On Tuesday, we released our much-anticipated Out of Gas, In with Justice report, which features the findings and recommendations from our pilot studying the impacts on indoor air pollution when transitioning from gas stoves to electric induction stoves in affordable housing.
You can watch a replay of the press conference, read the report (PDF), and watch our promotional video. The results have been widely covered, including The Guardian, NY1 News, WPIX, WNYC Radio, 1010 Wins Radio, Fast Company, Gothamist, New York Amsterdam News, Bronx Times, Capital B, EcoWatch, CleanTechnica, and more to come. In fact, tune in to CBS Sunday Morning at 9 am this Sunday to see Annie Carforo featured in a segment we hope will be similar to the one that aired two weeks ago on PBS NewsHour! The best, most in-depth story so far is this article in The City.
Dive Into the Results with our Upcoming Webinar
For those interested in learning how we're going to translate this into meaningful policy, we recommend visiting Page 44 of the report and joining us for our Advocacy Webinar on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 3 - 4 pm: Register Here.
Community Solar Project Wins DOE Award
Community Power, a community solar project we did with Solar One, Brooklyn Movement Center, and Con Edison putting solar panels on the roofs of NYCHA's Carver Houses in East Harlem and two other NYCHA developments in Brooklyn, has won a $10,000 Sunny Award as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's program to make solar power affordable to renters in public housing! The DOE also announced the creation of the Community Power Accelerator, an initiative to foster new community-driven solar project development throughout the country with grant funding and support from technical assistance providers, including Solar One.
Take Our New EHJLT Classes to Learn About Environmental Justice Issues
We are excited to announce a new set of Environmental Health & Justice Leadership Training classes starting February 6th for adults. Participants in this 4-course, online training program will learn about environmental and climate justice issues and how to advocate for equitable solutions to address them.
There are no prerequisites for these courses, and they are open to anyone 15 and older. There is no cost, either, though we encourage you to make a donation to help us continue the program and give others the same opportunity. And we ask that if you do sign up, you honor your commitment to attend all the sessions because space is limited and demand is high.
Join us for our February Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 11 from 10 am - 12 pm in-person at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, located at 454 West 155th Street (between St Nicholas & Amsterdam Avenues). Sonal Jessel will be discussing our New York State policies and Pamela Stewart-Martinez will discuss the 2030 Census and showcase some Black environmental justice leaders as part of Black History Month.
Air pollution doesn't just damage your lungs - it can also break your heart. Join the Healthy Homes Working Group on Valentine's Day, February 14 at 6 pm to learn about air quality justice and air monitoring in Northern Manhattan. Participants will become knowledgeable on the dangers of air pollution, how to identify key pollutants, and recognize the contributors. Participants will also become familiar with climate change including triggers, mitigation, and adaptation strategies. This will be a part of the second EHJLT course on February 14th - please register for "Air Quality" on Evenbrite to attend!
Join the Beauty Inside Out Working Group for a special discussion with Dr. Lariah Edwards from the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, who will share her expert insights on our recently published study on the use of toxic beauty products in the Northern Manhattan community. This is the first in a series of Working Group meetings that will explore and develop ways we can push the beauty justice movement forward.
Justice40rward: Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, wrote an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle on her experience on a Justice40rward tour through environmental justice sites in Houston hosted by WE ACT and Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (T.E.J.A.S.) and how the White House's Justice40 Initiative is working to address environmental injustice.
Beauty Inside Out Survey: CosmeticsDesign published an article about the results of our Beauty Inside Out survey and the harmful health impacts of the beauty products marketed to people of color and fueled by racist beauty standards.
Community Power Award:Solar Builder reported on Community Power - a community solar project we did with Solar One, Brooklyn Movement Center, and Con Edison - winning a Sunny Award as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's program to make solar power affordable to renters in public housing.
Dirty New York Streets: Annie Carforo was quoted in a City article on keeping the city's streets clean.
Announcing WE ACT's New Podcast!
We're excited to announce the first full episode of our new podcast, Uptown Chats! Join Jaron Burke and Lonnie Portis every month as they explore environmental issues in their community through the eyes of everyday people, and discuss how environmental justice is showing up in the news. It’s not just for experts, it’s for everyone!
This month's episode is a lively conversation with Nando Rodriguez from Brotherhood Sister Sol about composting, which is coming to Northern Manhattan! They discuss the benefits of composting for environmental justice communities and what this means for Uptown.
You can find Uptown Chats on our website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, or stream directly from Castos. New episodes will be posted on the last Monday of every month.
Mayor Announces Citywide Composting
New York City Mayor Adams has announced a citywide roll out of curbside composting with a 20-month timeline to bring composting to all five boroughs! Curbside composting is a major step towards reaching the city's goal of zero-waste and towards making our streets cleaner. We celebrate this win and continue to push the city council to enact curbside compost in every building. Check out the latest episode of Uptown Chats for a deeper dive into all things composting!
Have you seen orange composting bins starting to pop up around your neighborhood? Download the NYCCompost app to find your nearest bin and start composting today!
Video Replay: Panel on Colorism in the Beauty Industry
In case you missed it, watch the video replay of last week's Colorism in the Beauty Industry: How the Manufacture & Marketing of Cosmetics is Poisoning People of Color.
Movie Nights on the Hudson for Black History Month
February is Black History Month and the City of New York is hosting free movie nights every Friday this month at the Robert Fredrick Smith Center for the Performing Arts at Riverbank State Park in Harlem at 6 pm. Check out the following showings:
February 3: Black Panther
February 10: Selma
February 17: Creed
February 24: The Great Debaters
The Global PFAS "Forever Chemical" Public Health Threat
Join Robert Bilott, Environmental Attorney at Yale School of Public Health, for a discussion on the worldwide threat to human health and the environment posed by man-made PFAS "forever chemicals", along with how this threat was covered up from the scientific community, regulators, lawmakers, and the public for decades. Join in-person on Thursday, February 16, at 12 pm at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, ARB Floor 11 Room 1102 or remotely via Zoom.
