Minneapolis, MN – On April 18, hundreds took to the streets of Minneapolis, to celebrate Earth Day and demand an end to capitalism’s relentless attacks on the planet. Organized by the Climate Justice Committee along with numerous coalition partners, the rally and march was held under the banner “Earth is for everyone – No one is illegal.”

The march began at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis and travelled to The Commons park, where speeches and tabling were held. Minneapolis-based band Van Cleaver provided music for the afternoon.

Speakers covered a range of topics, from the Trump administration’s attacks on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, to how climate change is a driver of immigration and displacement.

Tracy Molm of the CJC said, “ At a time when communities are facing environmental destruction, displacement, and escalating political attacks, this Earth Day action makes one thing clear: the fight for the planet is inseparable from the fight for human rights.”

Aizar Cabrera from MIRAC drew a connection between climate change and the immigration, saying, “When humans harm our planet, through pollution, deforestation, mining, and countless other atrocities caused by their manic greed they permanently disrupt ecosystems and destroy livelihoods, forcing people to leave their homes to survive. And when these climate refugees come here, seeking the safety and prosperity they have lost to climate change and natural disasters, they are vilified and told to go back to where they came from.”

The attacks on the Boundary Waters proved to be an energizing issue for the attendees. Chris Knopf, the executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters, gave a fiery speech excoriating Representative Pete Stauber’s use of the Congressional Review Act to overturn a moratorium on mining in the Boundary Waters watershed.

Knopf stated, “We in Minnesota have proven that hardship is not what defines us. What defines us is how we respond. Our strength, our resilience, our resistance have inspired the nation and the world.”

Knopf continued, “Trump, Stauber, and those in power in Washington DC are no match for the people of Minnesota. They are no match for you. We in Minnesota know how to stand up to Trump. We’ve done this for months now. We will stand up for the Boundary Waters; we will stand up for our clean water.”

A member of the CJC stated, “Our planet has a disease. And that disease is capitalism. A virus that corrupts…that works for the 1% instead of us. Our forests and wetlands, burned for beef production, stripped and polluted for minerals and drained for data centers. Our rivers and aquifers drained for oil pipelines and animal agriculture, rising oceans used as a dumping ground, and overfished until all that is left is waste and water. If you kill the planet you kill the people! The vision of the ruling class is a frightful new world where we own nothing, have no rights and have to remove the parts of us that make us human: empathy, community, critical thinking, love, in order to survive under the constant, deadly watch of corporate overlords.”

The event concluded with pizza for all, more music from Van Cleaver, and an invite to future events, including MIRAC’s May Day march on May 1.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Environment #EarthDay #ClimateJusticeCommittee #BoundaryWaters #BWCA

Tacoma, WA – On October 14, a group of several dozen Tacoma activists gathered in the sunset of Fireman's Park to oppose the expansion of the city’s liquid natural gas (LNG) plant. The event was organized by a broad coalition of Black, brown, indigenous, and other liberation movement groups, led by the of the Coast Salish Water Warriors (WW).

Speaker Marilyn Kimmerling with Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS) explained that the LNG facility near the Port of Tacoma is both a refinery and storage place. The oil travels from across the country through underground pipelines to the LNG plant at Tacoma’s tide flats. Within those pipes are gaskets, components which connect the lengths of pipe together. Such gaskets are notorious for failing, resulting in leaks.

In Tacoma, the gaskets are close to both schools and housing, usually in low-income areas such as reservation land. “The facility is an 8-million-gallon facility,” said Kimmerling. “The gas is chilled to -215 degrees so it can be condensed into a liquid, [allowing for] more storage. If the tank leaks, the gas expands and could easily explode.”

Even without expansion, the LNG plant as-is is already in violation of regulations. According to marine safety regulations, LNG tanks must be at least three miles away from human habitation due to the serious risk of explosion. The LNG refinery also releases methane, tons of particulate matter, and toxic chemicals such as benzine, a known brain carcinogen.

“Methane is 82 times more responsible for climate change [than CO2],” Kimmerling continued. “It's not in the atmosphere as long as carbon, but it's faster at polluting the environment.” It is no surprise, then, that environmentally damaging facilities like Tacoma’s LNG plant are built in low-income areas.

Kimmerling explained that not only is the LNG plant in violation of the 1854 Treaty of Medicine Creek, which is supposed to guarantee the hunting and fishing rights of the local tribes, but it was also built without a legal permit. Moreover, the 8-million-gallon tank is situated on a landfill in the tide flats. The tide flats themselves are at sea level, which is already rising due to climate change, and the plant is in an earthquake zone, a lava flow zone, and built in a location that is difficult to effectively evacuate.

If an explosion were to occur, the 5000-degree temperatures would incinerate everything in the immediate blast radius, including people. The Northwest Detention Center, a 1500-bed facility used by ICE to detain immigrants, is located in that blast zone, and there is no evacuation plan in place in the event of an explosion or other disaster. The five-mile radius of a potential LNG explosion also encompasses most of the city of Tacoma. Even when functioning normally, the refinery pollutes the water, where salmon are already a threatened species.

After the speeches at the park, the crowd mobilized to Tacoma City Hall where the city council meeting was in session. The group merged with a larger contingent of community members who took the opportunity to advocate their Stop The Sweeps campaign. Local faith groups like Common Good and organizations like Tacoma DSA delivered speeches outside City Hall on other issues, including the housing crisis. They shared statistics on the number of people who die on the streets of Tacoma, which is in the thousands. Other speakers pointed out that many of Tacoma’s unhoused people are disabled, as Social Security doesn't pay them enough to live on.

Most of the attendees then entered City Hall to make public comments at the city council meeting. It was filled to capacity as the city council removed the first two rows of seats and tried to erect a barrier to shield the councilmembers from the outrage of their supposed constituents.

Tacoma’s mayor, who had been in attendance for the first half of the council meeting, slipped out before the second half began because she could not be bothered to listen to public comments. CASS delivered their statement about the LNG plant in 90-second chunks delivered by different members due to the restrictions placed on public comment by the council, which asked attendees to “be nice” as they were “tired.” When a member of the local Black Panther Party Ovunayo X came up to speak, his microphone was shut off abruptly after his allotted 90 seconds, after which the council quickly walked out.

“Anti-people policies like the camping ban and expansion of the LNG facility show the true interest of the city council,” said Aife Pasquale, a member of CASS. “They will always put profit over the people, and bend to the whims of capitalism. The people of Tacoma, however, do not accept this without a fight. Today a wide coalition of organizations united to push against these policies and stand for what's right!”

