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That. Soil. Is. POISON.

That. Soil. Is. POISON.

Morgan Franklin, @morganmfranklin March 9, 2013 Photo by Melissa Checker, 2004. Taken in Hyde Park, Georgia. Copyright New York University Press. From Checker’s book Polluted Promises: Environmental Racism and the Search for Justice in a Southern Town This Week in Class 7: That. Soil. Is. POISON (Never Trust a Swing Set and a Slide) Think back for a moment to the third grade version of yourself: you’re three hours into your school day, and just when you think you can’t take any more multiplication, the bell finally rings for recess! As you run out onto the playground, you feel the transition from ceramic to concrete to grass beneath your tennis shoes and your joy only increases. You climb to the …

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Where have all the Coffee Cups Gone?

Where have all the Coffee Cups Gone?

Morgan Franklin, @morganmfranklin February 27, 2013 Week 6: Where have all the Coffee Cups Gone? (They’ve gone to Landfills Every One.) As I type this blog post here in Howie-T (our campus library) with what must be at least half of Tulane’s student population (midterm season), I’ve just realized that I’m currently draining the last of my third Chai Latte of the day. While I obviously have a Chai habit that I PROMISE to start working on the day after I graduate, the problem on which I’m currently reflecting deals not with my caffeine habit itself but rather with the substance’s physical container. With its calming colors and securely fastened protective lid, this cup looks innocuous enough. But what happens …

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Environmental Justice and Racial Justice

Environmental Justice and Racial Justice

Morgan Franklin, @morganmfranklin January 30, 2013 Week Three: Environmental Justice and Racial Justice While reading or listening to an engaging story, most people imagine physical descriptions for the entities presented within the narrative. For instance, if I were to tell you “The racist went to the store”, what’s the mental image that you conjure? Did you imagine a hooded figure in white sheets strolling down the cereal aisle? Now let’s move from characters to abstract concepts.  If I said “That was an act of racism”, what would you automatically assume?  Do you see a burning cross? Do you imagine a ‘coloreds only’ sign? In an effort to have an informed discussion concerning environmental and racial justice, it is important to …

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