One Two Three

Although the story of Bourne is fictional, One Two Three accurately depicts a set of environmental practices and policies that often allow large corporations to exploit and victimize under-resourced communities; the products and production processes of such corporations often have the potential to cause environmental damage to the surrounding water supply, land, and people. That Belsum Chemical chooses the town of Bourne as the site for its plant is no accident. Rather, it is the product of what is often termed “NIMBY,” an acronym for “not in my backyard.” This acronym depicts the ability of wealthy areas to advocate, lobby, and legislate on their own behalf in order to avoid the construction of potentially damaging industry and infrastructure such as chemical plants, recycling and wastewater treatment facilities, and other facilities that have the potential to be environmentally hazardous. As a result, such facilities are typically located in economically depressed communities like Bourne that do not have the resources to advocate for themselves.

There are many examples of NIMBY policies at work, not only in the United States but also all over the world. One noteworthy example of the way that NIMBY harms under-resourced communities can be found in the proliferation of uranium mines near and within the boundaries of Indigenous lands in New Mexico.