Do privado ao público em um contexto de injustiça ambiental: um estudo de duas comunidades às margens do canal da costa - Vila Velha (ES, Brasil)

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine to what extent publicizing environmental issues contributes to the achievement of environmental justice. It is b ased on social inequality that currently afflicts the Brazilian territory, resulting from a history linked to disrespect and exploitation of politically minority social groups. In urban areas, this inequality acquires spatial features when relegate margina l areas with poor infrastructure to poor communities . T herefore t hese groups are characterized by a social vulnerability coupled to a submission to risk. Features that associated with a wicked intention, configure the situation of these groups in a matter of environmental injustice. In turn, this injustice reflects a constellation of problems that may or may not be perceived as problems by individuals who suffer from them. When they are, these people can deal with them individually, and they also can, more over, mobilize themselves and associate to investigate, problematize and publicize those problems. Therefore, we elected as empirical locus two communities located on the banks of the Canal da Costa at the western end of the Itapoã neighborhood, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo. In addition to a poor access to public infrastructure and the fragility of the physical structure of their houses, they live with floods, with putrid odor emitted by the channel , with scattered trash and, in one case, with the waste dispo sal of the channel bottom. Through a method of ethnographic inspiration , combined with the observant participation and the application of interviews, I sought to reveal the complexity of the reality of these communities . They find themselves deprived of go ods , capabilities, political power and respect. They also r eflect situations of environmental injustice that are perpetuated or minimize d , due to an individualization of problems and a weakened publicity.