•
•
Dearest Reader,
|[What Is Environmental Justice^
Thanks for picking up a copy of GreenLight! I hope you enjoy our sixth(!!!) issue. K M V i i omiHMit ;> 1 Justice is tough subject. It's a little han any topics GreenLight has covered important one. In our day-to-day • in ecological footprint, it's important the bigger picture: you know that luce electricity, and burning coal ni'1 otl ^s pollutants, but where does how does it affect the people I I I I
Daniel Shea's Removin Mountains Project
mimin I I
Natural Gas
Luckily, GreenLight is friends with some great writers who offered to clear things up for us! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue, especially Jen, Kenny, and Sarah, who did some mad proofreading.
In general GreenLight news... Our website is up and running and you should check it out if you haven't: greenlightzine.org! It has a blog, some diy projects, an events calendar, and our guide to Cleveland! As time <|oe;i on, we'll probably be focusing more on the website, w i l l ) an occasional zine. I'd love to see the site become .1 plflco where young Clevelanders can go to get inspired .m<J irn what others are doing in the area. The first titt'i > realizing that vision is getting some inspiring Mtoi : up on the website! Contact me if you have .myi ig you'd like to share.
J
lOOVE ,
P.O. Box 272 Wickliffe, OH 44092 greenlightzine[at]gmail.com
• *
milial ste
•
Dearest Reader,
|[What Is Environmental Justice^
Thanks for picking up a copy of GreenLight! I hope you enjoy our sixth(!!!) issue. K M V i i omiHMit ;> 1 Justice is tough subject. It's a little han any topics GreenLight has covered important one. In our day-to-day • in ecological footprint, it's important the bigger picture: you know that luce electricity, and burning coal ni'1 otl ^s pollutants, but where does how does it affect the people I I I I
Daniel Shea's Removin Mountains Project
mimin I I
Natural Gas
Luckily, GreenLight is friends with some great writers who offered to clear things up for us! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue, especially Jen, Kenny, and Sarah, who did some mad proofreading.
In general GreenLight news... Our website is up and running and you should check it out if you haven't: greenlightzine.org! It has a blog, some diy projects, an events calendar, and our guide to Cleveland! As time <|oe;i on, we'll probably be focusing more on the website, w i l l ) an occasional zine. I'd love to see the site become .1 plflco where young Clevelanders can go to get inspired .m<J irn what others are doing in the area. The first titt'i > realizing that vision is getting some inspiring Mtoi : up on the website! Contact me if you have .myi ig you'd like to share.
J
lOOVE ,
P.O. Box 272 Wickliffe, OH 44092 greenlightzine[at]gmail.com
• *
milial ste
What Is Environmental Justice? By Mattie Reitman, Ohio Student Environmental Coalition Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
1991 People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit
"Environmental justice is the fair "A national and international movement of all peoples of color to fight the destruction and taking of our lands and treatment and meaningful communities..., spiritual interdependence to the sacredness of involvement of all people our Mother Earth; to respect and celebrate each of our cultures, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with languages and beliefs about the natural world and our roles in healing ourselves;...to promote economic alternatives which respect to the development, would contribute to the development of environmentally safe implementation, and livelihoods; and, to secure our political, economic and cultural enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." liberation that has been denied for over 500 years of colonization and oppression, resulting in the poisoning of our communities and land and the genocide of our peoples." - I'oison people equally.
Environmental Protection Agency has very limited powers, as it only enforces the laws. And the laws are written to accommodate wealthy, destructive industries and the destructive cultures that depend on them. Furthermore, particularly in hard-hit areas like Central Appalachia, state branches of the EPA have miserable track records of enforcing the rules.
- Stop poisoning people.
Environmental justice means different things to different people. A long history of people struggling with local environmental issues that went unrecognized by the m.iinstream "environmental movement" culminated at the People of Color I nvirnnmentnl Leadership Summit, held in October 1991 in Washington DC. This i (inference gave name to a growing movement called Environmental Justice (EJ), led by iirnl for people of color protecting their communities from environmental degradation. Much has happened in the last 20 years for the environmental justice movement. The EPA notably created an Office of Environmental Equity in 1992, which was renamed the Office of Environmental justice in 1994. In some instances, government-funded Environmental justice Advocates have done groundbreaking work to inform, empower, I ftf ÂŁ|1 "" and protect otherwise [ I oppressed communities. But a strong rift still exists between grassroots EJ groups, various levels of government, and many self-identified environmental groups.
Environmental Justice and the EPA
fOOR
I've heard the EPA called any number of slanderous nicknames: Every Polluter Allowed, Everything's Permitted Agency, etc. The fact remains that the
A study performed by the Sludge Safety Project in southern West Virginia this March found drinking water with Arsenic at 1 6,000 times the legal limit, and Antimony, Lead, Barium, Cadmium, and Chromium levels over 100 times the limit. The West Virginia branch of the EPA, which was overdue in conducting these studies itself, had previously done the necessary sampling but failed to do any analysis, and continued to tell citizen: the drinking water was safe. These practices are morally corrupt and do not fall in line with the mission of the EPA.
Environmental Justice and the "Environmental Movement" We're all in the same boat. Everyone has an interest in preserving the quality of our environmental resources for human health and livelihood, and for those of future generations. But the history of the "environmental movement" is one of struggles and infighting and mistrust. Can't we all just get along? It's a sad fact that our history is littered with, and almost defined by, examples of "mainstream" environmental groups, from local to international, missing or even selling out the interests of oppressed people. Organizations operating in a racist and sexist (and classist, and homophobic, etc.) society must work to dismantle oppression in their organizations and campaigns if they hope to be successful. Conflicts have led the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit to adopt the Principles of Working Together in 1991, and the Principles of Alliance with Green Groups in 2002, emphasizing such things as equal decision-making, mutual respect, written consent, and joint fundraising.
Many people who choose to get involved in environmental issues do so from 9 place of privilege, because they genuinely want to contribute something meaningful, but aren't aware of problems in their own lives. These folks often get involved in more abstract issues, like endangered species, global warming, etc. All this stands in stark contrast to people who are forced to get involved in environmental issues because of where they live and how they are treated in society. Community groups often form out of necessity, to defend their health and property values from polluting industries. Why Race and Class Matter In 1984, a company called Cerrell Associates did a thorough evaluation of target communities for California's Waste Management Board, to identify how likely different communities are to resist a noxious facility, like the "waste-to-energy" incinerators California was trying to build. The report says that 43 major trash incinerators were planned for California at the time. Only 3 were built, and remain in operation today all in low-income/Latino communities. A leaked 1991 report conducted by a PR firm called Epley Associates, commissioned to identify nuclear waste dump sites, ruled out several towns described as "houses fairly wealthy" or "fairly affluent," yet recommended
What Is Environmental Justice? By Mattie Reitman, Ohio Student Environmental Coalition Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
1991 People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit
"Environmental justice is the fair "A national and international movement of all peoples of color to fight the destruction and taking of our lands and treatment and meaningful communities..., spiritual interdependence to the sacredness of involvement of all people our Mother Earth; to respect and celebrate each of our cultures, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with languages and beliefs about the natural world and our roles in healing ourselves;...to promote economic alternatives which respect to the development, would contribute to the development of environmentally safe implementation, and livelihoods; and, to secure our political, economic and cultural enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." liberation that has been denied for over 500 years of colonization and oppression, resulting in the poisoning of our communities and land and the genocide of our peoples." - I'oison people equally.
