Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) is a social justice organization with a focus on environmental health and justice. This organization works mainly with working class communities of color in Northern and Southern California. CBE has chosen to deal with these specific communities because they are the areas that suffer the most from pollution and harmful toxins. These groups are effected daily by pollution from freeways, power plants, oil refineries, seaports, airports, and chemical manufacturers. As a result, the people within these communities endure high rates of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, heart problems, cancer, low birthrate, and miscarriages. Due to the severe rate of poverty in these areas, these health conditions are raised even higher. CBE not only assists in improving these conditions, but also challenges residents to identify their own problems and create their own campaigns and solutions.
Toxic tours are major ways in which they are spreading awareness. These visits include trips to refineries, chemical sites, and fields located in Northern California and Los Angeles. During these tours the guide will provide you with stories of current struggles within the area, as well as, an explanation of government officials responsible for the poor conditions.
By experiencing the conditions of these poor ethnic communities firsthand, one is able to truly place themselves in the shoes of those in danger. Unlike reading some story on a website, the CBE toxic tours provide a realness. While I believe that the tours are very effective at creating awareness, taking actions towards finding solutions is just as important. It is clear that the CBE organization has done both. By helping the residents acquire legal assistance and scientific/ policy research, CBE successfully creates action as well as awareness.
http://www.cbecal.org/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment