Taking Action for
Health and Environmental Justice
I.E.S. Incinerators Campaign Erupts (Oakland, California)
The campaign against the
Integrated Environmental Systems
medical waste incinerators has erupted. Our goal is to force
IES to shut the incinerators and replace them with safer technologies
to protect workers' jobs and public health. In the face of intense
public opposition to the incinerators, state officials suspended IES'
permit for 30 days on June 13, 2001 due to massive violations of their
permit and the law. Greenaction was lead organizer of a big protest
at IES on June 28th, when hundreds of people of all ages and colors
joined together to demand an end to incineration. Our coalition will
soon begin a non-violent civil disobedience campaign.
Green Energy and Environmental Justice Campaign
In response to the "energy
crisis," we are working across California and across the country
to promote green, renewable, affordable and public power. Greenaction
organized a California statewide strategy meeting of community and
environmental groups on July 21. We formed a California Green Energy
Environmental Justice Alliance to support green energy and stop the
onslaught of polluting power plants being pushed by the White House,
the Governor, and industry.
Health and Justice for Bayview Hunters Point (San Francisco,
California)
Greenaction has joined
with community and youth organizations to fight for environmental
justice in this low-income neighborhood suffering from toxic
and radioactive pollution and high rates of cancer and asthma. We
are kicking off a campaign to achieve the long overdue shutdown of
the polluting PG&E Hunters Point power plant, to oppose the expansion
of Mirant's Potrero power plant, and to support renewable energy,
conservation and energy efficiency. We support the community in pressuring
the U.S. Navy to do a thorough and safe cleanup of their contamination
at the Hunters Point Shipyard. Greenaction and community allies are
organizing a march on the PG&E power plant August 18, 2001.
Stop Bush's Plan to Drill for Oil in Arctic WIldlife
Refuge (Alaska)
Greenaction has answered
the call for assistance from the Gwich'in Indian Nation in northern
Alaska and Canada to help stop George W. Bush's plans to drill
for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Greenaction's Director
traveled to Arctic Village, Alaska to attend and support the Gwich'in
gathering to show opposition to the oil drilling plan. We have also
launched a successful nationwide effort to rally support to save the
Arctic Refuge, the caribou and other wildlife from the proposed drilling.
West Oakland Toxic-Free Neighborhood Campaign (Oakland,
California)
Greenaction and the Chester
Street Block Club Association are beginning an environmental justice
campaign against the Red Star Yeast facility that emits cancer causing
chemicals and odors. We pressured the Bay Area Air Quality Management
District to hold a public meeting in July regarding this facility.
We will be working with the community in a door-to-door education
and outreach effort to mobilize residents to stop the toxic threat
from Red Star Yeast. We are also monitoring the cleanup of toxic waste
sites in the neighborhood.
Mesa Verde & Blythe, California Environmental Justice
Campaign
We are working with
these low-income
Latino and farmworker communities to stop the Blythe Energy Project's
proposed power plants that would pollute the air, drain scarce
water resources and endanger the jobs and health of hundreds of farmworkers.
Greenaction joined the United Farm Workers Union and community groups
in sponsoring a large community protest on March 13, and we organized
a successful press conference in Sacramento that resulted in the voices
of the community being heard across the state.
Victory for Green Energy and Defeat for a Dirty Power
Plant
Greenaction joined with
the West County Toxics Coalition, the Richmond Greens and other allies
to defeat plans to build a fossil-fuel power plant next to the Chevron
refinery in a community already heavily impacted by toxic pollution
and environmental racism. One hundred people jammed a City Council
committee meeting, resulting in the city rejecting the polluting power
plant and voting instead to study renewable energy!
Midway Village Fights for Health and Justice
Greenaction continues supporting
the residents of the Midway Village housing project living
on top of and next to cancer causing chemicals from the adjacent PG&E
facility. For years state and federal government agencies claimed
that no toxic contaminants remained near the surface at Midway Village,
but now have been forced to admit that was not true. The State Department
of Toxic Substances Control recently admitted that high levels of
toxics remain in the soil next to homes, the day care center and a
park. Greenaction will work to support residents demands for permanent
relocation away from this toxic neighborhood, along with just compensation
and lifetime medical care. Residents suffer from cancer, respiratory
problems, skin rashes and bloody noses.
California Communities Against Toxics (CCAT) Conference
Greenaction is joining
community and youth groups in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point
neighborhood to host this year's annual CCAT
statewide environmental justice conference. CCAT was founded
in the late 1980's by communities on the front lines of struggles
against pollution, and continues to help network, train and empower
communities to achieve environmental justice. The conference will
take place August 18-19, 2001.
Stop Dumping on South Phoenix, Arizona
We
support the community fighting toxic facilities including
"Innovative Waste Utilization," a company with a poor track
record that hopes to expand. In response to protests, the City Council
passed an ordinance prohibiting expansion of toxic facilities in South
Phoenix. We helped the community file a complaint with U.S. EPA charging
the state "environmental" agency with violating the U.S.
Civil Rights Act by permitting polluters to operate despite discriminatory
and disproportionate impacts.
Health Care Without Harm Victories
We are a leading member
of the Health Care Without Harm
Coalition working to transform the health care industry so
that it is no longer a source of environmental harm. We encourage
health care institutions to phase out use of pvc (polyvinyl chloride)
plastics and mercury containing products, and to stop incinerating
medical waste. In a big victory, Stanford Medical Center - previously
one of IES' biggest customers - announced their commitment to pollution
prevention and to stop virtually all incineration. Alta Bates/Summit
has also told IES to microwave and no longer incinerate their waste.
We are now educating other health care institutions on pollution prevention
and alternatives to incineration.
Join the Greenaction Activist Network: (415) 248-5010,
or Email us at greenaction@greenaction.org to sign up and get
involved!