Environmental Protection Agency has very limited powers, as it only enforces the laws. And the laws are written to accommodate wealthy, destructive industries and the destructive cultures that depend on them. Furthermore, particularly in hard-hit areas like Central Appalachia, state branches of the EPA have miserable track records of enforcing the rules.
- Stop poisoning people.
Environmental justice means different things to different people. A long history of people struggling with local environmental issues that went unrecognized by the m.iinstream "environmental movement" culminated at the People of Color I nvirnnmentnl Leadership Summit, held in October 1991 in Washington DC. This i (inference gave name to a growing movement called Environmental Justice (EJ), led by iirnl for people of color protecting their communities from environmental degradation. Much has happened in the last 20 years for the environmental justice movement. The EPA notably created an Office of Environmental Equity in 1992, which was renamed the Office of Environmental justice in 1994. In some instances, government-funded Environmental justice Advocates have done groundbreaking work to inform, empower, I ftf ÂŁ|1 "" and protect otherwise [ I oppressed communities. But a strong rift still exists between grassroots EJ groups, various levels of government, and many self-identified environmental groups.
Environmental Justice and the EPA
fOOR
I've heard the EPA called any number of slanderous nicknames: Every Polluter Allowed, Everything's Permitted Agency, etc. The fact remains that the
A study performed by the Sludge Safety Project in southern West Virginia this March found drinking water with Arsenic at 1 6,000 times the legal limit, and Antimony, Lead, Barium, Cadmium, and Chromium levels over 100 times the limit. The West Virginia branch of the EPA, which was overdue in conducting these studies itself, had previously done the necessary sampling but failed to do any analysis, and continued to tell citizen: the drinking water was safe. These practices are morally corrupt and do not fall in line with the mission of the EPA.
Environmental Justice and the "Environmental Movement" We're all in the same boat. Everyone has an interest in preserving the quality of our environmental resources for human health and livelihood, and for those of future generations. But the history of the "environmental movement" is one of struggles and infighting and mistrust. Can't we all just get along? It's a sad fact that our history is littered with, and almost defined by, examples of "mainstream" environmental groups, from local to international, missing or even selling out the interests of oppressed people. Organizations operating in a racist and sexist (and classist, and homophobic, etc.) society must work to dismantle oppression in their organizations and campaigns if they hope to be successful. Conflicts have led the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit to adopt the Principles of Working Together in 1991, and the Principles of Alliance with Green Groups in 2002, emphasizing such things as equal decision-making, mutual respect, written consent, and joint fundraising.
Many people who choose to get involved in environmental issues do so from 9 place of privilege, because they genuinely want to contribute something meaningful, but aren't aware of problems in their own lives. These folks often get involved in more abstract issues, like endangered species, global warming, etc. All this stands in stark contrast to people who are forced to get involved in environmental issues because of where they live and how they are treated in society. Community groups often form out of necessity, to defend their health and property values from polluting industries. Why Race and Class Matter In 1984, a company called Cerrell Associates did a thorough evaluation of target communities for California's Waste Management Board, to identify how likely different communities are to resist a noxious facility, like the "waste-to-energy" incinerators California was trying to build. The report says that 43 major trash incinerators were planned for California at the time. Only 3 were built, and remain in operation today all in low-income/Latino communities. A leaked 1991 report conducted by a PR firm called Epley Associates, commissioned to identify nuclear waste dump sites, ruled out several towns described as "houses fairly wealthy" or "fairly affluent," yet recommended
m by Becky Bob-Waksberg
g 0 ' n g after communities identified as "distressed," "very depressed area", or "residences of site minority-owned."
'M
4
m
A recent report from the United Church of Christ entitled "Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty: 1987-2007" re-confirmed a 20 year old finding that, when controlling for all other variables, race is the single greatest factor in where toxic waste facilities are located. That means that, generally speaking, a middle-class neighborhood of color may have a comparable chance of receiving a polluting facility as a working-class White neighborhood.
What To Do About It The results of Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty are not necessarily our fault-the institutions that shape our society this way are beyond our individual control - but they are our responsibility. There are countless communities, near and far, that need help in the form of cash donations, professional and legal services, simple labor, turnout at events, etc. You can get involved with a group near you, stand in solidarity with a group far away, ensure that things you consume don't depend on the destruction of others, and/or start to model responsible and sustainable policies and practices in your community that others can follow. Here are some good places to start: • Ohioans for Health, Environment, and Justice, ohioej.org - Mary Clare Rietz, forumsfatlOhioElfdotlorg • Neighborhood Leadership Institute (Cleveland) - Mark McClain, marklatlNeighborhoodLeadershipldotlorg • Ohio Student Environmental Coalition -Tim Krueger, timothy.h.krueger[at]gmail.com Further Resources: • Web Resources for Environmental justice Activists - http://ejnet.org • Energy and Environmental Justice - http://Energylustice.net/ej • Campus-Community Organizing Guide - http://Energvlustice.net/campus
I first became obsessed with Majora Carter when I heard her speak at Oberlin College in 2007.1 had never been one to care about the environment much, but I took Environmental Studies 101 just because our department had such a good reputation. Majora was a guest speaker and she told us about what it was like to grow up in the South Bronx, about how much of New York City's waste got dumped in her neighborhood, about the highways built through her neighborhood's parks, about the asthma and obesity from which the children of the South Bronx suffered, and about the ways she organized to fight the system and make real changes. As I listened to her speak, I started to understand, much more deeply than I had before, the ways that environmental issues affected people. I understood that my concerns about racism, poverty, a;nd other injustices had strong connections with environmental degradation. Thanks to Majora Carter, I am now an environmentalist. If you have never heard of her before, you should definitely check out the video of her famous speech on greening the ghetto, which you can find by searching "majora carter ted talk" on YouTube. She got started in the movement because she found out that the city was planning on dumping more trash in her neighborhood, so she and her friends decided to mobilize their community to stop that from . happening. She went on from there to spearhead a huge park project and numerous environmental job training programs. The summer after I heard Majora speak, I taught math and science to 6th graders in New Orleans. They were supposed to learn about environmental science, and I figured we couldn't talk
m by Becky Bob-Waksberg
g 0 ' n g after communities identified as "distressed," "very depressed area", or "residences of site minority-owned."
'M
4
m
A recent report from the United Church of Christ entitled "Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty: 1987-2007" re-confirmed a 20 year old finding that, when controlling for all other variables, race is the single greatest factor in where toxic waste facilities are located. That means that, generally speaking, a middle-class neighborhood of color may have a comparable chance of receiving a polluting facility as a working-class White neighborhood.