#TacomaWA #WA #Environment #CASS

Microsoft had targeted the small Racine County community to construct a new data center, but concerns arose for residents as time went on after the initial announcement of the proposal. More than 2000 people signed a petition calling for the project to be halted. For some perspective, Caledonia as has a total population just north of 25,000.

As with most data centers, this plant would've had significant environmental impacts. Water usage at the plant was another major concern. Residents also cited the general air of secrecy around the project, something many of them weren't comfortable with. The rural plot would've impacted farmers on the surrounding land. Caledonia has never seen a project of this scope, causing some to warn that Microsoft, as the would-be single largest tax contributor for the village, could dominate the local political landscape to maintain its own interests.

Microsoft is not done with the region, though. They have a separate project that has already broken ground in Mount Pleasant, another village further south of Milwaukee and nearer to the Illinois border. Despite their Caledonia setback, Microsoft indicated in their statement that they look forward to further conversations in the future to find a “more suitable” location for the data center there.

With the Great Lakes as an abundant source of the water that is necessary for these plants, states in the Midwest like Wisconsin will continue to be in the crosshairs of companies looking to build AI data centers. As such, the need has never been greater for activists to organize against them and other attacks against the environment.

#CaledoniaWI #WI #PeoplesStruggles #Environment

Minneapolis, MN – Climate Justice Committee and community members gathered for a family-friendly walk through Mayor Jacob Frey’s Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood on Saturday, October 4. The walk was called to raise awareness for the Roof Depot fight and urge Mayor Frey to give the East Philips neighborhood a fair deal for the site. Participants put up hundreds of posters, handed out flyers, and had conversations with community members.

The walk was called by the Climate Justice Committee (CJC), a local activist group focused on fighting urban pollution and environmental racism in the Twin Cities. They have been active in the East Phillips neighborhood’s campaign to turn the old Roof Depot into an urban farm and community center.

The East Philips Neighborhood Institute President of the Board Dean Dovolis made the stakes clear: “Right now, we sit at a choice of two futures. A building owned by the community, run by the community, developed by the community's committee, or a future in which the building is demolished and turned into a service yard for diesel trucks and other polluting uses. This is critical, because if we do not prevail, we condemn the neighborhood to these uses for our lifetimes and the lifetimes beyond.”

Dovolis added, “We already have an active agriculture program, so this dream is real. There’s only one thing that’s keeping us from making the dream real: Mayor Jacob Frey. We need your help to tell him that this is the right thing to do, this is the right action, this is the right future for the neighborhood. We, the East Phillips Neighborhood, are driven by this, because while we can’t control the issues in Washington, we can create our own vision of what we want to see in our society, right in East Phillips.”

Kent Mori of the Climate Justice Committee linked this action to the broader fight for indigenous rights: “Mayor Frey embodies environmental racism. The Roof Depot land itself, if it’s sold to EPNI, will be owned by Little Earth, the largest Section 8 native community in the United States. So if you want to talk about ‘land back,’ you gotta talk about Roof Depot being owned by the community! This is about native sovereignty and empowering native folks within their own community.”

Climate Justice Committee and community members will continue to elevate the cause of the Roof Depot in rallies and press conferences around the city.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Environment #CJC #RoofDepot

Miami, FL – The Miccosukee Tribe and Friends of the Everglades won their lawsuit to shut down the detention camp known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” as ruled by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams on Thursday, August 21. The lawsuit was filed on June 27, and Judge Williams ordered a temporary stop to the construction on the site two weeks ago. Now, the state has 60 days to move the detainees and dismantle what’s been constructed so far.

The lawsuit was brought to the courts on the grounds of environmental damage caused by the facility to the fragile Everglades ecosystem. Twenty acres of land have been paved over with asphalt for the facility’s operations.

This decision comes just days after another U.S. District Judge, Rodolfo Ruiz, dismissed some of the complaints raised by people detained at so-called Alligator Alcatraz. Detainees alleged that they were unable to speak privately with their legal counsel or file legal documents to argue against their detention. Judge Ruiz dismissed the latter and said that another district court will proceed with the former.

Before the facility was operational, Miccosukee Tribal Elder Betty Osceola called for a protest on June 22. Hundreds of protesters were out in the Everglades by the future site of the concentration camp demanding that the construction stop and operations do not begin. Although the facility eventually opened, the Friends of the Everglades initiated the lawsuit that shut down the camp, with the Miccosukee Tribe joining the suit as a plaintiff.

The state of Florida filed an appeal and is attempting to find a way to resume its construction.

“We won’t back down,” said Claudia Rodriguez of the South Florida Anti-War Committee. “Hundreds of us came out in one of the worst heat waves of the year, standing under rain and shine, withstanding mosquitoes and humidity because we won’t be silent in the face of the Trump administration targeting our immigrant communities, dispossessing our indigenous neighbors, and destroying our environment.”

#MiamiFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #Environment #Trump #IndigneousPeoples #ChicanoLatino #AligatorAlcatraz

Minneapolis, MN – Over 20 people came together on a stormy and humid day, August 19. to demand the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, sign over the Roof Depot site to the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI) to create a community center in a neighborhood overburdened by pollution.

Over two years ago Mayor Frey had caved to public pressure and had agreed to sell the site to EPNI, but made it dependent on getting $5 million from the state of Minnesota to help move city facilities. At the end of the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers failed to make good on promises for the money for the Roof Depot site.

“Jacob Frey’s career should be destroyed for this situation. This all started because he disregarded a report that repairs on the Marcy Holmes location would be the economical answer to the needs of public works. Instead, he pushed for the city to buy the Roof Depot. Purchasing and then just leaving the site to sit has cost Minneapolis taxpayers money, including residents here. Then when we stood against the demolition that would poison this neighborhood, instead of cutting losses Frey and his allies had security and barbed wire put up. That also was money wasted on this site,” explained Mordecai Mika of the Climate Justice Committee (CJC).

The reality is that it isn't the responsibility of East Phillips to pay for the city’s utilities or facilities. EPNI has offered the City $10.2 million for the site, which is currently appraised at $3.7 million.

