Environmental Pollution in Wilmington, CA
The community of Wilmington, CA is in proximity to major sources of pollution: busy ports, oil refineries, rail yards, major freeways, and chemical facilities. In addition, the city of Wilmington is home to the third largest oilfield in the United States. This civic action project focuses on the phase-out of oil drilling in the community of Wilmington, CA due to chemical exposure to residents.
The policy proposal is to:
Establish a 2500-foot health and safety buffer from oil drilling sites and residential communities, specifically Wilmington, CA
1st Place Winner of Civic Action Project- Multimedia Contest!!!
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Objective
With the significant increase in industrial pollution due to transportation, electricity, and other necessities to power a working lifestyle, specific practices such as oil drilling pose an eminent threat to public health. In addition, People in these communities, particularly in West Long Beach, more frequently suffer asthma attacks that send them to emergency rooms. Diesel exhaust, fine particles, and smog can all trigger asthma attacks.
This website aims to spread awareness of the air quality issue the city of Wilmington faces each day, specifically targeting oil drilling practices.
A Google Form was distributed to concerned citizens who answered questions on "what environmental justice meant to them?" to gage urgency of the issue.
An email was sent to Victoria Simon, Director of Sustainability at the LA Mayor's Office (who is my mentor in the Mayor's Youth Council for Climate Action) on LA city's plan to reduce oil drilling practices in low-income communities.
A resilience hub infographic was created by myself in March 2022 in order to promote a space for the community to acquire resources during adverse situations concerning environment
A Youtube video was created to highlight testimonials from the community of Wilmington, CA regarding air quality. It was created to spread awareness about the website and the negative effects of oil drilling.
The website was formed to compile all components of the policy action and raise awareness for this eminent issue. Research, statistics, and other components are encompassed on the website.