Program areas at EHC
Toxic Free Neighborhoods Campaign: Organizes and educates in low income communities of color to advocate for the prevention of toxic pollution from industrial and mobile sources. Currently, our efforts are focused in the communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Height, and City Heights in San Diego and Westside National City. These communities suffer from years of incompatible zoning that has created an unhealthy mix of toxic industries, homes, and schools; lack of green space, like parks; and a lack of healthy food options. These communities receive additional pollution from freight-related activities at nearby terminals and multiple freeways. EHC staff and community leaders are actively involved in developing new visions for their neighborhoods through participation in various community organizations, stakeholder groups and with the local government organized committees and events. The EHC Community Action Teams meet monthly to learn about and discuss new opportunities to achieve their vision of a healthy community and develop plans to ensure that the community's voice is heard.
Climate Justice Campaign: Promotes a comprehensive regional strategy to reduce greenhouse gases from industrial, transportation and energy sources to maximize benefits in low income communities. EHC representives work with the Metropolitan Transportation System, San Diego Association of Governments, Cities of San Diego and National City and the Port of San Diego on Climate Action Plans and other documents providing technical and community expertise on the most effective ways for investments to be made in the most impacted communities to increase public transit options and increase public investment. From rising temperatures, worsening air quality, increased wildfires, and dwindling rainfall, these impacts pose the biggest threats to low-income communities who already have less access to services and adequate health care.
California Environmental Justice Alliance - EHC serves as the fiscal agent for the California Environmental Justice Alliance, a coalition of environmental justice organizations with strong community bases in critical urban and rural regions of California. The mission of CEJA is: To strengthen the progressive environmental justice movement in California by building on the local organizing efforts and advocacy successes of our member organizations to achieve state policy change.
Air Quality Campaign - Focuses in the San Diego region and throughout California on the communities most at risk for poor air quality. These low-income communities of color have more than their share of industry, freeways, surface street traffic, and less than their share of parks, tree canopy, air conditioning, and clean transportation. Although air pollution affects us all, underserved neighborhoods are hit first and worst. Disadvantaged communities in San Diego are ranked in the top 25% of census tracts for pollution impact. The neighborhoods are also at the the top in the County for traffic proximity and diesel particulate pollution with especially high risks for asthma. EHC is addressing this issue with campaigns to electrify the freight and transit systems.
Border Environmental Justice Campaign - Educates and works with community residents to reduce toxic pollution and to improve health and quality of life in border community neighborhoods. Environmental Health Coalition and residents of Colonia Chilpancingo worked to reduce diesel pollution from trucks and buses and are working to restore and protect the Rio Alamar and create a sustainability plan for the river and adjoining natural habitat. EHC convenes a Community Action Team and a Youth Group to organize residents to express their concerns and develop strategies for success.
Voter Empowerment Campaign: Educates community residents about the importance of voting to increase the culture of voting in traditionally underrepresented communities. EHC educates residents about their voting rights and seeks their "pledge to vote" in each election.
Healthy Kids Campaign - EHC works to protect children's health from lead poisoning and other indoor pollution. Since 2022, more than $35 million has been awarded to the Cities of San Diego and National City to address these issues and make children's homes safe and healthy. EHC works with non-profit partners and government agencies to provide healthy homes education and distribution of air pollution monitoring and filtering devices. EHC's past efforts successfully ensured the elimination of the sale of lead-contaminated cndy in Calfornia and EHC continues to educate the public about those candies that have been tainted with lead.EHC authored the Children's Right to Lead Safe housing ordinance, the first of its kind, adopted by the City of San Diego in 2008.