Environmental Justice

Nuestras Raices works with a diverse group of partners to address the environmental justice concerns facing our community. With funding from the EPA's CARE program (Community Action for a Renewed Environment), we spent two years researching and identifying environmental risks to our community's health and building community capacity to address those risks. During a series of community forums, residents identified several issues that they wanted the Environmental Justice Program to focus on. These issues include indoor and outdoor air quality and asthma, land us and garbage, and water quality and fishing in the Connecticut River.

To help address these issues, we received a Level I EPA CARE grant in 2009, and we are currently working on the following action plans:

Outdoor Air Quality, Asthma & Community
Health: 

  •  Reducing diesel emissions throgh local and state-wide ordinances.
  • Improving air quality and reducing murcury emissions through "greening" the Mt. Tom coal plant
  • Climate justice and reducing our carbon footprint - "350 Actions for Holyoke"

Indoor Air Quality & Healthy
Homes:

  • Healthy Homes Promotoras Trainings
  • Reducing Risks of Toxic Exposure and Using Greener Cleaning Products
  • Safer Home Pesticide Use
  • Reducing Mold and Moisture

Land Use, Brownfields & Garbage:

  • ¡Viva Verde! Recycling Project in Multi-Family Residences
  • Brownfield Assessments and Reutilization
  • Expanding Community Gardens and Healthy Urban Green Spaces

Water Quality, Health & Safe Fishing
in the Connecticut 
River:

  • Safe fishing educational campagn - bilingual fish advisories for pregnant women and children
  • River access and ecology of Connecticut River
  • Safe oil and waste disposal

For more information, contact Giovanna Di Chiro, gdichiro@nuestras-raices.org, or
call (413) 535-1789, ext. 2

©2008 Nuestras Raíces | 329 Main St, Holyoke, MA 01040 | Phone: (413) 535-1789