But the neighborhood and supporters aren't afraid to fight for the East Phillips community. The CJC has been organizing with the people of East Phillips for years, beginning with the demand that the city of Minneapolis not demolish the Roof Depot site, which would raise arsenic and other contaminants sealed under the complex. The CJC then joined with the neighbors to demand a century-old foundry that had been polluting the neighborhood be shut down. With very little pressure, an asphalt manufacturer across the street from the Roof Depot shut down, bowing to public pressure. And shortly after, the foundry also shut down permanently.

The CJC has vowed to stand up to Mayor Frey and demand he agrees to sell the Roof Depot site to EPNI. Every day delayed is another day stolen from the people of East Phillips in their quest to turn back the environmental racism and injustice piled on this working class community.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Environment #RoofDepot #CJC #EPNI

Chicago, IL – “The Make Polluters Pay campaign gives the state and Pritzker the chance to show that they stand with the people and not with big oil and gas. These polluters should pay for the damage they have done to our community,“ said Gianna Escareno to a crowd of over 40 people who rallied in front of the University of Chicago’s David Rubenstein Forum on June 20, where the Aspen Ideas Climate Conference was happening.

The action was targeted at Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who spoke at the conference, to call on Illinois lawmakers to support legislation that makes polluters pay for damage done to local communities

This action was called by the Sunrise Chicago chapter in coordination with the National Sunrise Movement’s Make Polluters Pay campaign to hold big oil billionaires accountable for the ongoing climate crisis, pay for climate disasters, transition to clean energy, and transition to green jobs.

“New York and Vermont have passed climate superfund laws to make polluters pay. Illinois can and must do the same.” said Oscar Sánchez of Southeast Environmental Task Force.

Working and oppressed people continue to be the people feeling the burden of the climate crisis. Earlier this year saw the Los Angeles area be engulfed by record-breaking wildfires, and as of the writing of this article, and we are seeing devastating floods in Texas disappearing, displacing and killing people. In Chicago, Black and Chicano/Latino neighborhoods are used as areas for non-accountable industrial pollution.

“I’m a student from Little Village, and I got to experience the environmental racism of the oligarchs in this country. In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, we saw the death of many of our elderly from asthma because of improper care and air quality of our communities,” said Gio Araujo of the New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Araujo continued, “JB Pritzker is bending down to the Trump agenda of destroying the planet for profit and actively destroying the livelihoods of working and oppressed people in this country.”

“This shouldn't have to be our reality. That polluters are polluting Black and Latino working class communities across Chicago, and working-class and oppressed communities across the country and the world. We shouldn’t have to be protesting to simply tell them that we are human beings too,” stated Escareno.

#ChicagoIL #IL #Environment

San Jose, CA – On Saturday, June 28, anti-war activists filled a classroom to learn about the U.S./Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people and the climate crisis. The presentations shed light on U.S. corporations that support Israeli genocide, including Alphabet, Caterpillar and Microsoft.

Activists are demanding the San Jose City Council pull its investments from corporations aiding Israel’s war machine or doing business there. In addition, activists are demanding Santa Clara County divest from oil company Chevron for its role in fueling the genocide in Palestine and the climate crisis.

Hamza Mahmoud said, “During the first 60 days of aggression after October 7, 281,000 metric tons of CO2 were emitted from Israel’s jets, tanks and bombs alone. This is the equivalent of 150,000 tons of coal burned.” Mahmoud is a member of Bears for Palestine, a UC Berkeley student organization, and presented on the destruction of buildings and the environment in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Chevron is the largest producer of fossil fuels for Israel and the largest multinational corporation with a significant stake in Israel’s energy sector,” said Drusie Kazanova, a member of San Jose Against War. They also highlighted how Chevron pollutes the Bay Area with their Richmond refinery.

Serena Myjer, also with San Jose Against War, made the connection between Microsoft’s pursuit of AI and its contribution to the Bay Area’s environmental destruction. Microsoft is proposing to build extremely energy and water intensive data centers at the cost of the local burrowing owls’ natural habitat.

“Cloud and AI are the bombs and bullets of the 21st century and Microsoft has a footprint in all major military infrastructure in Israel,” said Abdo Mohamed with No Azure For Apartheid. Mohamed explained how these services accelerate the targeted killings of Palestinians and cement Microsoft as a war profiteer.

San Jose Against War’s divestment campaign also targets Alphabet and Caterpillar. Alphabet works directly with the Israeli military, through Project Maven, offering cloud services and data centers to monitor the West Bank and Gaza. Caterpillar provides construction equipment for Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign in the West Bank.

Sign the petitions for these divestment campaigns at bit.ly/sjdivest and bit.ly/sccdivest.

#SanJoseCA #CA #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Environment #SJAW

Tacoma, WA – On July 1, 15 members of Climate Alliance of the South Sound (CASS) gathered at Tacoma, Washington’s weekly city council meeting to speak out against the undemocratic city management and demand a strong climate commission.

Community members rallied outside the meeting to prepare to go in to speak, but were confronted by the mayor, who asked them not to speak at the city council meeting. Community members were not intimidated, and attended the meeting as planned, despite the city’s attempts to block their ability to speak.

CASS members were planning to speak on the retirement of Tacoma’s City Manager Elizabeth Pauli and were preparing to enter the City Hall when they were confronted by Mayor Victoria Woodards.

“There is something on the agenda, but if this is the direction we’re going to go in I’m going to pull it off the agenda,” Mayor Woodards said to the community, in reference to the item on City Manager Pauli’s retirement.

“This is an attempt at repression!” said CASS member Aife Pasquale. “The mayor wants us to respect the city manager, but we’re not going to respect someone who disrespects her entire community in her actions.”

The city council struck the item of the city manager’s retirement from their agenda and started the public comment section of the meeting earlier than allowed.

To silence the voices of CASS, the meeting was adjourned as soon as the city council had the opportunity. “The city manager is an unelected and undemocratic role that sacrifices the community and environment for profit, and the city council continues that undemocratic trend by pulling stunts like this,” said Gemini Gnull, another CASS member.

After the meeting was adjourned, CASS members rallied outside to speak on issues such as the importance of real representation in elected bodies, strong environmental protections, and indigenous sovereignty. Tacoma is built atop Puyallup land, and the city of Tacoma has a history of violating indigenous sovereignty and treaty rights. CASS member Jami Nelson-Cortes said that indigenous people “protect 80% of the earth’s biodiversity,” adding “So long as there is an unelected city manager position, indigenous sovereignty, including treaty rights, will be undermined.”