What To Do About It The results of Toxic Waste and Race at Twenty are not necessarily our fault-the institutions that shape our society this way are beyond our individual control - but they are our responsibility. There are countless communities, near and far, that need help in the form of cash donations, professional and legal services, simple labor, turnout at events, etc. You can get involved with a group near you, stand in solidarity with a group far away, ensure that things you consume don't depend on the destruction of others, and/or start to model responsible and sustainable policies and practices in your community that others can follow. Here are some good places to start: • Ohioans for Health, Environment, and Justice, ohioej.org - Mary Clare Rietz, forumsfatlOhioElfdotlorg • Neighborhood Leadership Institute (Cleveland) - Mark McClain, marklatlNeighborhoodLeadershipldotlorg • Ohio Student Environmental Coalition -Tim Krueger, timothy.h.krueger[at]gmail.com Further Resources: • Web Resources for Environmental justice Activists - http://ejnet.org • Energy and Environmental Justice - http://Energylustice.net/ej • Campus-Community Organizing Guide - http://Energvlustice.net/campus
I first became obsessed with Majora Carter when I heard her speak at Oberlin College in 2007.1 had never been one to care about the environment much, but I took Environmental Studies 101 just because our department had such a good reputation. Majora was a guest speaker and she told us about what it was like to grow up in the South Bronx, about how much of New York City's waste got dumped in her neighborhood, about the highways built through her neighborhood's parks, about the asthma and obesity from which the children of the South Bronx suffered, and about the ways she organized to fight the system and make real changes. As I listened to her speak, I started to understand, much more deeply than I had before, the ways that environmental issues affected people. I understood that my concerns about racism, poverty, a;nd other injustices had strong connections with environmental degradation. Thanks to Majora Carter, I am now an environmentalist. If you have never heard of her before, you should definitely check out the video of her famous speech on greening the ghetto, which you can find by searching "majora carter ted talk" on YouTube. She got started in the movement because she found out that the city was planning on dumping more trash in her neighborhood, so she and her friends decided to mobilize their community to stop that from . happening. She went on from there to spearhead a huge park project and numerous environmental job training programs. The summer after I heard Majora speak, I taught math and science to 6th graders in New Orleans. They were supposed to learn about environmental science, and I figured we couldn't talk
about the environment in New Orleans without talking about issues of environmental justice, and how different people were affected by environmental issues. I taught them about Majora Carter and they identified with her story so strongly that I decided to have them all write her letters about their reactions to her work as well as their own ideas and experiences in New Orleans. A few weeks after I mailed them, I got a phone call from an unrecognized New York number. It turned out to be Majora Carter, calling to tell me how much she appreciated the letters, and how she wanted to meet my students because they seemed so amazing. I almost fainted. Getting a phone call from Majora was like how others might feel after chatting with Miley Cyrus or Brad Pitt - she was my personal celebrity. That phone call ended up being small potatoes compared to what came next the next summer, she flew down to New Orleans to spend a whole day with my students to talk to them about New Orleans, help them design their dream for the city (which ended up being a recycling center that would provide free recycling as well as jobs and educational opportunities), and record them for her new radio show. She came down immediately after touring the Arctic Circle with Jimmy Carter and Ted Turner, and her visit meant the world to my students. Two boys were sworn enemies but worked together to show Majora what their lives were like after the hurricane. One student who struggled academically swelled with pride when he heard that because of his heartfelt letter, Majora wanted a special interview with him. Majora showed me as well as my students what we can do with our futures. I asked one of my old students, Daniel C., to write something for GreenLight about New Orleans and environmental justice: "One thing that would be really nice to see down here in New Orleans is more people caring about the environment. You don't have to do something drastic. Like if everyone turned off their porch light when they went to bed or turned off the computer monitor when the computer wasn't being used. I know that they advertise things like that on TV all the time but no one really does them. I want people to care more."
For more from Becky, check out her new and fantastic blog: Notes from the Patriarchy, notesfromthepatriarchy.blogspot.com
Jin Introduction to Mountaintop 3(fmova Co aC Mining and grassroots (Resistance by Kyla and Dea
Diagram from MountainJustice.org
What is Mountain Top Removal? The abbreviation for West Virginia, WV, is a good approximation of the contours of the land there: ridge after ridge of steep mountains cut by sharp, narrow valleys... hollows just wide enough to fit a river, rail line, road, and a row of houses before the wall of the next mountain begins to climb. The Appalachian Mountains are composed of layers of sedimentary rock. Coal seams- stripes of ancient peat bogs that solidified into rock with the help of heat, time, and pressure- lie buried between layers of limestone, shale, and sandstone. To get at the coal, mining companies have traditionally dug holes down into the coal seams, and use underground miners to haul out the stripe of coal, leaving the rest of the mountain fairly intact. As explosives and excavating equipment have grown bigger and cheaper, mining companies have found it easier to just scrape off the layers of rock above the coal seam, strip mining the sides of mountains to expose the coal inside.
Original Profile Mountain Forest Coal seam I â&#x20AC;&#x201D; /
/
High-wall mining is less intrusive. An auger and conveyor remove coal. Stream Mining Community
*"*"
Mountaintop removal Mining companies strip forests and topsoil then blast the mountain apart layer by layer to get to coal seams.
Coal seam
Mining waste is dumped into valleys and streams. Water runoff high in silt, iron and sulfur compounds, pollute water downstream.
Flooded stream
Reclamation Mining waste is smoothed out and steep slopes are terraced. Even with chemical treatments, vegetation has a hand time growing on the infertile and highly acidic soil. Mining spoil fills valley.
Eventually, someone realized that the companies could simply blow the peak right off the mountain, pushing the debris into the valley next to it. Mountain Top Removal (MTR) mining exposes the entire coal seam to be mined with just a few workers inside giant machines. The landscape is completely changed. With MTR, Appalachian forested hills are knocked over into its lush river valleys, creating long, even surfaces of exposed bedrock. These miles of land are often left bare or planted with invasive species
about the environment in New Orleans without talking about issues of environmental justice, and how different people were affected by environmental issues. I taught them about Majora Carter and they identified with her story so strongly that I decided to have them all write her letters about their reactions to her work as well as their own ideas and experiences in New Orleans. A few weeks after I mailed them, I got a phone call from an unrecognized New York number. It turned out to be Majora Carter, calling to tell me how much she appreciated the letters, and how she wanted to meet my students because they seemed so amazing. I almost fainted. Getting a phone call from Majora was like how others might feel after chatting with Miley Cyrus or Brad Pitt - she was my personal celebrity. That phone call ended up being small potatoes compared to what came next the next summer, she flew down to New Orleans to spend a whole day with my students to talk to them about New Orleans, help them design their dream for the city (which ended up being a recycling center that would provide free recycling as well as jobs and educational opportunities), and record them for her new radio show. She came down immediately after touring the Arctic Circle with Jimmy Carter and Ted Turner, and her visit meant the world to my students. Two boys were sworn enemies but worked together to show Majora what their lives were like after the hurricane. One student who struggled academically swelled with pride when he heard that because of his heartfelt letter, Majora wanted a special interview with him. Majora showed me as well as my students what we can do with our futures. I asked one of my old students, Daniel C., to write something for GreenLight about New Orleans and environmental justice: "One thing that would be really nice to see down here in New Orleans is more people caring about the environment. You don't have to do something drastic. Like if everyone turned off their porch light when they went to bed or turned off the computer monitor when the computer wasn't being used. I know that they advertise things like that on TV all the time but no one really does them. I want people to care more."
