C-Urge project is a doctoral network set up to research and better understand the complexity of climate and enviromental change, that is happening on global, as well as on a local scale.
Through various research approaches set in various countries, we aim to highlight the notion of urgency and need to enrich the debate around the topic of environemtal change, that is both fast, and subtle and poses a serious challenge for the future.
Air pollution causes many eye and skin irritation in addition with lung problems resulting in asthma and even cancer. These risks would affect people who live in communities that have high pollution, severely.
The Newark Resilience Action Plan (RAP) team comprises of the Ironbound Community Corporation, New Jersey Environment Justice, and Clean Water Action.
In terms of precaution regarding air pollution, the article talks about making good choices of transportation which means to walk or bike or take public transportation whenever feasible; choosing cars that have better mileage per gallon or electric cars; buying food locally grown rather than food from other places in order to reduce air pollution.
The vulnerability mentioned in this article is about pollution occurred due to port traffic, waste facilities, and industrial plants which cause increased risk of cancer.
The fact that when the government went to collect samples of lead, they didn't go to all the sites. Also the fact that EPA has an action level for lead in the water.
The new initiative mentioned in the article wants to enhance Environmental Justice, good stewardship, and suistainable economic development by protecting the health of the residents in Newark, minimizing pollution, and by encouraging development that does affects Newark positively.
Newark is notably a more poor community then the rest of NJ. This alarming study comes to show that economic differences can affect the area you live. The problem is that these people probably didn't have enough money to settle anywhere else, and the prices of housing in the ironbound community must be cheaper then other places for the reasons cited, such as air pollution. The community is near the port and industrial area, so it's very hard to get away from the pollution. At least they are trying to keep an eye out for the problems of pollution, and with the help of the EPA, the ironbound community now monitors the air quality.
The Resilience Action Plan Team got a grant from the Kresge Foundation's Climate Resilience and Urban Opportunity Initiative and they have the support of the city of Newark to enable their work and possibly shape their way of thinking about disaster and health.