UES 150 Fall 2020

The ABC coke plant in North Birmingham is the biggest contributor to pollution in the city of Birmingham. A coke plant produces coke, a type of fuel, and burns it to create energy and creates carbon monoxide. This is what contributes to the poor air quality in Birmingham. Based on the efforts shown in the documentary, I do not think that the efforts being made to help the neighborhoods affected by the air and soil pollution are enough. I believe that these companies that are polluting the air and soil from coke plants have an ethical obligation to the surrounding communities to cut back on or transfer to a different type of energy to fuel these plants. Many of these families in these communities can't move because it is too expensive. The communities that experience the worst effects of this pollution are some of the poorest communities in Jefferson county. That is just not right. Although these communities suffer the most from the soil and air contaminants, I believe that this air pollution affects many people far and wide in Jefferson county and needs to be stopped.