For more from Becky, check out her new and fantastic blog: Notes from the Patriarchy, notesfromthepatriarchy.blogspot.com
Jin Introduction to Mountaintop 3(fmova Co aC Mining and grassroots (Resistance by Kyla and Dea
Diagram from MountainJustice.org
What is Mountain Top Removal? The abbreviation for West Virginia, WV, is a good approximation of the contours of the land there: ridge after ridge of steep mountains cut by sharp, narrow valleys... hollows just wide enough to fit a river, rail line, road, and a row of houses before the wall of the next mountain begins to climb. The Appalachian Mountains are composed of layers of sedimentary rock. Coal seams- stripes of ancient peat bogs that solidified into rock with the help of heat, time, and pressure- lie buried between layers of limestone, shale, and sandstone. To get at the coal, mining companies have traditionally dug holes down into the coal seams, and use underground miners to haul out the stripe of coal, leaving the rest of the mountain fairly intact. As explosives and excavating equipment have grown bigger and cheaper, mining companies have found it easier to just scrape off the layers of rock above the coal seam, strip mining the sides of mountains to expose the coal inside.
Original Profile Mountain Forest Coal seam I â&#x20AC;&#x201D; /
/
High-wall mining is less intrusive. An auger and conveyor remove coal. Stream Mining Community
*"*"
Mountaintop removal Mining companies strip forests and topsoil then blast the mountain apart layer by layer to get to coal seams.
Coal seam
Mining waste is dumped into valleys and streams. Water runoff high in silt, iron and sulfur compounds, pollute water downstream.
Flooded stream
Reclamation Mining waste is smoothed out and steep slopes are terraced. Even with chemical treatments, vegetation has a hand time growing on the infertile and highly acidic soil. Mining spoil fills valley.
Eventually, someone realized that the companies could simply blow the peak right off the mountain, pushing the debris into the valley next to it. Mountain Top Removal (MTR) mining exposes the entire coal seam to be mined with just a few workers inside giant machines. The landscape is completely changed. With MTR, Appalachian forested hills are knocked over into its lush river valleys, creating long, even surfaces of exposed bedrock. These miles of land are often left bare or planted with invasive species
The impacts of MTR mining are in-your-face. Explosions from the mines knock dust and occasionally giant rocks into the valleys, affecting respiratory health, izttnj increasing noise pollution, and cracking building foundations. As valleys are LolthJ tcttn filled in, biologically crucial headwater streams are covered- over 1200 miles have disappeared already. Without valley streams or mountain forests to absorb them, normal rains become floods, washing out roads and in some cases homes and lives. Worse are the floods of coal slurry- the mixture of water, toxic chemicals, and the acidic, toxic byproducts of coal processing plants that are often stored behind dams of unstable mining debris. Just last fall 1.1 billion gallons of coal waste spilled from a dam in Tennessee. Additionally, mine blasts can cause cracks underground, causing wells to go dry or allowing sludge stored in abandoned underground mines to poison drinking aquifers.
mt
These environmental impacts are compounded by a general reliance on the land and aquifers for food and water. Despite Appalachia's abundance of natural resources, from forests to coal, the area has remained one of the United State's poorest, as most of the profits from mining and industry are funneled out of state. Many people lack access to basic needs like healthcare, treated water, rH+ and lawyers to hold mining companies accountable to regulations. Rich in soil and biodiversity, the Appalachian woods are lush with edible and medicinal plants, as well as game animals and fish to eat. Water in the hollows comes from backyard wells and homegrown gardens and chickens very often supplement store-bought food. As mountains are leveled and soils and waters polluted, people lose this additional income and the impacts of poverty are intensified. At the same time, with MTR, mining jobs are being replaced by machines, creating unemployment and competition. jtgijrf You can learn more about the MTR process and its impacts at ilovemountains.org and mountainjustice.org.
TAKE ACTION! Here are some organizations that you can contact if you want to help keeping mountaintops right where they are. Mountain Justice, mountainjustice.org: Mountain Justice sticks to non-violent civil disobedience and does not engage in sabotage. MJ offers a volunteer coordination program that will match you up to organizations in Appalachia.
Coal River Mountain Watch: CRMW maintains a volunteer house in Rock Creek, W.Va. and offers interns a variety of different community opportunitiesincluding water testing, community outreach and involvement in legislative processes, crmw.net United Mountain Defense: United Mountain Defense (UMD) is a Knoxville, Tennessee nonprofit conducting activities in three areas: legal/policy advocacy, scientific monitoring and data collection, and public education, outreach and grassroots organizing. They also publish the Tennessee Mountain Defender, a newspaper that covers coal mining and activism in Appalachia. unitedmountaindefense.org Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition: The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition works to develop and maintain a diverse grassroots organization dedicated to the improvement and preservation of the environment through education, grassroots organizing and coalition building, leadership development and media outreach. Our work encompasses much of West Virginia. To get involved, visit ovec.org Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards: SAMSVA is an organization of concerned community members and their allies who are working to stop the destruction of Southwest Virginia communities by surface coal mining, to improve the quality of life in our area, and to help rebuild sustainable communities. Get involved at http://www.samsva.org/
Climate Ground Zero, climategroundzero.org
. r :Q : t + i q : r n - ; T : : a T [ r ,â&#x20AC;˘ -te BÂą 1 .S:::!:lJ:e;T:FRT^4fRtl-rri I ill..'!.< i'! n
The impacts of MTR mining are in-your-face. Explosions from the mines knock dust and occasionally giant rocks into the valleys, affecting respiratory health, izttnj increasing noise pollution, and cracking building foundations. As valleys are LolthJ tcttn filled in, biologically crucial headwater streams are covered- over 1200 miles have disappeared already. Without valley streams or mountain forests to absorb them, normal rains become floods, washing out roads and in some cases homes and lives. Worse are the floods of coal slurry- the mixture of water, toxic chemicals, and the acidic, toxic byproducts of coal processing plants that are often stored behind dams of unstable mining debris. Just last fall 1.1 billion gallons of coal waste spilled from a dam in Tennessee. Additionally, mine blasts can cause cracks underground, causing wells to go dry or allowing sludge stored in abandoned underground mines to poison drinking aquifers.
mt
These environmental impacts are compounded by a general reliance on the land and aquifers for food and water. Despite Appalachia's abundance of natural resources, from forests to coal, the area has remained one of the United State's poorest, as most of the profits from mining and industry are funneled out of state. Many people lack access to basic needs like healthcare, treated water, rH+ and lawyers to hold mining companies accountable to regulations. Rich in soil and biodiversity, the Appalachian woods are lush with edible and medicinal plants, as well as game animals and fish to eat. Water in the hollows comes from backyard wells and homegrown gardens and chickens very often supplement store-bought food. As mountains are leveled and soils and waters polluted, people lose this additional income and the impacts of poverty are intensified. At the same time, with MTR, mining jobs are being replaced by machines, creating unemployment and competition. jtgijrf You can learn more about the MTR process and its impacts at ilovemountains.org and mountainjustice.org.
TAKE ACTION! Here are some organizations that you can contact if you want to help keeping mountaintops right where they are. Mountain Justice, mountainjustice.org: Mountain Justice sticks to non-violent civil disobedience and does not engage in sabotage. MJ offers a volunteer coordination program that will match you up to organizations in Appalachia.
