Probably the most memorable field visit this semester was our “Toxic Tour” of the Little Village neighborhood conducted by Kim Wasserman, executive director of LVEJO (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization). LVEJO started the tours seven years ago as a way to educate the community and others about the toxic presence of several industries right in their backyards.
The injustices seem insurmountable. Factories run their businesses with no regard for the pollutants they release into the environment, the citizens that live next door, or the employees that suffer burns while they work. According to a report compiled by the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago ranks 2nd among all cities in the country adversely affected by power plant pollution, leading to 855 premature deaths, 848 hospitalizations, 1,519 heart attacks and 23,650 asthma attacks.
In addition to toxic pollutants, the community has to deal with overcrowded schools, and schools built on toxic sights. There is one park to serve 95,000 residents. Bus service has been halted for three miles in the middle of the community, leaving residents unable to access the lakefront, colleges, or to simply move around the city.
Yet there are successes. Toxins were removed from school sites. Factories have become more accountable. OSHA came in to protect workers. There are plans for a large park to be built. And the biggest success is that after more than 10 years of grassroots campaigning, the Crawford Generating Station, a coal power plant owned by Midwest Generation, an Edison International Company, will be closing in 2014.
The 95,000 people that live in Little Village need LVEJO to help fight threats to their environment. As Kim states, “The reality is we deserve to live in a safe community. We have every right to speak out.”
No comments:
Post a Comment