A Big Data Exploration of Injustice: Twitter Data and Environmental Justice in New Jersey

Keywords: environmental justice, big data, environmental hazards, ecosystem services, urban development
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

In spite of increasing efforts to address it, structural bias and historical discrimination have allowed environmental injustice to persist in the United States. In recent years, awareness of the inequitable exposure to harm and lack of access to resources experienced by historically marginalized populations has increased, resulting in mounting pressure for government entities to right these wrongs. As a result, there is a demand for tools and methodologies that identify environmental injustices. This study takes the first steps toward creating a new tool for identifying injustices by capitalizing on the availability of big data. To this end, we explore the relationship between environmental injustice and social media activity through geospatial statistical techniques to connect individual experiences shared online with community woes. We analyze data collected on environmental hazards, ecosystem services, and Twitter activity in northern New Jersey. Our results show the link between the frequency with which ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ words pertaining to environmental justice are used online and the measured distribution of environmental factors such as air pollutants and public park access. This research showcases the opportunities and challenges big data presents when seeking to identify the presence of environmental injustices. As such, we outline next steps in achieving this integration and propose future research opportunities for big data in the realm of environmental justice.