On April 21, Earth Day, Greenpeace was one of more than 60 co-sponsoring organizations — led by California Environmental Justice Coalition and Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice — who met with the EPA and rallied to protest the Trump administration’s attacks on environmental protection, health, and justice.
For too many communities, access to clean air and clean water is not and has never been a reality. Many of the activists meeting with the EPA this week were there not by choice, but because they have no other option but to fight back against dirty air, contaminated water, and the health impacts of polluting industries in their backyard.
Fracking. Groundwater contamination. Pesticides. Incinerators. Oil refineries. Health impacts. This is what EJ communities are facing.
— Rachel Rye Butler (@ryebutler) April 21, 2017
Because they’re living the impacts first-hand, they also know the solutions. But don’t take it for me, take it from this young leader:
"As POC we are on front lines of climate change & as POC we should be at the forefront of solutions" -17yo from East Yard Communities for EJ
— Rachel Rye Butler (@ryebutler) April 21, 2017
The message from these community leaders was clear — we need more protections for clean air, clean water, the climate, and our health, not fewer.
CA EJ Coalition leaders speaking here today are demanding better clean air and water protections & that #pollutingPruitt be fired
— Rachel Rye Butler (@ryebutler) April 21, 2017
But if Trump gets his way, fewer protections for our health and environment are exactly what we’ll get.
His draft budget proposes a 31 percent cut to the EPA, putting all of us at risk, but especially communities on the frontlines of environmental injustice. These communities know that Trump and his EPA head Scott Pruitt don’t work for them. They work for industry, and in the words of Miss Margaret Gordon of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, they’ve “got to go.”
"Leave it in the ground. Clean up our air, water, and soil. Pruitt, you got to go." -Miss Margaret, West Oakland leader in the fight 50 yrs
— Rachel Rye Butler (@ryebutler) April 21, 2017
And on that note, she dropped the mic and led us marching and rallying outside.
For the rest of us, it’s time to follow her lead. You can act in solidarity with with these grassroots leaders by calling 1-877-969-2590 and telling Congress to resist cuts to the EPA today!
Demand action for clean air and water! Call 1-877-969-2590 and tell Congress to resist Trump's devastating cuts to the EPA. #ResistOften pic.twitter.com/co2dSQ4Gbe
— Greenpeace USA (@greenpeaceusa) April 20, 2017
