A Year of Action for Health & Environmental Justice

Victories in West Oakland

Victory for Occupation of the Proposed Nuclear Waste Dump Site at Ward Valley!

Stopping the Toxic Threat from the I.E.S.Incinerators in East Oakland

Holding the U.S. EPA Accountable on Health and Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice for Midway Village

Press Conference with Reverend Jesse Jackson and Tribal Leaders

Educating and Empowering Communities

Empowering & Building Skills in the West Oakland Community

Earth Week Action for Environmental Justice

Stopping Cancer Where It Starts- Cancer Industry Tour of Downtown San Francisco

Support Greenaction..Taking Action For Health & Environmental Justice

Greenaction 1998 Campaign Report

Victories in West Oakland:When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency installed an incinerator in this community contaminated with vinyl chloride and other dangerous chemicals,they assured residents that only salt and steam would be emitted from the incinerator. Only after Greenaction brought the truth to the community did the EPA apologize and admit that toxic chemicals, including dioxin, were in fact being released. Together with the Chester Street Block Club Association, we were able to shut the incinerator down and are now working with the EPA and the community to find a safer treatment technology to better clean the contamination.

Greenaction also assisted the Chester Street area residents in a successful campaign to shut down an illegal scrap metal facility that neighbors felt was a nuisance in their community. The City of Oakland took action only after residents and Greenaction organized to shut this facility that had operated for years without permits.

Victory for Occupation of the Proposed Nuclear Waste Dump Site at Ward Valley! Greenaction joined the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance in an historic and victorious 113 day direct action and occupation of the proposed nuclear dump site at Ward Valley. Greenaction was on the frontlines with the Tribes to prevent the government from bringing in drilling rigs to conduct tests for the dump. Despite threats of arrest, the unwavering occupation forced the U.S.government to cancel the tests which would have desecrated sacred Indian land at Ward Valley.

Stopping the Toxic Threat from the I.E.S.Incinerators in East Oakland: Greenaction is working with PUEBLO (People United for a Better Oakland) and other allies to stop the burning of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastics and to stop emissions of dioxin and other toxic chemicals and metals from the medical and solid waste incinerators operated by Integrated"Environmental" Systems (IES). We helped organize a 200 person community protest in front of the IES incinerators on July 22nd. With the Alameda County Health Department and our coalition allies, we co-sponsored a successful community meeting on October 20th about the incinerators.We are working with the Health Department to educate and encourage hospitals and health care institutions to reduce the use of PVC, and to encourage IES to shift to safer, alternative non-incineration technologies. In addition, we are working with governmental agencies and officials in Bay Area cities and counties to adopt resolutions supporting zero dioxin exposure and encouraging health care institutions to stop using products containing PVC and mercury.

Holding the U.S. EPA Accountable on Health and Environmental Justice:Greenaction brought together communities from across the country in a protest on June 1st at a national U.S. EPA meeting to demand environmental justice. Greenaction and allies also organized a very successful demonstration on October 7th at the U.S. EPA offices with the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance and Bay Area community, health and environmental groups to demand that EPA uphold environmental justice and act to stop the proposed Ward Valley dump. The protest received excellent press coverage in three states.

Environmental Justice for Midway Village: Residents of this low-income housing project in Daly City suffer alarming rates of illnesses including cancer, respiratory problems, and other ill health effects which many believe are caused by the dangerous toxics near homes.Greenaction assisted the community in a protest on March 9th at the neighboring PG&E facility, the source of the contaminants. On August 28th, we organized a spirited and successful protest at the offices of the State Department of Toxic Substances Control, bringing together residents of Midway Village with the West Oakland community and many supporters to demand environmental justice. Greenaction helped residents stop (for now) plans by PG&E and local cities to begin work on a drainage project which would have exposed residents to toxics again.We helped residents organize a December 10th action at PG&E's corporate headquarters.

Press Conference with Reverend Jesse Jackson and Tribal Leaders: Greenaction organized a very successful press conference at the Westwood Federal Building in Los Angeles June 15th. Reverend Jesse Jackson, singer Bonnie Raitt and many religious, community, civic and environmental leaders joined with a large delegation of Tribal leaders and Elders to call on President Clinton to take immediate action and save Ward Valley from a nuclear dump.

Educating and Empowering Communities: Greenaction participated in the Chinatown Festival for the Environment in San Francisco on April19th, distributing information in Chinese and English at this grassroots community event. We also joined the Chester Street Block Club Association in their Health and Environmental Justice Street Fair on June 27th . Greenaction helped co-sponsor the West County Environmental Justice Festival in Richmond on July 18th.

Empowering & Building Skills in the West Oakland Community: Greenaction held a media workshop for residents involved in the Chester Street Block Club Association who are working to get a better cleanup of the toxic sites in their neighborhood.The "hands-on" training empowered the community by giving them the skills and knowledge to get their message out.

Earth Week Action for Environmental Justice: Greenaction hosted a tour of Mohave and Quechan leaders of the occupation at Ward Valley. We sponsored an Earth Day protest in front of PG&E's corporate offices to protest environmental racism in Ward Valley and Midway Village. We confronted PG&E over their plans to dump radioactive wastes at Ward Valley, and for their refusal to take responsibility for toxic contamination at Midway Village.

Stopping Cancer Where It Starts- Cancer Industry Tour of Downtown San Francisco:Greenaction and the Toxic Links Coalition organized the fifth annual Cancer Industry Tour of San Francisco on October 28th. Starting at Chevron's headquarters, dozens of cancer survivors and hundreds of supporters marched to offices of polluters and institutions that are part of the "cancer industry." Cancer survivors, community groups living near toxic sites, and supporters united to demand an end to pollutants that cause cancer and other health effects.