Communities for a Better Environment

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Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), previously known as Citizens for a Better Environment, is a policy-focused

CBE focuses on urban areas with a disproportionate concentration of low-income communities experiencing poor environmental health conditions due to heavy pollution from refineries, ports, power plants, freeways, etc.[3] These communities are more susceptible to cancer and diseases like asthma, heart disease, premature death, birth defects, etc.^[3] CBE promotes environmental and social sustainability as an intrinsic right to ensure that all humans have access to clean air and drinking water, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, culture, ability, nationality, or income.^[4]

Early work

CBE began by advocating for community concerns and environmental regulation regarding water, air, and toxic pollution. In 1977, CBE organized with community members against the

Several studies support the idea that low-income communities of color bear the burden of unequal access to a healthy environment, which prioritizes CBE's effort to work with communities to fight such injustices.[7] CBE focuses on educating low-income communities of color and advocating engagement via community meetings, political education, and school groups, where people are empowered to fight local pollution by working together toward achieving healthier communities.^[8] CBE also values scientific research to fully comprehend the direct and indirect consequences of toxicity and chemical secretion.^[8] Using secondary data and partnering with health providers and academic institutions, CBE conducts research on human subjects and online training for human subject protection via the National Institute of Health website.^[9]

Case studies

1. Community-Based Participatory Research as a Tool for Policy Change: A Case Study of the Southern California Environmental Justice Collaborative.^[10] CBE collaborated with Liberty Hill Foundation and an academic research team from University of California, Santa Cruz, Brown University, and Occidental College to have Rule 1402 reviewed.^[11] Rule 1402, included in the South Coast Air Quality Management District was the state's goal in 1994 to reduce public health risk from cancerous and noncancerous emissions by large industries.^[12] The maximum individual cancer risk was initially set at 100 cancer risks per million, yet due to CBE's collaboration, it was reduced to 25 cancer risks per million 6 years later, representing a reduction in acceptable risk levels to 75%.^[13] This collaboration led to more efforts in the reduction of allowable risk level faced by various communities and encouraged the California Environmental Protection Agency to broaden their view on issues such as these, to put more emphasis on risk exposure when making new policies.^[10]

2. Linking Exposure Assessment Science With Policy Objectives for Environmental Justice and Breast Cancer Advocacy: The Northern California Household Exposure Study.^[14] CBE's research contributed to an investigation of a high amount of pollutants increasing a woman's chance of getting cancer. In the United States, African American women have the highest rate of cancer and mortality than any other race.^[15]

Chevron Richmond refinery

CBE and two organizations conducted the research in the Richmond health survey and it showed that the chemical exposures in Richmond were extremely high.^[16] When contrasted with Bolinas, as seen in the case study, Richmond's air pollution was far worse, and this could be due to the Chevron Refinery. Chevron is the largest employer in town but as CBE research has shown, compared with the statewide average for all business activity oil refining creates ten times fewer jobs.^[17]

• In 2009, CBE and other local organizations filed a petition to have the Chevron Refinery's plan to expand looked at once more. Expanding its facility would have allowed them to process dirty crude oil, increasing greenhouse gases and toxic emissions to local communities.
  Environmental Impact Statement violated the California Environmental Quality Act since it didn't take into consideration how this would increase the pollution in the city.^[19]
• Richmond came up with the General Plan 2030, and its goal is to become more sustainable and also develop healthy neighborhoods by 2030.[20] As part of this plan, Richmond's Planning Commission supported CBE's campaign, Less Pollution, More Jobs in 2012.^[21] This campaign enforces regulation in facilities that emit toxic chemicals, and it would require them to use energy efficient equipment.^[3]

Southern California

CBE works with various southern California communities which are among the most polluted in the country. The

• Huntington Park is near the Los Angeles area and air pollution is not the only environmental problem because it has a lot of “brownfields”, which are abandoned or unused land used for activities that may have left the land contaminated.^[23] As of now the EPA is funding this project and the city of Huntington Park, CBE, and local residents have begun the transformation from brownfield areas into sustainable areas.^[24]

Wilmington Area

• CBE and other community groups are working with the
  Wilmington/Carson area, which is exposed to high amounts of local pollution.^[25] This exposure puts those communities at risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, among others.^[26] These communities have proposed a policy called "Clean Up, Green Up", aiming to reduce and prevent pollution in severely affected communities.^[27] This policy hopes to create Green Zones in these communities where the shift to green, sustainable communities will be encouraged.^[28]
• The Clean Up Green Up policy was approved by the Los Angeles City Council in 2011, and since then CBE has been working alongside the community in order to make this policy provide stronger regulation to polluting facilities.[27]

I-710

• The Interstate 710 freeway is 23 miles long and it runs from the Long Beach port to the City of Alhambra.^[29] There has been planning to expand the I-710 in order to make it easier to transport to and from the port, but many oppose it because it will increase pollution leading to more exposure to the communities around it.^[30][31] CBE worked with other organizations to create the Community Alternative 7 plan, which calls for improvements to be made along the I-710 to minimize pollution.^[30][32]

Collaborations and coalitions

As an active statewide California environmental justice organization, CBE has built a number of strategic alliances over its 34 years of work to work with partners that share a common vision of building power in marginalized communities.^[33] They are one of many organizations that make up the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), which organize in communities affected by pollution, working towards getting better protection for their community and environment.^[34] Over 35 community-based organizations, including CBE, make up the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) where they work towards the usage of sustainable energy in local communities.^[33] Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJ), is made of various community groups including CBE, working with communities of color faced with the most environmental pollution and toxics.^[35] In regards to the expansion of the I-710, CBE and the Coalition for Environmental Health and Justice (CEHAJ) have worked together to create the Community Alternative 7 to improve the environmental conditions along I-710 corridor.^[36] CBE focuses on the people employed by toxic facilities and works with Don't Waste LA, in order to create a proposal for community protection to further exposure. This proposal would require them to reduce toxic waste.^[37] Green LA Coalition, Communities for a Better Environment, and other environmental justice groups, are focusing on LA in order to minimize the communities’ exposure to pollutants.^[38] In the chevron case CBE also worked alongside Asian Pacific Environmental Network to have Chevron's permit reviewed.^[19] Local Clean Energy Alliance is made up of 70 organizations that call for renewable energy, pollutant reduction, and green jobs in California.^[39] It is also a member of the Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC) working towards the reduction of pollution in vulnerable low income communities of color.^[40] CBE and Ditching Dirty Diesel work to bring awareness and advocacy on the issue of health problems and diesel pollution correlation.^[41] CBE also has a partnership with Richmond Equitable Development Initiative's to brainstorm activities which may increase the communities’ advocacy for a specific problem.^[42] CBE has been a member of the Oakland Climate Action Coalition (OCAC), their efforts have allowed the inclusion of climate justice and health policies into the Oakland's Climate Action Plan.^[33]

CBE in the media

In recent media, Communities for a Better Environment is mentioned as being an expert in environmental issues advocating policy, organizational strategies, and seen on the forefronts of current issues and cases. CBE lawyer Shana Lazero, seen as an expert in power plants in low-income communities;