“The actions of the city council against the people of Tacoma show the necessity of waging a fight for democracy, for indigenous sovereignty, and climate justice, it shows the necessity of bodies that can keep the city in check,” said Gnull. “CASS is not going to stop fighting for a strong Climate Commission, one that will give Tacomans the real political power we need to fight for the future we deserve.”

#TacomaWA #WA #Environment #CASS

St Paul, MN – Dozens of people held signs and cheered Saturday morning, June 7, since the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced it would revoke Northern Iron’s permit. 11-year-old Eastside resident Moses Degner Riveros said on the megaphone, “Our voices are being heard! Now we need to take the next step of shutting the foundry down.”

The crowd of Eastside residents and organizers heard from neighbors about living under the toxic haze of Northern Iron’s foundry operations. The foundry has been in operation for over a century in the Eastside neighborhood. It has an extensive record of environmental regulation violations. Eastside residents have long known their neighborhood was polluted by lead and other heavy metals spewed from Northern Iron. After a strong and sustained community campaign, residents are one step closer to shutting Northern Iron down.

Resident and lawyer Melissa Lorentz said, “What we’re seeing right now is something we haven’t seen before. The MPCA is standing up against this aggressive, well-funded company to support the community, and it’s because of people who are willing to speak about the harms of this facility.” Referring to a Thursday, June 5, hearing, Lorentz said, “Last week I saw the attorney for Northern Iron lie in court about their pollution. That is what they’re willing to do for their profits.”

Another resident, Sarah Degner Riveros, spoke about the health impact of heavy metals like lead from Northern Iron. Her five children have experienced anxiety, depression, bleeding disorders, reproductive health issues, insomnia, muscle fatigue and overall weak immune systems since moving to Eastside in 2015.

Riveros stated, “This past January my 17-year-old daughter lost consciousness. She required a blood transfusion that brought her back to life. She missed a month of her senior year of high school.” Degner Riveros paused and took out a bouquet of peonies. “But this week she graduated high school summa cum laude, and I brought her graduation flowers to show you. We deserve clean air! A residential neighborhood is no place for a foundry!”

Residents reported black soot covering their cars, the siding on their homes, and on their windowsills. In April 2024, the MPCA ordered Northern Iron to seal their facility, but to this day one can see holes and gaps in the tattered blue tarps wrapped around the baghouses on the foundry’s roof. Brittney Bruce with her two children by her side said, “Northern Iron can say they’re doing the right thing in court, but every time I drive past I see the blue tarps blowing open, I see the particles in my windowsill, fence and car. If Northern Iron cannot clean up the pollution they’re causing, then they need to shut it down!”

A Climate Justice Committee member closed out the speakers, stating “Companies are terrified of collective action, because when we join together we the people have power. When the Climate Justice Committee, Eastside Environmental Justice and concerned neighbors banded together to demand action – we made change happen. This collective action is more important than ever as the Trump administration tries to roll back environmental protections and deregulate. We must fight back to keep our communities safe. As we have seen with Smith Foundry and now Northern Iron, it can be done. When we come to fight, we let the polluters know we do not come to plead for power – we come to wield it! Because, when we fight, we win!” The crowd enthusiastically joined in the chant “When we fight, we win!”

While the crowd was there to celebrate and let the neighborhood know about the MPCA revoking Northern Iron’s permit to operate, organizers were clear the fight is not over. The notice to revoke the permit allows Northern Iron an opportunity to appeal and the foundry may operate in the interim. The Climate Justice Committee emcee made it clear that we’ll keep coming back and join the neighborhood in fighting to shut Northern Iron down!

#StPaulMN #MN #Environment #CJC

St. Paul, MN – On Saturday, April 19, chants from the Minnesota State Capitol grounds were heard throughout downtown Saint Paul as 10,000-plus protesters marched through the streets to meet a crowd of 5000 on the capitol lawn for a People’s Earth Day.

“Like never before, we can see how the destruction of our environment goes hand in hand with resource extraction for power and profit,” Climate Justice Committee member Zhu Gong declared to the crowd of 15,000. “We must stand up and demand that all complacency towards Trump and Musk’s destructive agenda is ended forever. We have seen that when communities stand up and fight, we win!”

Seeking to elevate and broaden the fight for the planet, the group identified Earth Day as an important holiday to put forward as a day of fighting for liberation. A People’s Earth Day, to them, is not just a celebration, but an assertion of the necessity for the people of the world to reclaim their planet from the corporations and governments that seek to destroy it.

This event was organized by an array of local organizations under the collective name of The People’s Earth Day Coalition. Organizing partners included the Climate Justice Committee, Families Against Military Madness, Three Waters Pipeline Resistance, MN 50501, Indivisible Twin Cities, MN Women’s March and Third Act. After the massive turnout of the Hands off rallies on April 5, organizers were excited to follow up on the growing opposition to Trump’s agenda.

“I celebrated the very first Earth Day 55 years ago with great joy, hope and determination,” said Amy Blumenshine of Third Act Minnesota. “Today, under Trump, we are abandoning all our great progress, so I am working to stop the federal retreat from climate and environmental protection in every way possible.”

And it wasn’t just environmental groups that supported these demands. Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Red Nation, MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, the MN Anti-War Committee, and the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council were just a few of the non-climate groups that showed up to speak in support of the people’s movement for the climate.

“It’s no coincidence that the same people and institutions that are profiting from the destruction of our planetary future are also the ones fomenting war, attacking immigrants, rolling back women’s and LGBTQ rights, and more,” said Charlie Berg of the Climate Justice Committee. “‘One struggle, one fight’ is not just a slogan or a metaphor, it’s an accurate description.”

#StPaulMN #MN #Environment #Feature #CJC

St Paul, MN – Dozens of residents rallied March 22 alongside the Climate Justice Committee (CJC) in front of Northern Iron, a metal foundry located in the heart of the highly diverse, working-class East Side neighborhood in Saint Paul. The foundry has earned the ire of residents for its failure to contain toxic pollutants from its operations, as well as its refusal to comply with state government efforts to hold them accountable.

Smokestacks located just across the street from residences emit toxic pollutants such as lead and other heavy metals, as well as hazardous fine particulate matter. The foundry, owned and operated by Lawton Standard, continues to subject the residents to toxic pollutants in defiance of standards set by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Particulates from the foundry can be seen collecting on cars and houses, and on windows and windowsills. It collects in the lungs of residents and their pets, which can cause long term health effects. It also collects on the surface of the ground, seeping in with the rainfall, rendering soil toxic.

