ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY
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Since the early 1960's I have been fighting for Environmental causes. Of course back then no one called them Environmental Causes - you fought to keep the rivers clean, the air clean, the beach clean - you kind of knew what was good and what was not good. You banded with friends to make good stuff happen. It was a good feeling.
In recent years most every one has jumped on the bandwagon and there has been a hue and cry about Environmental Injustice. For sure today most people who are educated know that it is bad to pollute. They also believe in many things material and an easy life - in doing so they negate much - and contribute to pollution. Much of the plastic waste contributes to pollution. People driving in cars when they can take public transportation contributes to pollution. People wasting food and throwing away things they can recycle contribute to pollution. Buying throwaway goods contributes to pollution. The list goes on. Some times it makes much sense to talk to our grand fathers and grand mothers - our elders and listen to them how they saved stuff and how they reused stuff - especially in times of hardship. Habit. Well, most youth cannot experience this and they think people are old fashion when it comes to thinking to conserve and reuse stuff. How ever little do we know that all the paper we throw away means millions of trees cut down all over the world. Tons of plastics we throw away sits and do not biodegrade as do some products. Landfills can take only so much and mankind is always thinking about ways to recycle and stop pollution. On another level the diesel vehicles - be they trucks or buses keep polluting. The older power plants keep polluting. Cars in there millions that use oil and petrol - keep polluting. Then there are those products in hairsprays, aerosols that deplete the ozone and cause climatic changes. For sure if we pollute our lakes, our rivers, our oceans - we will see the consequences of pollution. It is a shame when we cannot fish and it is a shame to realize that once where there was plenty of fish - now there is not one. Our forests help. It is a shame when some people cut forest and trees indiscriminately - this is plain wrong. It is a shame when people pollute the Earth when they bury toxins and dump toxic stuff in the rivers, lakes, and oceans. This is wrong but it goes on - where there is greed and no respect for the Earth and human kind. In the last two years after nearly forty years I registered myself as Environmental Justice Advocacy with the City and County of San Francisco. Previously, I worked with many groups, often posted articles on this site to defend Mother Earth and fought against pollution. Appearing on the Television and radio talk shows gave me wide exposure. I like Public Meetings - talking before every day children, women and men. The Supervisors at City Hall. The various City Commissioners. Some of them grind their teeth when they see me - I like to call a spade a spade. Now, I can call myself a registered entity and can join thousands of organizations all over the world. If I go for a conference or meeting I can say - I work for Environmental Justice Advocacy (EJA) - kind of sounds pompous but I guess one has to go with the flow or whatever. San Francisco is a great City. I live here and love it. We have too much to monitor considering we have polluters all over the city. The most glaring examples are the huge piles of toxic dirt mostly containing ASBESTOS by 3rd Street and King near the PacBell Park. I brought this fact to the attention of the authorities and now Cattelus Corporation one of the many entities and others - have covered up the toxic piles. In the interim for over a year much damage was caused to innocent people who were exposed to ASBESTOS dust - time will tell. Hopefully, youth and adults who are educated and know about pollution will work together to bring changes all over the world. Our Nation's Leaders pay lip service to pollution - but we the people can and should make the difference. This site cares about children and youth but I have also to deal with adults. I would love to deal with children and youth all the time - but this is not the case - adults have a say in many things that make this world tick. Some adults are great polluters and do not like to be told so. Some adults like to be greedy and abuse power and do not like to be told so. If the youth behave in like manner - I guess the end result is the same. Children and youth are open to good causes and mostly accept the fact that polluting this Earth is not good. However to be sincere some youth could care less. Here lies the dilemma. Out there we also know some adults back us who fight polluters and we are deeply appreciative of this fact. The best solution youth, children, adults, everyone working together to make this world a better place. Environmental Justice Advocacy will stand for the majority and will fight Environmental Injustice. |