Coal River Mountain Watch: CRMW maintains a volunteer house in Rock Creek, W.Va. and offers interns a variety of different community opportunitiesincluding water testing, community outreach and involvement in legislative processes, crmw.net United Mountain Defense: United Mountain Defense (UMD) is a Knoxville, Tennessee nonprofit conducting activities in three areas: legal/policy advocacy, scientific monitoring and data collection, and public education, outreach and grassroots organizing. They also publish the Tennessee Mountain Defender, a newspaper that covers coal mining and activism in Appalachia. unitedmountaindefense.org Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition: The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition works to develop and maintain a diverse grassroots organization dedicated to the improvement and preservation of the environment through education, grassroots organizing and coalition building, leadership development and media outreach. Our work encompasses much of West Virginia. To get involved, visit ovec.org Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards: SAMSVA is an organization of concerned community members and their allies who are working to stop the destruction of Southwest Virginia communities by surface coal mining, to improve the quality of life in our area, and to help rebuild sustainable communities. Get involved at http://www.samsva.org/
Climate Ground Zero, climategroundzero.org
. r :Q : t + i q : r n - ; T : : a T [ r ,â&#x20AC;˘ -te BÂą 1 .S:::!:lJ:e;T:FRT^4fRtl-rri I ill..'!.< i'! n
Daniel Shea's /?emovm$ Mountains Project
In the summer and fall of 2007,1 began photographing the coal industry in Appalachia for a project entitled Removing Mountains. What started as an interest in the modern coal mining process known as mountaintop removal, quickly evolved into an extensive study of the social/political institutions surrounding these practices. Above all else, I became interested in surveying the cultural implications of extracting coal from the Appalachian Mountains. What I found over the course of the trip was that these coal-mining operations had rapidly developed into one of the most destructive and pervasive forms of modern industry in the world. However, the destructive extraction of coal from mountains is only the beginning. From there, coal is washed (and the liquid by-products stored in slurry ponds), shipped to a power plant, burned for energy, and distributed throughout the States. While making Removing Mountains in 2007,1 traveled to Ohio to investigate coal-fired power plants. Expecting similarities to West Virginia, I found an entirely different force at work. The threads that connect mountaintop removal/coal extraction to the burning and energy transformation of the fossil fuel were only linear. At that point I realized that making work about this region would be a necessary and complete follow up to Removing Mountains. Starting this fall, I will be spending time in Racine and Cheshire in Southeast Ohio, documenting the changed landscapes and communities being affected by a dense concentration of these coal-fired power plants.
Mountaintop Removal, 2007
li Check out dsheaphoto.net for more!
Daniel Shea's /?emovm$ Mountains Project
In the summer and fall of 2007,1 began photographing the coal industry in Appalachia for a project entitled Removing Mountains. What started as an interest in the modern coal mining process known as mountaintop removal, quickly evolved into an extensive study of the social/political institutions surrounding these practices. Above all else, I became interested in surveying the cultural implications of extracting coal from the Appalachian Mountains. What I found over the course of the trip was that these coal-mining operations had rapidly developed into one of the most destructive and pervasive forms of modern industry in the world. However, the destructive extraction of coal from mountains is only the beginning. From there, coal is washed (and the liquid by-products stored in slurry ponds), shipped to a power plant, burned for energy, and distributed throughout the States. While making Removing Mountains in 2007,1 traveled to Ohio to investigate coal-fired power plants. Expecting similarities to West Virginia, I found an entirely different force at work. The threads that connect mountaintop removal/coal extraction to the burning and energy transformation of the fossil fuel were only linear. At that point I realized that making work about this region would be a necessary and complete follow up to Removing Mountains. Starting this fall, I will be spending time in Racine and Cheshire in Southeast Ohio, documenting the changed landscapes and communities being affected by a dense concentration of these coal-fired power plants.
Mountaintop Removal, 2007
li Check out dsheaphoto.net for more!
Natural Gas Wells by Jake I recently took a friend from Cleveland for a two-day camping trip to Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest. Growing up in north-central Pennsylvania, I was very familiar with the tumbling streams and steep ridges of the area. My friend, though, was excited at the wildness of the place. In the two days we spent in the ANF, we saw a host of Pennsylvania staples: brook trout, coyotes, < bear, and at least a dozen natural gas wells. Gas wells are very familiar to me. Natural gas has been extracted from PA's Allegheny region for decades. But my companion from Cleveland was appalled. The large, unsightly wells are scattered throughout the most secluded parts of the forest. They are visible from rural roads, hiking trails, even scenic overlooks. The roads, needed to maintain the wells, fragment the forest and become compacted by heavy truck traffic after years of use. Often, even after the wells are gone, the land has been compacted by the roads so much that trees will never grow there again. Worse, though, are the effects on the local water supply. Since natural gas drilling has increased, fish and other aquatic populations have declined. The drilling itself sometimes disrupts the water table, causing natural gas to enter the water. In my hometown of Mt. Jewett, drilling has affected the town's water supply on multiple occasions, once forcing residents to use only bottled water for over a week. In a neighboring town, drilling on an adjacent hillside filled a water well witl so much gas that it exploded, shooting flames and debris to the treetops. Residents of Ohio could be seeing more natural gas wells on public lands soon. Recent legislation has opened many of Ohio's state parks and public land to the prospect of drilling, despite the fact that drilling was already legal in around 99.5% of Ohio. The recent discovery of the Marcellus shale (a large, deep pocket of Natural gas covering areas of NY, PA, OH, and WV) has caused increased interest in drilling, as large companies seek to cash in by drilling new areas. The most threatened area so far is Salt Fork State Park, where OH State Senator Keith Faber is pushing a proposal to allow wells. A number of environmental groups have taken up the cause of protecting public lands from drilling. State parks, forests, etc. belong to us, not to big companies! Learn more at: www.environmentohio.org, www.olleghenydefense.org, and www.un-naturalgas.org
Sfff
|p Got someone stinkin' up your 'hood? Here's what you can do about it! :
f£g «H
&& |gt Find out what they're polluting:
\stfi. si ffjf •V~=5 %8 $! s!>s
li H *§S#
H
*i
If you call the Title V Department of the Ohio EPA with information of the name of ^ft the company and county, they will email you reports on the following types of P emissions: paniculate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, organic chemicals, |1 mercury, lead, andvolatile organic compounds (VOCs). ' |f' You can also contact the Toxic Release Inventory Department at the Ohio EPA to 9 get more information on air, water, and land pollution, including what companies If are carting to landfills. <S5 '>&
!H Find out who to complain to: yZ. If you're living next to a facility that's emitting when they shouldn't be, you can H contact a local agency (in Cleveland call the Cleveland Division of Air Quality, in '9, Lake County call the Lake County Health Department). Any time you can see', smell i or feel pollution coming from an industrial site, you should give your local II authorities a call. It's important to be persistent and complain EVERY time there's a If problem so that it will become a part of the public record. You can also request to § see a list of other neighbors that have complained about air pollution so you can |l form a neighborhood group if necessary. "**'''