One neighbor reported, “My children are experiencing health problems, including very low hemoglobin, anemia, behavior problems, trouble concentrating, [and] sleep disturbances.” Another neighbor, a young child, expressed frustration that he could not eat the fruit that grows in his yard: “I live four blocks from Northern Iron, and I have an apple and a raspberry tree and I can’t eat them because of Northern Iron. And I have a few questions: why is Northern Iron polluting our neighborhood with toxic metals like lead?”

There was consensus among the people assembled there that families had a right to a safe environment in which to raise their children, and that Northern Iron was violating that right.

In an apparent effort to feign compliance, Northern Iron hastily wrapped its smokestacks in common tarp. Neighbor of the foundry Brittney Bruce remarked: “For them to say that their emission capture is working is literally a joke – we can all see these stacks are not wrapped properly.”

The MPCA recently issued a warning to the foundry, threatening to possibly revoke Northern Iron’s operating permits if they do not provide overdue paperwork by March 27. It is widely expected, however, that the foundry will do nothing to abate its toxic emissions, continuing a pattern of negligence. Furthermore, residents worry that the MPCA will fail to live up to its ultimatum, as the regulators did not fully commit to action.

Considering the foundry’s history of ignoring deadlines set by the MPCA, and the agency’s history of ignoring pollution from the foundry, East Side residents and the Climate Justice Committee are preparing to continue the fight beyond next week’s deadline.

Local resident Mel Lorentz was clear, “I've talked to so many people who live within a few blocks behind this foundry and everybody says they've gotta clean it up or get out and we're not going away until they do that.”

Organizers with the CJC vowed to continue to spread awareness of the mounting campaign and pursue it to a victorious conclusion as was done against the Smith Foundry in the neighboring city of Minneapolis.

#StPaulMN #MN #Environment #CJC

St. Paul, MN – The Climate Justice Committee (CJC) and East Side Environmental Justice hosted a community meeting, March 15, in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of Saint Paul, raising awareness among community members about the growing campaign against the Northern Iron foundry, a major polluter in the area.

Around 50 people were in attendance, including local residents, neighborhood activists, elected officials such as Saint Paul City Council Member Nelsie Yang and state House Representative Peter Fischer, and other concerned community members.

Neighbors near the foundry have been documenting dark soot on their windows, in their homes and on their cars. Testing confirmed the soot contained the same toxic compounds that can be found inside Northern Iron. Northern Iron has also been found in violation of their emissions permits by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), but it has refused to clean up its act, even taking the MPCA to court to avoid compliance with the agency’s enforcement action.

First, Mel Lorentz, an attorney and Payne-Phalen resident, talked through the details of Northern Iron’s operations and known pollution history, stating, “They’re taking in up to 30 tons per day of scrap metal, and up to 100,000 tons per year of silica sand, they pour molten metal into molds to make equipment for oil and gas drilling, agricultural equipment.”

Lorentz then offered a major update on the status of Northern Iron’s court battle with the MPCA, telling audience members that the agency recently sent Northern Iron a letter setting a deadline of March 27 to submit testing data and detailed plans for how they would get in compliance, or else face potentially having their permits revoked. Lorentz pointed out that this is a major escalation from the MPCA, calling out that “many people in this room know that this kind of thing almost never happens,” and that this was clearly the result of the community’s organizing efforts.

Next, a nursing and public health student, Candis Moore, offered a presentation on the adverse health effects that are commonly associated with the pollutants coming from Northern Iron, primarily lead and PM 2.5 (also known as fine particulate matter).

“Blood lead levels are important because it’s a neurotoxin, so when this is introduced to children, when their brains are growing very fast, it can actually impede that process. This can lead to problems in school, behavioral problems, and this is so important because these are foundational building blocks to kids leading fulfilling lives in their futures,” Moore said., She highlighted the fact that lead pollution is a common factor among many working-class cities and neighborhoods around the country that have high rates of school dropouts and crime among youth, such as many parts of Chicago and Detroit. During the Q&A, Moore underlined that “there is no safe level of lead in the body.”

The audience heard from Minneapolis-based community activist Joe Vital, who played an important role in winning the shutdown of Smith Foundry in East Phillips in 2024. Joe recounted the story of fighting for justice alongside the CJC and other allies in his own neighborhood, emphasizing the lesson that these fights require a diversity of tactics, such as call-ins, putting pressure on elected officials, and community rallies and protests. Vital put it succinctly: “It’s only when people get in the streets that things finally start to move.”

Finally, Britney Bruce, who lives right behind the foundry, shared her story of moving into the neighborhood with high hopes, only to have her dreams dashed when she learned her new home was right next to a major polluter.

“I spent many, many years saving up for my first home. I had plans of having a big backyard to host family barbecues, bonfires, have a garden, a place where my kids can run wild – a place that my boys could always call home,” she said. Bruce moved in almost exactly one year ago and quickly noticed that things were not right. “I noticed that no matter how much I cleaned my windowsills and baseboards, they were always covered in black dust. My oldest, who is diabetic, started having breathing problems. My middle child developed eczema all over his body. I went back to using an inhaler that I hadn’t used since high school.”

Bruce called for everyone in the room to stay in communication with one another, to spread awareness, and to continue to fight so that Northern Iron can’t pollute any longer. She concluded, “It’s easy to mute one voice, but it’s hard to mute many.”

The Climate Justice Committee is organizing a rally outside Northern Iron next week on March 22, and continues to build the struggle against urban pollution and environmental racism in the Twin Cities.

#StPaulMN #MN #Environment #CJC #TwinCities #ClimateJustice

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The tactical offensive of the New People’s Army (NPA) against the 80th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Antipolo, Rizal yesterday is a bold action that responds to people’s demand to put a stop to destructive quarrying, mining and dam construction in the Rizal province.

The 80th IB is notorious for gross violations of the rights of peasant and indigenous people communities in Antipolo and other towns in Rizal who have resisted the construction of the Wawa-Violago megadam. Several communities have been displaced by these projects.

The military battalion also provides armed security to mining and quarrying operations which have caused grave destruction of the environment. These operations have resulted in devastating floods and landslides that have affected not only the local communities but also neighboring towns in Rizal, as well as low-lying areas in Metro Manila.

The Marcos regime continues to use the armed forces to serve the interests of these destructive companies, providing them with security and allowing them to continue their operations with impunity.

