Taking Action for
Health and Environmental Justice
Victory! I.E.S. Incinerators Close Down! (Oakland, California)
Greenaction and our
community coalition allies have won
an enormous victory in our four year campaign against the Integrated
Environmental Systems medical waste incinerators. Stericycle
has bought IES to acquire their customers and contracts, and the incinerators
closed down on December 10, 2001. While Greenaction and the Coalition
for Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice are celebrating
the victory, we are actively pressuring Stericycle and IES' parent
company Norcal to hire laid-off IES workers. The victory against the
incinerators came as a result of massive public pressure, including
mass demonstrations and nonviolent direct actions on August 7 and
September 5, 2001.
Stericycle Medical Waste/Environmental Justice Campaign
With Stericycle's purchase
of IES's customers, waste previously burned at the IES incinerators
will be autoclaved at Stericycle's facilities (non-incineration sterilization)
in California. Greenaction will actively oppose attempts by Stericycle
to ship some of the medical waste to their incinerators in Utah and
Arizona, as the victory in Oakland must not turn into another community's
problem. Greenaction is working on the Gila River Indian Community
reservation in Arizona to educate the tribal government and tribal
members about the dangers of the Stericycle medical waste incinerator
located on their land.
Health Care Without Harm
Greenaction is part of
the international Health Care
Without Harm Coalition working to transform the health care
industry to reduce their use of toxic materials such as polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) plastics and mercury-containing devices, and to end
incineration of medical waste. We work with health care institutions,
community and health groups, workers in hospitals, and government
agencies in this effort. We co-sponsored a Health Care Pollution Prevention
workshop on November 2nd in Oakland.
Green Energy Environmental Justice Campaign
In response to the "energy
crisis," we promote green, renewable, affordable and public power.
Greenaction has brought together dozens of organizations to form the
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. We are organizing a statewide strategy
meeting to be held in January, 2002.
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
have begun the campaign to shutdown 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
cleanup of contamination at the Hunters Point Shipyard.
Inner Fire Youth Project
As youth involvement is
a vital component of Greenaction, we have launched the Inner Fire
Youth Project to educate, train, mobilize and empower youth in environmental
justice campaigns. We are organizing youth events, conducting workshops,
developing curriculum, mobilizing youth for community action, and
networking with other youth groups. We will co-sponsor youth environmental
justice camps in California and Arizona next summer.
Stop Dumping on South Phoenix, Arizona
We
support this low-income community of color fighting the disproportionate
presence of toxic and waste facilities that threaten public
health and the environment. We alerted residents to a new proposal
by Milum Textile Services for a medical waste facility, and forced
the State to hold a public hearing. We provide organizing and technical
support to residents tired of their community being a dumping ground.
Stop Bush's Plan to Drill for Oil in Arctic Wildlife
Refuge! (Alaska)
We have answered
the call for assistance from the Gwich'in Indian Nation in northern
Alaska and Canada to help stop Bush's plans to drill for oil
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Greenaction's Director traveled
to Arctic Village, Alaska to attend the Gwich'in gathering to show
opposition to the oil drilling plan. We have launched a nationwide
effort with the Indigenous Environmental Network to save the Arctic
Refuge, the caribou and other wildlife from the proposed drilling.
West Oakland Toxic-Free Neighborhood Campaign (Oakland,
California)
Greenaction and West Oakland
community groups are working to stop the toxic threat from the Red
Star Yeast facility that emits cancer causing chemicals and foul odors
into the neighborhoods near the plant. This winter we are beginning
an intensive community education and organizing campaign to inform
and mobilize residents, who also are exposed to numerous other toxic
contamination and pollution sources.
San Joaquin Valley Environmental Justice Project (California)
We are a founding member
of the newly formed Central California Environmental Justice Network,
and participated in the successful founding conference in Fresno in
mid-November. The predominantly Latino and low-income communities
in the valley are hard hit by pollution and environmental racism,
suffering from pesticides, toxic waste dumps, polluting power plants,
and contaminated wells.
Midway Village Fights for Health and Justice (Daly City,
California)
Greenaction supports
residents of the Midway Village housing project living on
top of and next to cancer causing chemicals from the adjacent PG&E
facility. We will continue supporting residents demanding 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.
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,
and we organized a successful press conference in Sacramento that
resulted in the voices of the community being heard across the state.
Earth Day Environmental Justice, Health and Green Energy
Fair
Greenaction and community
groups will co-sponsor an Earth Day environmental justice, health
and green energy fair in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood
on Saturday, April 20, 2002.
Greenaction Web Site: www.greenaction.org
Our web site is being used
by thousands of people across the country and the world. Community
and environmental activists, students, educators, government officials,
media and even polluters regularly visit the Greenaction web site
for updates, solid information and action alerts on campaigns for
health and environmental justice.
Join the Greenaction Activist Network!
Call (415) 248-5010
or Email us at greenaction@greenaction.org
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