When assessing whether or not climate change is a form of oppression, we first have to define oppression. In order to define oppression I want to go back to the five faces of oppression and choose which faces of oppression climate change falls under. I think when analyzing the five faces of oppression it’s clear that climate change, in my opinion falls under the category of powerlessness. Oppression due to powerlessness is essentially when the presence of a ruling class delegates the rest of society to living by their orders and rivers. There is a ruling class that holds the power on the issue of climate change and the average person is definitely powerless to stop them. Our government could do so much to help stop the affects of climate change, but instead they play into the pockets of big companies that profit off of the destruction of our world. Rather than make the rich uncomfortable, they just chose to ignore the issues at hand. When big companies pollute the air and water surrounding their factories, nothing is done because they’re not the ones suffering living near those factories. It’s typically poorer people who live in those areas, thus nothing is done. Louisiana’s cancer valley is a great example of how climate change is a form oppression due to powerlessness. The people in cancer valley are absolutely poisoned by the plethora of companies situated in that region. The citizens and the land in that area are still being poisoned by them, however no matter how many articles are done or how many people lobby for them, the government would rather let those companies poison the earth and its people than cause those companies to have to pay for their crimes. I understand that there are things the average everyday person can do to help, but who cares when Kylie Jenner and the rest of Calabasas are using private jets to travel a few miles. I truly believe in what the Lorax said at the end of that movie, however I don’t think it takes just one person. Unless a good amount of people on payroll for these big corporations start caring, nothing is going to get done.
