physical and social environments to help them cope with extreme heat”
“Those living in areas of high deprivation show a greater vulnerability, which is especially pronounced amongst the racialised residents within marginalised neighbourhoods.”
“Deprived coastal communities still experience significant inequalities for high and medium likelihood of flooding. These inequalities within coastal communities are more pronounced than in inland ones.”
“Whether it’s flooding from severe weather events like hurricanes or it’s something like this severe cold, the history of our response to disasters is that these communities are hit first and have to suffer the longest.”
Adapted from this source
Source: Adopted from WHO (2021).
Example Story
A single mum working in a fast food restaurant and training to be a teaching assistant.
Her ability to keep up with bills and general living is being affected by “cost of living” crisis. This is related to the amount of customers using the restaurant is less and that is impacting the amount of work she is offered.
She also talks about her exposure to intense heat and pollution at work and at home in her area.
In turn this will continue to create multidimensional inequities that will put her and her family at risk of extreme weather events such as flooding and cold and heat.
A mother and father of six. Mother worked in the NHS for 32 years and Father worked as a refuse worker.
Night shifts - affected sleep, digestion, eating. Exposure to chemicals and illnesses. No access to PPE at work; Creocote (a chemical) in eyes, fumes and chemicals coming from dustcart.
Refuse work created exposure to various harsh weather hazards such as chilblains & frostbite in cold, heat stroke in heatwaves.
Injuries at work. Had a heart attack and carried on working. Wife is now a primary carer for him as well as their disabled son.
They are concerned about flood water coming into the home and ruining furnishing and walls. How would they pay for repairs when financials are already so tight?
ABOUT THE PROJECT
This project was created to showcase the lived experience and expertise of the various marginalised communities being affected by the dysregulation of our planetary systems.
For each “vignette” we interviewed people to both directly quote as well as use as a reference to inform and guide the scientific research.
Each vignette was led by a person belonging to the community in focus. It is part of Centric Lab’s continual commitment to doing science and health justice work that is “for us by us”.
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