Natural Gas Wells by Jake I recently took a friend from Cleveland for a two-day camping trip to Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest. Growing up in north-central Pennsylvania, I was very familiar with the tumbling streams and steep ridges of the area. My friend, though, was excited at the wildness of the place. In the two days we spent in the ANF, we saw a host of Pennsylvania staples: brook trout, coyotes, < bear, and at least a dozen natural gas wells. Gas wells are very familiar to me. Natural gas has been extracted from PA's Allegheny region for decades. But my companion from Cleveland was appalled. The large, unsightly wells are scattered throughout the most secluded parts of the forest. They are visible from rural roads, hiking trails, even scenic overlooks. The roads, needed to maintain the wells, fragment the forest and become compacted by heavy truck traffic after years of use. Often, even after the wells are gone, the land has been compacted by the roads so much that trees will never grow there again. Worse, though, are the effects on the local water supply. Since natural gas drilling has increased, fish and other aquatic populations have declined. The drilling itself sometimes disrupts the water table, causing natural gas to enter the water. In my hometown of Mt. Jewett, drilling has affected the town's water supply on multiple occasions, once forcing residents to use only bottled water for over a week. In a neighboring town, drilling on an adjacent hillside filled a water well witl so much gas that it exploded, shooting flames and debris to the treetops. Residents of Ohio could be seeing more natural gas wells on public lands soon. Recent legislation has opened many of Ohio's state parks and public land to the prospect of drilling, despite the fact that drilling was already legal in around 99.5% of Ohio. The recent discovery of the Marcellus shale (a large, deep pocket of Natural gas covering areas of NY, PA, OH, and WV) has caused increased interest in drilling, as large companies seek to cash in by drilling new areas. The most threatened area so far is Salt Fork State Park, where OH State Senator Keith Faber is pushing a proposal to allow wells. A number of environmental groups have taken up the cause of protecting public lands from drilling. State parks, forests, etc. belong to us, not to big companies! Learn more at: www.environmentohio.org, www.olleghenydefense.org, and www.un-naturalgas.org
Sfff
|p Got someone stinkin' up your 'hood? Here's what you can do about it! :
f£g «H
&& |gt Find out what they're polluting:
\stfi. si ffjf •V~=5 %8 $! s!>s
li H *§S#
H
*i
If you call the Title V Department of the Ohio EPA with information of the name of ^ft the company and county, they will email you reports on the following types of P emissions: paniculate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, organic chemicals, |1 mercury, lead, andvolatile organic compounds (VOCs). ' |f' You can also contact the Toxic Release Inventory Department at the Ohio EPA to 9 get more information on air, water, and land pollution, including what companies If are carting to landfills. <S5 '>&
!H Find out who to complain to: yZ. If you're living next to a facility that's emitting when they shouldn't be, you can H contact a local agency (in Cleveland call the Cleveland Division of Air Quality, in '9, Lake County call the Lake County Health Department). Any time you can see', smell i or feel pollution coming from an industrial site, you should give your local II authorities a call. It's important to be persistent and complain EVERY time there's a If problem so that it will become a part of the public record. You can also request to § see a list of other neighbors that have complained about air pollution so you can |l form a neighborhood group if necessary. "**'''
mitlgl steel
by Lora
The loo-year old Arcelor Mittal Steel Mill, located in the Cleveland's Flats, is the most urban steel mill in the country. Half of Cleveland's public schools and the homes of 390,000 people are located within 5 miles of the plant. Most neighbors are familiar with the plant and its side effects: soot covering cars and homes, loud noises at all hours of the day, and a rotten egg stench. Ohio Citizen Action has been campaigning to get the plant to clean up its act for years. They've done a lot of door-to-door canvassing, talking to neighbors of the steel mill and bringing awareness to the pollution it emits. Most residents are aware of the mill, especially those that can see it from their house. Some residents wonder if their children's asthma or skin problems are related to the pollution and many people have breathing problems around the mill. One doctor even told a family to not let their kids play in the backyard to avoid the pollution. Because the steel mill is located in a valley and many houses are located above the valley, the smoke stacks release much of the pollution at the elevation of nearby houses. The steel mill has been idle for about a year, but has Arcelor Mittal has recently announced that the mill will be slowly starting up again in the coming months. With the restart, the company has a great opportunity to get off to a good start with neighbors. They can install pollution prevention controls that would make the air cleaner and the community more livable. Installing such measures would be a win-win for the plant. Pollution prevention experts have told Ohio Citizen Action that companies almost always save money in the long-run by upgrading their plants because they find ways to save energy and fine-tune their process. There is also the added benefit of keeping workers healthy by having them breathe clean air. Arcelor Mittal has not yet announced any intent to install further pollution controls.
15
Illustrated by Max Stern
It*
mitlgl steel
by Lora
The loo-year old Arcelor Mittal Steel Mill, located in the Cleveland's Flats, is the most urban steel mill in the country. Half of Cleveland's public schools and the homes of 390,000 people are located within 5 miles of the plant. Most neighbors are familiar with the plant and its side effects: soot covering cars and homes, loud noises at all hours of the day, and a rotten egg stench. Ohio Citizen Action has been campaigning to get the plant to clean up its act for years. They've done a lot of door-to-door canvassing, talking to neighbors of the steel mill and bringing awareness to the pollution it emits. Most residents are aware of the mill, especially those that can see it from their house. Some residents wonder if their children's asthma or skin problems are related to the pollution and many people have breathing problems around the mill. One doctor even told a family to not let their kids play in the backyard to avoid the pollution. Because the steel mill is located in a valley and many houses are located above the valley, the smoke stacks release much of the pollution at the elevation of nearby houses. The steel mill has been idle for about a year, but has Arcelor Mittal has recently announced that the mill will be slowly starting up again in the coming months. With the restart, the company has a great opportunity to get off to a good start with neighbors. They can install pollution prevention controls that would make the air cleaner and the community more livable. Installing such measures would be a win-win for the plant. Pollution prevention experts have told Ohio Citizen Action that companies almost always save money in the long-run by upgrading their plants because they find ways to save energy and fine-tune their process. There is also the added benefit of keeping workers healthy by having them breathe clean air. Arcelor Mittal has not yet announced any intent to install further pollution controls.
15
Illustrated by Max Stern
It*
Ken 5aro-Uwa
by Ken Dix
On November 10,1995, Nigeria's government executed author/playwright/activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his colleagues. His last words spoken were, "Lord take my soul, but the struggle continues." In the late 19505, Royal Dutch Shell (which you probably know as Shell gas stations) began extracting the crude oil that sits beneath the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This region is home to several different tribes of indigenous Africans, including the Ogoni, who are arguably the most affected by Shell's activities. Pollution directly linked to the company's oil refining and extraction has drastically changed the region and the lives of the people living there. An estimated 1.5 million tons of oil has spilled in the Niger Delta ecosystem over the past 50 years. This amount is equivalent to about one "Exxon Valdez" spill in the Niger Delta each year. Most of the spills are believed to be the direct result of poorly maintained aboveground pipelines that run for miles all over the Delta and surrounding area. Many of these spills are simply ignored and in some cases, when they occur on land, Shell's preferred method of cleaning up the spilled oil is to burn it, rendering the ground useless for years to come. The spills pollute local water sources that people depend on for drinking, bathing, cooking, fishing, and cleaning clothes. These spills also release dangerous fumes into the air, sometimes leaving entire villages uninhabitable and causing serious illness to those that have to stay.
