Dear John,

Happy Earth Day! On November 11th, 1969, US Senator Gaylord Nelson declared April 22nd, 1970 to be the first national Earth Day. This came at a time when the burgeoning environmental conservation movement was pushing for first-ever regulations to protect our planet and public health from the harms of pollution. 

We’ve come a long way since then, but low-income communities and communities of color continue to face the burdens of pollution and the harms of climate change. Founded in 1988 by Peggy Shepard and two other community leaders in Harlem, WE ACT for Environmental Justice sought to tackle the challenges our community faced and build a healthier and cleaner environment for Harlem and Northern Manhattan residents. 

Today, on Earth Day, we invite you to take action by supporting our work to build power among low-income New Yorkers and New Yorkers of color for toxic-free and greener communities. Your gift today will be matched, which will double your impact on these initiatives:

Climate Justice: As global temperatures rise, environmental justice communities bear the burden of heat the most. By 2080, New York is expected to see 3,331 heat-related deaths. From 2000 to 2010, nearly 50% of those affected by heat-related deaths in NYC were African Americans. Through our  Heat, Health, and Equity initiative, WE ACT is advocating to improve our community’s cooling centers, plant more trees, establish a maximum indoor air temperature, and increase the funding to provide low-income families with air conditioning. These resiliency measures will be life-saving as our communities face hotter and longer summers.

Clean Air: Communities of color have long endured living close to heavy polluters, such as power plants or highways in urban areas, and have historically been exposed to higher rates of carbon, lead, nitrogen oxide, and many more pollutants than white communities. East Harlem children wind up hospitalized for asthma at more than three times the city rate. WE ACT has launched the Community Air Monitoring Project (CAMP) to increase access to air quality monitoring and data for community members, especially those living in Northern Manhattan.

Waste and Sanitation: New York City recycles only 20 percent of its waste, even though 68 percent of waste in landfills is considered recyclable. Food found in municipal solid waste landfills is a major contributor of methane as it decomposes. Throwing out excessive amounts of food waste like this poses several health challenges, attracting pests like rats and cockroaches, which can transmit diseases to household pets and people and exacerbate existing respiratory illnesses like asthma. The Zero Waste Act will expand access to composting and recycling options for all households in Northern Manhattan and will set the city on course to achieve zero waste by 2030. This policy will improve basic sanitation for Northern Manhattan neighborhoods and reduce the number of rats and mice seen on our streets.

Your support is crucial in advancing our mission and creating a more equitable and sustainable future for Northern Manhattan residents and all New Yorkers. Together, we can build a city where every neighborhood has access to clean air, cool homes, and green spaces, regardless of who your are or the zip code you live in.

This Earth Day, let's stand together for environmental justice in NYC. Will you make a gift today?