The NPA’s action is a just response to the people’s clamor for social and environmental justice. It is a testament to the determination of the people to defend their rights and the environment and resist the reactionary government’s policy that favor big business interests.

The NPA tactical offensive is a blow to the claims of the Marcos fascist regime and its armed forces that the country is now “insurgency-free.” This false narrative is a key component of the government’s vain attempt to demoralize the people and discourage them from further resisting fascism and imperialism.

The CPP commends the NPA Red fighters who carried out the military action in defense of the people’s interests and the environment. They are true people’s warriors who are dedicated to serve the people, defend their rights and protect the environment.

#International #Philippines #CPP #NPA #Environment

Santa Ana, CA – Over 100 community members, activists and organizers rallied in Santa Ana to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20.

Despite cold gusts of wind, the crowd filled the intersection of S Bristol Street and W McFadden Avenue, a location people have rallied at for years, such as on Trump’s first inauguration or during the George Floyd Rebellion.

Erica Gonzalez of Chicanxs Unidxs (CU) said, “I stood on these streets in September 2017 with my four kids, all under the age of 14, to rally against the Trump administration for putting kids in cages and separating families at the border. It was during that rally that I felt the power of community for the first time. Here we are all these years later, except this time we’re much more organized and better prepared.”

Rachael Pozos of TransLatinx spoke on the danger posed to the LGBTQ community by Trump, stating “We are part of this community. They want to segregate and silence us, but we are raising our voices too. We demand that hormone replacement therapy continue to be carried out. We are not going to back down: on the contrary, we are going to fight!”

In his second administration, Trump will likely ramp up police spending and repression of the people’s movements. During his campaign he suggested harsh crackdowns on the Palestine solidarity movement, and in his first administration he responded to the George Floyd Rebellion with heavy repression. Last week Trump’s Department of Justice suggested halting consent decrees requiring reforms of police departments around the country.

Donna Acevedo-Nelson spoke about her son, Joel Acevedo, who was only 21 years old when he was killed by Anaheim Police Department, stating, “My son Joel was dragged, beaten, handcuffed and then shot in the back of the head. The police changed their story a few times. They lie. They go into the media. People believe what they read in the newspaper and there’s always more to the story.”

Protesters visible to passing cars held signs that read, “Indict! Convict! Send these killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!”

Emma Gottfried from Community Service Organization (CSO) spoke about the killing spree by Anaheim and Santa Ana police over the years. In December, SAPD killed Noe Rodriguez moments after arriving at the scene, giving commands only in English and firing at least 30 bullets even as he collapsed.

Gottfried said, “CSO has launched our ‘24/48’ police accountability campaign. We are fighting for more transparency, demanding the public releasing of officer names when they are involved in misconduct or a shooting within 24 hours, and for releasing unedited footage of the incident within 48 hours. Families deserve to see what happened and know who was involved so we can hold them responsible!” Protesters waved signs saying, “Justice for Noe Martinez Rodriguez.”

Labor activist Manaal Subhani warned of Trump’s legacy of attacking workers, stating, “During his presidency, Donald Trump systematically undermined worker protections and unions. His National Labor Relations Board repeatedly sided with corporations over workers, making it harder to form unions and easier to decertify them.”

Subhani continued, “Workers built this city, workers run this city, and workers will fight back against the Trump administration and the cop administration!”

Abraham Quintana of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) reinforced the importance of the working class struggle, stating, “The billionaires depend on our labor for their profits. It's not Elon Musk on the assembly line building those ugly, explosive trucks. It's not Gavin Newsom out there fighting wildfires. It’s workers!”

Quintana spoke of FRSO’s task of building a political party of the multinational working class, saying, “Instead of living in a world where we live to make profits for the billionaires, we can build a society that meets everyone’s needs and puts the power in the working class's hands instead of the hands of the 1%.”

Sandra de Anda, coordinator of the Orange County Rapid Response Network (OCRRN), encouraged the crowd to call their hotline if ICE is spotted in Santa Ana (714-881-1558). She cautioned people to correctly verify sightings to avoid panic and shared about their participatory defense work to stop and reduce detentions, deportations and incarcerations.

Sandra de Anda said, “We are here as a reminder that everyday people can organize: mothers, hermanos, everybody can learn how to get their loved ones out of cages. Right now is the time for regular people to do courageous things!”

Protesters waved signs that read “No to deportations,” “Protect Immigrants” and “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” The crowd shouted, “Up, up with liberation! Down, down with deportation!”

Vinny Mansoor of the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) stressed the importance of solidarity across different movements, telling the crowd, “I find myself for the life of me unable to see the difference between a child in a cage in California and a child in a cage in Gaza! Our children are being taken from us and we have to stand united!”

Erick Landeros of Guerrero, a solidarity organization supporting the National Democratic Revolution in the Philippines, connected the struggle between immigrants in Santa Ana with oppressed peoples around the world: “From here in Santa Ana with migrant, working class families, to Palestine, to Mexico, to the Philippines, we all face a common enemy: U.S. imperialism.”

Jensen Walsh of Orange County Democratic Socialists of America (OCDSA) called the audience to action, stating, “Right now, we are mobilized, but what we must do is organize for greater mobilization in the future.”

The crowd marched around the intersection, hoisting signs in the air and shouting over the gusty wind and traffic. Spirits were high as people raged against the Trump administration. The rally highlighted the importance of solidarity between all of the people’s struggles and the importance of joining an organization for long-term organized struggle against this administration.

The event was organized by CSO OC in coalition with CU, OCEJ, USPCN, FRSO, OCDSA, TransLatinx, Guerrero and OCRRN.

#SantaAnaCA #PeoplesStruggles #Immigrantrights #InJusticeSystem #LGBTQ #Palestine #AntiWarMovement #Environment #CSOOC #CU #OCEJ #USPCN #FRSO #TransLatinx #Guerrero #OCRRN

Olympia, WA – Hundreds gathered at Heritage Park in Olympia, on Saturday, January 18, to protest against the second inauguration of Donald Trump. People of all ages, genders and nationalities from dozens of organizations made up the Peoples’ March on a brisk, sunny afternoon.

Protesters put forward demands around the environment, indigenous sovereignty, economic justice , liberation for Black people, liberation for trans people, immigrant justice, reproductive justice, and freeing Palestine.

