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 Project 4

February 18, 2005                               Janelle Senior

            Phoenix has been described as “the clean city” (B. Bolin, Environmental Hazard, 2000, p16) in which city developers are trying to “preserve the ‘sunshine and pure atmosphere’ of the oasis” (B. Bolin, Environmental Hazard, 2000, p16). This description is good for selling property and to the new comers of the valley. Reality is that Phoenix’s record is very poor environmentally and Phoenix “is vexed by significant air and groundwater pollution problems” (B. Bolin, Environmental Hazard, 2000, p16). In South Phoenix it’s not unlikely to neither live near a hazardous plant nor come in contact with the fumes of a toxic release or even a toxic/hazardous material spillage like the one downtown last month.

            The growth of Phoenix is welcomed but the are still some doubts about the equality of Phoenix’s growth an example is the article titled, “Hispanic majority in Phoenix by  2007” (Konig and Kamman, Arizona Republic, 1/22/03). Another example is found in the article, “Parents fear segregation return” (Pearce, AZ. Republic, 11/18/00). Pearce’s article talks about the white’s that are moving to South Phoenix wanting new schools created, so their children would not have to be educated with minorities and low-income children. Phoenix’s growth is welcomed but maybe seen as a one-sided welcome.

o “preserve the ‘sunshine and pure atmosphere’ of the oasis” (B. Bolin, Environmental Hazard, 2000, p16). This description is good for selling property and to the new comers of the valley. Reality is that Phoenix’s record is very poor environmentally and Phoenix “is vexed by significant air and groundwater pollution problems” (B. Bolin, Environmental Hazard, 2000, p16). In South Phoenix it’s not unlikely to neither live near a hazardous plant nor come in contact with the fumes of a toxic release or even a toxic/hazardous material spillage like the one downtown last month.
        The growth of Phoenix is welcomed but the are still some doubts about the equality of Phoenix’s growth an example is the article titled, “Hispanic majority in Phoenix by 2007” (Konig and Kamman, Arizona Republic, 1/22/03). Another example is found in the article, “Parents fear segregation return” (Pearce, AZ. Republic, 11/18/00). Pearce’s article talks about the white’s that are moving to South Phoenix wanting new schools created, so their children would not have to be educated with minorities and low-income children. Phoenix’s growth is welcomed but maybe seen as a one-sided welcome.
        The (EZ/EC) program was set up to address the job market problems for the rapidly growing inner-cities. According to this program Phoenix will be able to keep up with “the creation of new businesses and job opportunities” (Burns and Gober, Job Linkages in Inner-City Phoenix).
        This week I took pictures of a beautiful Santa Fe designed home on baseline and 10th street. My group also visited the Car Wash/Barber Shop and I told my classmates that this is the urbanized form of a strip mall so the valley’s total number of strip malls should be far greater than “237” (Kelly, Arizona Diary, 1/23/00).