Science & Environment

The U.S. Hispanic population is disproportionately affected by environmental contamination in many parts of the country, and Hispanics are poorly represented in science and technology careers. Latinos also lag behind the general U.S. population with regard to access to technology. These are critical areas as environmental issues can directly affect our health, and science and technology affect our quality of life and our capacity to participate in the national and global job markets.

Our Response
At Acceso Hispano we use mass media communication tools that reach Hispanics directly with practical messages on why science, technology and the environment are important, how these topics affect their everyday life, and how they can take action. We have worked with various partners, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop campaigns regarding science careers, environmental contamination, and energy efficiency, among many other topics. Acceso Hispano works with Hispanic Communications Network to provide content for an ongoing radio program called Pulso del Planeta which provides entertaining and educational information about nature, the environment and science topics.

To address innovations in technology we have incorporated cell phone messaging into our communication tools to reach those without Internet access, and we rely strongly on Spanish-language radio to get our messages out to the more disadvantaged members of the Hispanic community. We’ve also created a bilingual website with valuable information for Spanish-speakers, and promote its use through our radio programs. Through our telephone hotline and network of community service providers we put people in contact with libraries, community centers, technology training courses, higher education opportunities, scholarships, informal science programs, local environmental groups and other resources where they can access the Internet, learn to use new technologies, strengthen science skills and knowledge, or mobilize to address environmental issues that affect their community.

The Issues

Science and Technology
Less than 3% of America’s science and technology workforce is Latino, while an estimated 15% of the total population is Latino. Research finds that this discrepancy is attributed to schools not engaging Hispanic students in math and science, lack of parental involvement and exposure to informal science activities, and lack of Latino science role models to help motivate them to pursue careers in the field among other socioeconomic and cultural factors. Only 3% of Hispanics entering four-year colleges and universities in the United States enroll in a science or engineering program, which can be traced in large part to poor performance in middle school and high school, where Hispanic students score an average of 20 points lower than non-Hispanic students in science and math subjects.

The Environment
Pollution in the United States poses health risks for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or country of origin. A large percentage of Latinos, however, live and work in urban and agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury contamination, according to the National Resources Defense Council. These hazards can cause serious health problems, including an increased risk of asthma and cancer; waterborne diseases such as giardiasis, hepatitis, and cholera; and neurological and developmental problems. Latinos are more likely to live immediately adjacent to polluting industries and in areas failing to meet national pollution standards. A 1995 study found that 80% of Latinos lived in areas that failed to meet federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards, compared to 65% of African Americans and 57% of Whites.

Access to Technology
Latinos use their cell phones for sending and receiving data much more than do black and white populations, but disproportionately fewer Latinos have access to broadband Internet access in their homes. A 2008 report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 73% of Latinos use their cell phones to text message, 25% to send or receive email, and 22% to access the Internet. Among English-speaking Hispanics only, 84% had cell phones and 78% reported using them for online access. Overall about 56% of the U.S. adult Latino population goes online in comparison with 71% of non-Hispanic whites and 60% of non-Hispanic blacks, and this number is much lower for Latinos who speak only Spanish (32%).