“We want everyone to be united in our movement to say ‘no’ to cages,” said Rufina Reyes, director of immigrant rights group La Resistencia, “This is the worst time to bow down our heads. We want people to stand up and say, ‘Here we are, and we have the right to fight for ourselves and fight for our families!’“

Immediately after the march to the Capitol, many of the crowd gathered at a community center a few blocks away for the Festival of Resistance. The Festival of Resistance, according to its program, “is a crucial opportunity to build community and solidarity, engage in outreach and education, and prepare to take collective action ahead of what is sure to be a tumultuous time.”

The first half of the gathering was a social hour where patrons ate free food provided by Food Not Bombs and mingled with other festival-goers. The second half of the programming included discussion groups such as “Organizing for Queer and Trans Liberation” and “Neighborhood Organizing” and workshops including “Prison Letter Writing” and “Anti-Repression Workshop,” just to name a few.

“The Festival of Resistance is important because we need to prepare for what’s coming under the Trump administration,” said Arlo Dalton, member of Palestine Action South Sound. “It’s going to be important to build our network to fight against these attacks. And if we want to be ready, we need to get started now!”

#OlympiaWA #WA #ImmigrantsRights #WomensMovement #LGBTQ #PeoplesAction #Environment #PeoplesMarch #Trump

Olympia, WA – Indigenous leaders and environmentalists held a ceremony on January 15, outside Governor Bob Ferguson’s inauguration, to honor the Southern Resident Orca population, which is suffering from environmental collapse.

Nearly 100 people from around the state gathered to share in grief the tremendous loss that occurred at the turn of the new year. On December 21, an orca was born to Tahlequah, who made international headlines in 2018 when her baby passed away and she continued to carry it with her for 17 days and over 1000 miles.

Only ten days after being born, Tahlequah’s newest baby passed away from starvation. Once again, Tahlequah is carrying her deceased baby, day and night, throughout the Salish Sea.

The Salish Sea is unique in its ecology and is home to a population of orcas. They are of sacred significance to the Coast Salish tribes and depend almost entirely upon Chinook salmon for their diet. Members of several Coast Salish tribes spoke, stating that all can unite around the fact that the loss of our salmon is the loss of our future.

As legendary tribal activist, water protector and earth defender of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Raymond Kingfisher aptly states, “We do this for the children.”

Attendees began the vigil at Tivoli Fountain, then walked up to the Capitol, circled the building, and stood at the front steps, drumming and singing Coast Salish songs the entire way. They passed a gathering of tents and workers quickly putting together the inaugural ball for Washington’s new governor, Bob Ferguson. Supposedly environmentally concerned, and an attorney, he has threatened to “sue the Navy” if they keep polluting the Salish Sea.

The marchers made their presence known outside the Capitol, demanding the governor do everything in his power to stop military and industrial polluters, dams and habitat destruction from killing the last remaining salmon.

Bryce Philips, Unangan of the Aleutian Islands, and member of the National Postal Handlers Union, stated, “Salmon, whales, seals, these are all very interconnected and this legislature ignores that just like they ignore the working-class people, just like they ignore the housing crisis and homelessness, just like they ignore poverty and people lacking food, just like they ignore the problems of our education system. They are never thinking of the future, and indigenous wisdom teaches us to look seven generations ahead as opposed to looking at next year’s profits and loss statement, next years what the lobbyists want to see done. It’s time to listen to working-class people, it's time to listen to indigenous people, who have successfully managed this land for thousands of years.”

Philips continued, “If it looked like a wilderness to people, well it's only because it was a very attractive and well maintained garden. Think of a Japanese garden, well this is a Native American garden. and people effed it up in the name of progress, and now we're seeing this ‘progress’ means we won't have whales anymore, we won't have salmon anymore, it means we won't have trees anymore, and what would Washington, the Northwest, even be without those things? It would be a dead, soulless place. So, I think it's really of interest to all people, whatever color they may be, all who love this place, to fight to remove these dams and do what needs to be done to maintain the ecosystem and look for new ways to have power, electricity, that aren’t so harmful to our fish and our whales.”

At the Capitol steps, there were many powerful songs and testimonies.

Genesis Esponda, of Chiapas Education Project, stated after the ceremony, “To all my relatives, that means the birds, the trees, the plants, the ocean, and the ocean animals, when one of our family members suffers, we all suffer. it seems like a really important situation to bring awareness to, especially here in Olympia.”

#OlympiaWA #WA #Environment

Apenas unos días después del comienzo de 2025, el área de Los Ángeles ha sido envuelta por incendios sin precedentes. Entre una sequía amplia y vientos con fuerza de huracán, algunas áreas que nunca habían tenido que ser evacuadas debido a los incendios han quedado completamente destruidas, con más de 100,000 personas ordenadas a evacuar la zona hasta ahora.

2024 fue, una vez más, el año más caluroso de la historia. Las temperaturas globales promedio cruzaron un umbral importante en 2024: 1.5° C (2.7° F) más cálidas que los niveles preindustriales. Esta fue la temperatura máxima establecida como meta por el Acuerdo de París sobre el cambio climático, el umbral a partir del cual se espera que los efectos peligrosos del cambio climático se vuelvan comunes.

Pero estos incendios no son simplemente un desastre natural, y el cambio climático no es una condición natural – el sistema capitalista tiene toda la culpa. El cambio climático está siendo acelerado por los magnates de los combustibles fósiles, los industriales multimillonarios y los políticos que están en la cama con ellos que controlan la economía de los Estados Unidos, y para quienes la destrucción del medio ambiente no tiene importancia en comparación con sus ganancias. Están cubriendo los Estados Unidos con una red de oleoductos de combustibles fósiles. Un pequeño número de monopolistas utilizan su poder e influencia para bloquear la legislación progresista sobre el clima, sembrar confusión sobre la ciencia climática en los medios, y estrangular la vida de las iniciativas verdes. Mientras tanto, es la gente común de la clase trabajadora – desde Maui hasta Asheville y Los Ángeles – la que está pagando el precio y recogiendo los pedazos.

El presidente electo Trump, un negador del cambio climático, intentó culpar a las políticas ambientales del norte de California por la falta de agua en Los Ángeles. Pero, en realidad, Los Ángeles no recibe agua del norte de California; toda su agua proviene de aguas subterráneas, de fuentes locales o del río Colorado al este. Tanto los republicanos como los demócratas continúan gastando más de $1 billón de dólares al año en guerras pasadas, presentes y futuras a nivel federal, mientras que los gobiernos estatales y municipales no tienen más opción que recortar los servicios vitales, como la lucha contra incendios, debido a la falta de dinero.

