Gibbs led a people's movement in the 1980's to clean the Lova Canal in New York State, made toxic by a waste dump. Her concern stemmed from the health and safety of her child, whose school was built on top of the waste dump, pushing her to make strong links between water, environment and public health. She went on to form the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, a grassroots environmental crisis center that provides information, resources, technical assistance and training to community groups around the USA, working to protect their neighbourhoods from exposure to hazardous waste.