Clean Water on the Move - April 2024

Image of Clean Water Action staff with text that says Clean Water on the Move

Welcome to Clean Water on the Move, your monthly update from Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund. Take a look at what our amazing staff has been up to and what is coming in the month ahead. Thanks for your ongoing support for our work towards a healthy environment for all.

Graphic that says World Asthma Day Webinar May 7th at 7 pm

RSVP Now for Our World Asthma Day Webinar!

Join Clean Water Action on Tuesday, May 7th at 7 pm EST (4 pm PST) for a Virtual Town Hall in observance of World Asthma Day! Asthma affects an estimated 25 million people in the United States, making it one of the most common chronic diseases nationwide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 7.7% of all adults and 8.4% of children in the U.S. have asthma. Alarmingly, asthma prevalence is even higher among black (9.7%) and Hispanic (7.7%) children compared to white children (7.1%). This disparity highlights the urgent need to address environmental factors, including air pollution and inadequate access to healthcare, that contribute to asthma prevalence and exacerbations.

As we come together on May 7th, let's not only raise awareness about the challenges faced by asthma sufferers but also explore solutions and advocate for change. Together, we can work towards a future where everyone, regardless of their race or socioeconomic status, can breathe clean air! RSVP: www.cleanwater.org/world-asthma-day.

Victory Update: Second Hearing Secured for Polluting Facility in Jersey City!

Attention environmental advocates! Thanks to our relentless efforts, we've achieved a significant win for environmental justice in our community. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has granted us a second public hearing for the renewal of Diversified Global Group's (DG3) Title V Operating Permit.

This victory is a testament to our collective voice and unwavering commitment to holding polluters accountable. DG3, a polluting facility in Jersey City with over 20 NJDEP violations, has been the focus of our advocacy efforts. We're proud to announce that the Jersey City Council and the Friends of Liberty State Park have joined us in supporting this crucial issue.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this success. Your activism, letters, calls, and support have made all the difference. As we prepare for the upcoming public hearing, let's continue standing together for environmental justice. Our unity has the power to create a safer, healthier, and more just future for our communities.

Thank you for your dedication to our cause. Let's celebrate this milestone and keep pushing for positive change. Contact X Braithwaite, our EJ Organizer, to learn more about how to ensure NJ’s landmark EJ law to utilized to its best potential.

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Come meet our Zero Emissions and Warehouse Organizer, Tolani!

Earlier this month, Clean Water Action’s Zero Emissions and Warehouse Organizer, Tolani Taylor spoke and tabled at the Green Garden Alliance Networking Event hosted by the Mercer County Defense League at Mercer County Park. She promoted various ways that people can get involved both at the local level and state level when it comes to stopping warehouse development in their communities.

Catch her at the next event on Saturday, May 4 from 12:00 pm- 4:00 pm at George Page Park, Trenton NJ (Rain location: N. Clinton Rec Center, 454 N. Clinton Ave, Trenton, NJ) to participate at Trenton Community Day! I look forward to sharing what I am currently working on as the leader of Clean Water Action’s Warehouse, Freight & Goods Movement Campaign. Want to get involved in the campaign, contact Tolani Taylor.

Image of Clean Water Action's Marta Young

Skip the Stuff – on the Move!

On Earth Day 2024, Zero Waste Specialist, Marta Young, tabled in Red Bank to celebrate and help educate the local residents about the new Skip the Stuff ordinance that Red Bank City Council unanimously passed in March. The event was held in collaboration with the local middle school and Borough’s Environmental Commission & Green Team. Students had art, science and engineering projects on display representing environmental issues and creative solutions.

Red Bank, along with the Borough of Garwood, are currently going to local businesses explaining the benefits of the new Skip the Stuff ordinance they both passed in March 2024. As part of the education for Red Bank local residents and restaurants, Clean Water Action helped the city draft flyers in both English and Spanish. Single-use utensils and condiments may now only be provided by restaurants and other food service businesses upon request. This is a triple win - saving restaurants money by not constantly needing to purchase items that are often merely tossed away and customers benefit by not getting unnecessary items they store in a junk drawer or discard.

According to research, over 40 billion individual single-use plastic utensils are discarded every year in the United States. The entire life cycle of plastic, from manufacturing, transportation on truck, rail or ship and disposal is harmful to our health. Skip the Stuff helps reduce unnecessary toxins from negatively impacting our health.

Clean Water Action is thrilled to be working with dozens of Green Teams, Environmental Commissions and municipal councils to Skip The Stuff. This grassroots work sets the stage for passing state legislation. Want to pass a local ordinance in your town? It is easy. Contact Marta Young.