Les dicen a los residentes que abandonen su hogar, pero no les ofrecen opciones sobre adónde ir, y tienen pocos recursos para ayudar en su evacuación. Mientras tanto, cientos de personas encarceladas están arriesgando sus vidas en la primera línea de los incendios. Estas personas reciben alrededor de un dólar por hora por este trabajo agotador – y cuando son liberadas, sus antecedentes penales pueden impedirles acceso a carreras en la lucha contra incendios.

Mientras tanto, países socialistas como Cuba y China muestran un mejor modelo para combatir el cambio climático. Desde sus crecientes inversiones en tecnologías renovables y opciones de transporte público verde, hasta la priorización de la gente en la respuesta a los desastres naturales cuando ocurren. Podemos ver que el socialismo, sin la necesidad insaciable de ganancias a cualquier costo del capitalismo, es la única manera de salir de la crisis climática.

Necesitamos construir un movimiento contra el cambio climático que pueda combatir directamente las mentiras y el engaño de las industrias de los combustibles fósiles – industrias que todavía reciben subsidios gubernamentales. Necesitamos señalar la conexión entre el cambio climático y un complejo militar-industrial que frecuentemente está exento de la regulación ambiental. Y necesitamos que los pueblos trabajadores y oprimidos se unan y vean la lucha climática como parte de la lucha de la clase trabajadora por el poder en los Estados Unidos. ¡Construyamos un movimiento de lucha por la justicia climática que tome a las calles!

¡No a nuevos oleoductos!

¡La gente y el planeta sobre las ganancias!

#Environment #Climate #Wildfires #FRSO #OSCL #Statement #es

Just days into 2025, the Los Angeles area has been engulfed by record-breaking wildfires. Amidst widespread drought and hurricane-force winds, some areas which have never once needed to evacuate due to fires have been completely destroyed, with over a 100,000 people ordered to evacuate the area so far.

2024 was, yet again, the hottest year in history. Global average temperatures crossed an important threshold in 2024: 1.5° C (2.7° F) warmer than pre-industrial levels. This was the maximum temperature set as goal by the Paris Climate Accords, the threshold after which dangerous effects of climate change are expected to become commonplace.

But these fires are not simply a natural disaster, and climate change is not a natural condition – the capitalist system is to blame. Climate change is being accelerated by fossil fuel tycoons, billionaire industrialists and the politicians in bed with them who command the United States’ economy, and for whom the destruction of the environment is of no importance compared to their profits. They are covering the U.S with a web of fossil fuel pipelines. A tiny number of monopolists use their power and influence to block progressive climate legislation, sow confusion about climate science in the media, and strangle the life out of green initiatives. Meanwhile, it is everyday working-class people – from Maui, to Asheville, to Los Angeles – who are paying the price and picking up the pieces.

President-elect Trump, a climate change denier, tried to blame northern California environmental policies for the lack of water in Los Angeles. But in fact, Los Angeles gets no water from northern California; all of their water is groundwater, local sources, or the Colorado River to their east. Both Republicans and Democrats continue to spend more than $1 trillion a year on past, present, and future wars at the federal level, while state and local governments are forced to cut needed services, such as firefighting, due to lack of money.

Residents are told to leave their home but not given any options on where to go, and few resources to aid their evacuation. All the while, hundreds of incarcerated individuals are risking their lives on the front lines of the fires. These individuals are being paid about a dollar an hour for this grueling work – and when they are released, their criminal records can bar from careers in firefighting

Meanwhile, socialist countries like Cuba and China show a better model for combating climate change. From their increasing investments in renewable technologies and green public transport options, to prioritizing people in responding to natural disasters as they happen. We can see that socialism, without capitalism’s insatiable need for profit at any cost, is the only way out of the climate crisis.

We need to build a movement against climate change that can directly combat the lies and deceit of the fossil fuel industries – industries that still receive government subsidies. We need to point out the connection between climate change and a military industrial complex that is often exempt from environmental regulation. And we need working and oppressed peoples to unite and see the climate struggle as part of the working class struggle for power in the United States. Let’s build a fighting climate justice movement that takes to the streets!

No new pipelines!

People and the planet over profits!

#Environment #LosAngelesCA #CA #Wildfires #Climate #FRSO #Statement

Los Angeles, CA – Major ongoing brush fires have burned land and structures in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Sylmar. The wildfires have affected the air quality of Los Angeles County. Some towns and neighborhoods have lost power and internet, and the working people of the city are being impacted as the fires rage on.

As of Tuesday, January 7, brush fires started to appear around Los Angeles County, fanned by the Santa Ana high winds. So far, the fires have burned over 15,000 acres and 1000 structures in the Pacific Palisades. The Eaton fire near Altadena has burned down over 10,000 acres, while the Hurst fire near Sylmar has burned about 500 acres.

Five have been killed in the fires and several have suffered injuries due to the fires. Over 80,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. The air quality currently has a level of 163 AQI which is considered unhealthy. In Lincoln Heights and in El Sereno, the traffic lights don't work. Interstate Highway 5 heading south and Interstate 110 south are jammed with traffic, making the roads unsafe. Dozens of public schools in the Los Angeles area have also closed due to hazardous smoke and ash.

The fires and the smoke filling out the sky in LA are affecting the working-class people who live in the city and worry about their safety. Hannah Keith, a shop steward and preloader working at the UPS Olympic Hub facility in downtown Los Angeles said, “UPS is forcing inside employees like me to work in terrible conditions in poorly ventilated buildings. The fires fill our work areas so much with smoke we can’t breathe. It highlights how much they really don’t care about our health and safety and how the company will stop at nothing to profit off our lives.”

This sentiment echoes reaction to event five years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine were in effect while many workers were forced to work with little to no hazard pay.

“I got up this morning and my four-year-old daughter asked me, ‘Papa, why is the sky orange?’” says UPS driver and Teamster Jared Hamil. “I had to break it down for her why fires and smoke affect the sky, without sounding scary. In reality it is scary. As climate change happens, we’re going to see more freak windstorms, wildfires, more frequent and stronger hurricanes, and natural disasters. But who is most affected by these occurrences? The working class. We are the ones who have to work under these hazardous conditions. We go home after spending an overtime shift with ash in our eyes and breathing in smoke all day.”

As of now the fires are 0% contained, the quality of the air is hazardous, and there are currently 1.5 million people who have no power or have been affected by blackouts.

#LosAngelesCA #Environment #Wildfires