Environmental Justice, Neighborhood Strengths & Assets
What does environmental justice mean to you?
- Everything being equal
- Respecting your neighbors (not fearing)
- Conditions in the environment (clean water, heat, air)
- Protecting your environment so that you environment protects you
- Land, surroundings, climate homes, water, trees
Neighborhood Strengths
- Good neighborhood
- Family
- Close to work
- Quiet (sleep well)
- Good neighbors
- Historical properties
- Backyards
- Close highway
- Welcoming
- Friendly
- History
- Most part safe – limited violence
- Close knit community
- Love to help each other
- 60 yr. old stakeholders
- Accountability from neighbors
- Friendly
- Service calls are low
- Interesting history
- Cleanliness
- Quietness
Assets
- Work with churches
- Working with neighbors
- Rev. Hailstock
Exploring the Issues: Heat, Flooding, Hazardous Materials & Other
Heat
- 7 Streets – high reduction in tree – see map for specific area
- Development downtown – reduction in trees
- AEP cuts down trees
- Cooler on Florida Avenue
- No increase in heat, but there has been an increase in utilities
- Trees are limited
Flooding
- Florida & Main Street House has flooding
- 517 Florida Ave (down from Map Street
- Grace & Franklin flooding homes
Hazardous Material & Other
- Unintended speed bump – Peyton Street
- Leaves on Grace Street
- Narrow sidewalk
- Safety hazard
Opportunities for Change
Individual
- Do something about it
- Report to the fire department
- Educate myself
- Attend more community meetings
- Attend city council meetings
- Voice opinions
- Recycle More
- Report
- Protest
- Call the local organization
- Petition
- Vote
Do With Others
- Host more events like this to inform and stay informed
- Complain to appropriate offices about injustices such as natural speed bumps
- Attend the meetings – school board
- Lend helping hand
- Neighborhood Watch
- Cookout
- Form a community group that meets up
- Contact Environmental Justice Team
- Neighborhood Meeting
- Petition
- Take Action
Institutions and the Local Government
- Listen to concerns and what lays heavy on us to address
- “Stop talking about it and be about it”
- Assess situations and investigate
