The mission of Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice is to protect urban environments primarily in Connecticut through educating communities, through promoting change in local, state, and national policy, and through promoting individual, corporate and government responsibility towards our environment. We define environment as including the places that we live, work, play, and go to school. Specifically, we are educating and promoting policies to:

 

• Eliminate discriminatory siting policies for production or storage of environment toxins.

• Prevent and reduce environmentally associated harmful health effects such as asthma and other repertory conditions, lead poisoning, cancer, and adverse development effects including physical, mental, and emotional development, and learning disabilities in people living in urban areas, low income communities, and community or color.

• Ensure community notification and involvement in the decision making process regarding issues and events that may significantly impact the urban environment.

• Reduce the burden of environmental toxins in the urban areas and communities of color in Connecticut.

• Promote community involvement in decision making for urban land use and to balance the development of physical, social and economic well-being of urban communities and communities of color.

• Promote greater community benefits for urban areas that bear a disproportionate burden of facilities and situations that reduce the quality of life in these communities. Such benefits may include community monitoring, employment opportunities, and funding.

• Educate people about the relationship between urban ecology and health, nutrition, economics, and well being

• Educate the public about the disparities in environmental burdens borne by urban communities and communities of color, and the reasons why the negative health impact is greater in these communities.

• Create access to safe, healthy, clean, environmental amenities and recreation for the people of our Communities in parks, rivers, and outdoor activities.

• Create opportunities for families and young people to participate in environmental, educational and recreational activities.

• Conduct, advise and coordinate research related to the urban environment and environmental health and safety.

• Educate our communities to recognize and respect our traditional relationship with the earth and to promote sustainable development of its resources so that our children can continue to enjoy the benefits and protections that have been provided for us.          

 

 

 

                                                                                        Revised 4/2011