Issues: Environmental Justice


Recovering From Katrina

Hurricane Katrina exposed a harsh truth about social and racial inequity in the New Orleans area. While the storm's fury seemed indiscriminate, low-income communities of color suffered more. These neighborhoods were flooded with a toxic brew of spilled fuel, sewage and chemicals. NRDC is working with local groups to rebuild a safer, more just New Orleans.




News and Issues Highlights
The Environmental Justice Movement
A community-based movement has grown out of this statistical fact: people of color and the poor are more likely than other Americans to have environmentally undesirable facilities for neighbors.

Partnerships for Change
#NRDC has worked with many community-based organizations to defend people's right to a safe and healthy environment.


You Can Beat City Hall
Green Living Guides: In Brief
These community-action tips will get you started in fighting the introduction of polluters into your neighborhood.


What You Can Do
Read public notices in your local paper to find out about proposed changes in your community.

Get more community action tips about Environmental Justice

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Mercury Contamination

Related Stories

Hidden Danger
A large percentage of U.S. Latinos live and work in urban and agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury contamination.
Asthma and Air Pollution
Bad air can bring on asthma attacks; tracking air quality and controlling pollution from cars, factories and power plants can help.