Issue Areas

Environmental Issues: Environmental Justice

Hidden Danger Environmental Health Threats to the Latino Community Report: Pollution poses health risks for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or country of origin. A large percentage of U.S. Latinos, however, live and work in urban and agricultural areas where they face heightened danger of exposure to air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, and lead and mercury contamination. This October 2004 report underscores the urgent need for government action on these environmental health threats.

U.S. Latinos and Air Pollution A Call to Action Report: Air pollutants surround us wherever we are. On a daily basis, we are exposed to carbon, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, soot, and hundreds of other air pollutants emitted from our cars, factories, power plants, and heavy machinery. At certain levels, many of these pollutants become highly harmful to human health, and Latinos are especially vulnerable because they live in regions with the worst air contamination.

For additional policy documents, see the NRDC Document Bank.

We have the right to know what is in the air we breathe - A guest blog from Dominic Pierceall: posted by Diane Bailey, 6/17/13
The "New Bioeconomy": Synthetic Biology's Implications for the Environment, Health and Justice: posted by Jennifer Sass, 6/5/13
Let's End a Stinking Era: posted by Giulia C.S. Good Stefani, 5/23/13

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