The Most Polluted Area in America
THE MOST POLLUTED AREA IN AMERICA
They’re Human To Me
The most prosperous enslaver in Louisiana once held over 750 people captive under grueling conditions on his sugar plantations, including one known as Orange Grove. Now, a company called Air Products wants to build a chemical plant on that land, which would heavily pollute nearby Black communities. But there’s one more problem: the graves of those who were enslaved at Orange Grove have not been identified. Are their memories about to be erased? Go to https://earthjustice.org/orangegrove to take action now.
Building On The Bones
The land right along the Mississippi River in Louisiana was perfect for plantation owners in the 1800s, and then for petrochemical plants in the 1900s. But today, communities like Shamell Lavigne’s are fighting back against the pollution and saying: Enough is enough. It’s time to give their ancestors the dignity they deserve. Go to https://earthjustice.org/orangegrove to take action now.
Off The Charts
When #johnshopkins atmospheric scientists drove their high-tech testing van to #canceralley, Louisiana, they didn’t have a lot of pre-existing studies to compare to. The petrochemical industry had been self-reporting to the EPA. The scientists measured about 45 different hazardous pollutants. And what they found astonished them. But what do their findings mean if you’re exposed to them every day? Go to https://www.beyondpetrochemicals.org/offthecharts to learn more.
There’s Nothing Higher
Black communities in “Cancer Alley” have long been known for being some of the most polluted in the country. But just how polluted? Louisiana’s petrochemical industry “self-reports” the amount of toxins it releases into the air, which the EPA then uses to model people’s exposure. But when two Johns Hopkins scientists went there to measure more than 45 different hazardous pollutants, they were shocked at what they found. Go to https://www.beyondpetrochemicals.org/offthecharts to learn more.