Landscapes of Risk

Abstract

Several hurricanes and industrial explosions in 2005 brought increasing public attention to the risk inherent in the location of US petrochemical facilities. The upper Texas Gulf Coast is home to a significant cluster of petrochemical industries including some of the largest refineries in the United States. Residents live, play and work in the shadow of petrochemical towers. While the petrochemical industries have brought jobs and economic development to the area, they have permanently changed the landscape and been linked to increased stress and illness for local residents. Nevertheless, the US demand for their products means that these industries will continue to pose ongoing risks for citizens that live near them. Our photo essay intends to provide insight into these particularly important and complex landscapes of risk—landscapes in which the natural environment and well-being of residents is largely ignored as fuel prices and energy security are debated.