vVikip
Natural gas is found everywhere that crude oil is found, and in most countries (the U.S .included) laws require the oil companies to either inject it back into the ground or to refine and use it. Shell uses another process called "gas flaring," which wreaks havoc on the Delta and its inhabitants. This process is devastating to the surrounding environment because when the impure natural gas comes up Shell simply "flares" or burns it. Because the gas is burned as it comes out, any toxins or chemicals found within that gas are also burned and sent into the air, where they usually come back down in the form of acid rain and pollute the ground and waterfor miles around. The Ogoni people have long been aware that not only have they seen almost no money from the oil that has been basically stolen from them, but that their land and livelihood has also been slowly deteriorating. Although protests and opposition to Shell and Shell's close relationship with the ruling Nigerian dictatorship had been going on for decades prior, things really began to heat up in the late 8os and early 905. Near the end of the 8os, the Ogoni people found themselves more active and stronger than ever before, but lacking in structure and with out a clear-cut leader. Then, in the early 905, a man named Ken SaroWiwa rose up and lead the Ogoni people in their fight against the oil companies and the Nigerian dictatorship that protected them. Saro-Wiwa helped to found the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) both to combat Shell's destruction of their homeland through nonviolent protests and boycotts and to seek financial reparations from the oilcompany and basic human rights for the Ogoni and other indigenous tribes in Nigeria. The protests and tension grew with such fervor that in 1993 Shell decided to cease all operations in the Ogoni region of the Nigerian Delta. The oil company cited the rapidly growing civil unrest as the main reason, saying it was not possible for them to continue operations in Ogoniland until the government could ensure the safety of Shell and Shell employees. Instead of being a victory for the Ogoni people, this led to a swift and brutal retaliation from the Nigerian dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, whose main source of revenue was now being threatened. Ogoniland was placed under a virtual lockdown and became ruled as a police state. At least twenty-seven villages were attacked and burned by government forces, leaving an estimated 2000 dead thousands more homeless. Yet in spite of the military intimidation, the opposition to Shell in the Ogoniland remained high. In the spring of 1994, four of Saro-Wiwa's MOSOP colleagues and party rivals were brutally murdered on their way to a protest. Saro-Wiwa was accused of being a conspirator in the suspiciously military-style assassination. Saro-Wiwa and several of his peers were detained without charge for several months before they were formally charged with conspiracy and murder. A date was set and the case went before not a court of law, but a military tribunal. Keeping in mind that
n
Ken 5aro-Uwa
by Ken Dix
On November 10,1995, Nigeria's government executed author/playwright/activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his colleagues. His last words spoken were, "Lord take my soul, but the struggle continues." In the late 19505, Royal Dutch Shell (which you probably know as Shell gas stations) began extracting the crude oil that sits beneath the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This region is home to several different tribes of indigenous Africans, including the Ogoni, who are arguably the most affected by Shell's activities. Pollution directly linked to the company's oil refining and extraction has drastically changed the region and the lives of the people living there. An estimated 1.5 million tons of oil has spilled in the Niger Delta ecosystem over the past 50 years. This amount is equivalent to about one "Exxon Valdez" spill in the Niger Delta each year. Most of the spills are believed to be the direct result of poorly maintained aboveground pipelines that run for miles all over the Delta and surrounding area. Many of these spills are simply ignored and in some cases, when they occur on land, Shell's preferred method of cleaning up the spilled oil is to burn it, rendering the ground useless for years to come. The spills pollute local water sources that people depend on for drinking, bathing, cooking, fishing, and cleaning clothes. These spills also release dangerous fumes into the air, sometimes leaving entire villages uninhabitable and causing serious illness to those that have to stay.
vVikip
Natural gas is found everywhere that crude oil is found, and in most countries (the U.S .included) laws require the oil companies to either inject it back into the ground or to refine and use it. Shell uses another process called "gas flaring," which wreaks havoc on the Delta and its inhabitants. This process is devastating to the surrounding environment because when the impure natural gas comes up Shell simply "flares" or burns it. Because the gas is burned as it comes out, any toxins or chemicals found within that gas are also burned and sent into the air, where they usually come back down in the form of acid rain and pollute the ground and waterfor miles around. The Ogoni people have long been aware that not only have they seen almost no money from the oil that has been basically stolen from them, but that their land and livelihood has also been slowly deteriorating. Although protests and opposition to Shell and Shell's close relationship with the ruling Nigerian dictatorship had been going on for decades prior, things really began to heat up in the late 8os and early 905. Near the end of the 8os, the Ogoni people found themselves more active and stronger than ever before, but lacking in structure and with out a clear-cut leader. Then, in the early 905, a man named Ken SaroWiwa rose up and lead the Ogoni people in their fight against the oil companies and the Nigerian dictatorship that protected them. Saro-Wiwa helped to found the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) both to combat Shell's destruction of their homeland through nonviolent protests and boycotts and to seek financial reparations from the oilcompany and basic human rights for the Ogoni and other indigenous tribes in Nigeria. The protests and tension grew with such fervor that in 1993 Shell decided to cease all operations in the Ogoni region of the Nigerian Delta. The oil company cited the rapidly growing civil unrest as the main reason, saying it was not possible for them to continue operations in Ogoniland until the government could ensure the safety of Shell and Shell employees. Instead of being a victory for the Ogoni people, this led to a swift and brutal retaliation from the Nigerian dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, whose main source of revenue was now being threatened. Ogoniland was placed under a virtual lockdown and became ruled as a police state. At least twenty-seven villages were attacked and burned by government forces, leaving an estimated 2000 dead thousands more homeless. Yet in spite of the military intimidation, the opposition to Shell in the Ogoniland remained high. In the spring of 1994, four of Saro-Wiwa's MOSOP colleagues and party rivals were brutally murdered on their way to a protest. Saro-Wiwa was accused of being a conspirator in the suspiciously military-style assassination. Saro-Wiwa and several of his peers were detained without charge for several months before they were formally charged with conspiracy and murder. A date was set and the case went before not a court of law, but a military tribunal. Keeping in mind that
n
| geria's federal government is a military dictatorship, the entire trial reeked of | S||f|vffoul play, but a guilty verdict was found and a sentence of death was given to all | | y-jM^nine defencjants. Knowing that the trial would come to no other conclusion than^V if his execution, Saro-Wiwa decided to make a statement about the sad state of Iff. ?|the corrupt government in Nigeria by saying, "I and my colleagues are not the jjjj$. ;?£only ones on trial... Shell is here on trial and... there is no doubt in my mind i§i:
:••"•:•;
»sfe'.
,-s that the ecological war that the company has waged in the Delta will be called |&p "'? . .• 8$8s •\o question... '» g$|; <;.||.|^ Protests took place all over the world and officials from many nations, including |p|:: f-fipll then-President Bill Clinton, contacted the Nigerian Government to ask for Saro- jjjjfr; $$f! Wiwa's pardon and release. The effort to save Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues, lp|£ ;;|:|^|i however, was in vein. On November 10,1995, the government of Nigeria hanged|^• HfHi Ken Saro-Wiwa and eieht^tJ~»r members of the MOSOP, Although Saro-Wiwa '-"""
by Amanda Schneider Imagine all the grocery stores in your area slowly but surely going out of business because their customers cannot afford conducive to a healthy diet The result is a phenomenon called food deserts. You may be wondering what this term means... or thinking to yourself, "DUH. It's like a desert. No food." You may be surprised to learn, however, that food deserts don't necessarily imply a complete absence of food. A region is considered in a "food desert" if there is little to no access to nutritious and healthy foods. While the area can have a booming fast food industry, without fresh produce and other nutritious food, it is somewhat worthless on the food pyramid.
gone, the struggle against Shell and their
££.£F~'.:-- -..
-
The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission assessed our region's access to fullservice grocers and found that it has become increasingly difficult for families to have stable access to the foods they need to support a healthy family. They took into account a "food balance" ratio that shows the distance of fast food outlets compared to full service grocers. The best ratio would be 1:1, meaning you could travel the same distance to get to either destination. The current ratio in Cleveland is 1:4.5, so residents of the city have to travel 4.5 times further to find healthy food options. This issue is compounded by decreased access to reliable transportation in lower income communities. The Urban Planning department of Cleveland State has found that from the 50 acres of land devoted to public gardens, about a $1.5 million profit was generated. There is a lot of momentum around urban community gardens because they provide low-cost access to fresh produce. Not only could local food solutions vastly decrease the distance needed to travel to get to healthy food in underprivileged neighborhoods, but schools that have community gardens can also use them to teach their students about healthy food choices and science. Food deserts are not a necessary evil. We have the ability to change our region's situation by being smart about it. Community collaboration and cooperation is, of course, essential. To get involved with the fight against food deserts, look into CityFresh, the US Department of Agriculture's Community Food Program, or the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition.
to ,j
| geria's federal government is a military dictatorship, the entire trial reeked of | S||f|vffoul play, but a guilty verdict was found and a sentence of death was given to all | | y-jM^nine defencjants. Knowing that the trial would come to no other conclusion than^V if his execution, Saro-Wiwa decided to make a statement about the sad state of Iff. ?|the corrupt government in Nigeria by saying, "I and my colleagues are not the jjjj$. ;?£only ones on trial... Shell is here on trial and... there is no doubt in my mind i§i:
:••"•:•;
»sfe'.
,-s that the ecological war that the company has waged in the Delta will be called |&p "'? . .• 8$8s •\o question... '» g$|; <;.||.|^ Protests took place all over the world and officials from many nations, including |p|:: f-fipll then-President Bill Clinton, contacted the Nigerian Government to ask for Saro- jjjjfr; $$f! Wiwa's pardon and release. The effort to save Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues, lp|£ ;;|:|^|i however, was in vein. On November 10,1995, the government of Nigeria hanged|^• HfHi Ken Saro-Wiwa and eieht^tJ~»r members of the MOSOP, Although Saro-Wiwa '-"""
by Amanda Schneider Imagine all the grocery stores in your area slowly but surely going out of business because their customers cannot afford conducive to a healthy diet The result is a phenomenon called food deserts. You may be wondering what this term means... or thinking to yourself, "DUH. It's like a desert. No food." You may be surprised to learn, however, that food deserts don't necessarily imply a complete absence of food. A region is considered in a "food desert" if there is little to no access to nutritious and healthy foods. While the area can have a booming fast food industry, without fresh produce and other nutritious food, it is somewhat worthless on the food pyramid.
gone, the struggle against Shell and their
££.£F~'.:-- -..
-
The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission assessed our region's access to fullservice grocers and found that it has become increasingly difficult for families to have stable access to the foods they need to support a healthy family. They took into account a "food balance" ratio that shows the distance of fast food outlets compared to full service grocers. The best ratio would be 1:1, meaning you could travel the same distance to get to either destination. The current ratio in Cleveland is 1:4.5, so residents of the city have to travel 4.5 times further to find healthy food options. This issue is compounded by decreased access to reliable transportation in lower income communities. The Urban Planning department of Cleveland State has found that from the 50 acres of land devoted to public gardens, about a $1.5 million profit was generated. There is a lot of momentum around urban community gardens because they provide low-cost access to fresh produce. Not only could local food solutions vastly decrease the distance needed to travel to get to healthy food in underprivileged neighborhoods, but schools that have community gardens can also use them to teach their students about healthy food choices and science. Food deserts are not a necessary evil. We have the ability to change our region's situation by being smart about it. Community collaboration and cooperation is, of course, essential. To get involved with the fight against food deserts, look into CityFresh, the US Department of Agriculture's Community Food Program, or the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition.
to ,j
by Bryan Robinson
CsTY
Produce travels an average of 1,500 miles before it arrives at our local supermarket. That's a little more than the distance between Cleveland and Denver. Along the way, our fruits and vegetables utilize enough modes of transportation to create a plot for Planes, Trains and Automobiles 2. This journey often leads to an eight-daytime frame between harvest and consumption, not to mention emissions from transport. City Fresh would like to take about 1,425 miles off our produce's voyage. With the goal of building "a more just and sustainable local food system in Northeast Ohio," the organization is helping to reduce emissions and provide fresher fruits and vegetables to the communities of Cleveland.
income house? How long does it take to get to the McMansion? Why?
City Fresh employs "community supported agriculture," where a group of neighbors purchases a share of produce from local farmers. The farmers receive payment upfront for a bounty of produce throughout the growing season. Food is picked-up directly from a farm within 75 miles of the neighborhood and brought to a local Fresh Stop station on the same day. Weekly "share bags" are constructed based on the growing season and what is available locally. Bags contain at least one fruit item and several servings of vegetables, in addition to recipes and nutritional information. Participants pay within one week of the pick-up date, and portions that are not taken are donated to food banks. Two shares are available: a single share feeds 1-2, and a family share feeds 3-4, ranging in price from $6.00 to $24.00. The program runs between June and October. City Fresh assists both urban and rural communities. It improves access to fresh, locally grown food for urban residents, but also provides marketing opportunities to local farmers. City Fresh is in need of volunteers to do tasks ranging from unloading trucks and setting out food to taking orders and accounting, so give them a call! To learn more or sign up for the program visit: http://citvfresh.org
Maze from glassgiant.com
^\w long does it take to get from the factory to the smaller, lower
by Bryan Robinson
CsTY
Produce travels an average of 1,500 miles before it arrives at our local supermarket. That's a little more than the distance between Cleveland and Denver. Along the way, our fruits and vegetables utilize enough modes of transportation to create a plot for Planes, Trains and Automobiles 2. This journey often leads to an eight-daytime frame between harvest and consumption, not to mention emissions from transport. City Fresh would like to take about 1,425 miles off our produce's voyage. With the goal of building "a more just and sustainable local food system in Northeast Ohio," the organization is helping to reduce emissions and provide fresher fruits and vegetables to the communities of Cleveland.
income house? How long does it take to get to the McMansion? Why?
City Fresh employs "community supported agriculture," where a group of neighbors purchases a share of produce from local farmers. The farmers receive payment upfront for a bounty of produce throughout the growing season. Food is picked-up directly from a farm within 75 miles of the neighborhood and brought to a local Fresh Stop station on the same day. Weekly "share bags" are constructed based on the growing season and what is available locally. Bags contain at least one fruit item and several servings of vegetables, in addition to recipes and nutritional information. Participants pay within one week of the pick-up date, and portions that are not taken are donated to food banks. Two shares are available: a single share feeds 1-2, and a family share feeds 3-4, ranging in price from $6.00 to $24.00. The program runs between June and October. City Fresh assists both urban and rural communities. It improves access to fresh, locally grown food for urban residents, but also provides marketing opportunities to local farmers. City Fresh is in need of volunteers to do tasks ranging from unloading trucks and setting out food to taking orders and accounting, so give them a call! To learn more or sign up for the program visit: http://citvfresh.org
Maze from glassgiant.com
^\w long does it take to get from the factory to the smaller, lower
?.o