“As stewards of God's earth, we are called to care for the earth and to bring rest and renewal to the land and everything that lives on it.” -Article 21: Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, 1995

Because of the community’s strong persistence, the landfill is not being dumped within such close proximity and this community can continue with its homegrown rebuilding plans.

    In New Orleans, 70,000 people were crowded into the Superdome to witness the victory of the Saints over the Falcons 23-3 on Monday [Sept. 25].  For some the celebratory reentry into the Superdome just one year after the anguish of Hurricane Katrina is a significant marker in the rebirth of New Orleans.

    While many residents are eager to return to their homes, there are several environmental concerns that make it uncertain whether or not the homes returned to would be safe for living. Those most at risk are residents of the poorer sections of New Orleans who are facing environmental injustices.

    Due to the water-soaked condition many of the houses and landscape faced for a prolonged time, mold is now a serious health concern. In the short term, mold can cause allergic reactions, minor lung infections, and pneumonia-like symptoms. However, if the mold is not adequately cleaned up, ailments such as cancer, developmental problems, nervous system disorders and asthma (especially in young children) can occur with long-term exposure. Mold levels were tested to be at the “Very High” level for many areas in the affected regions according to The National Allergy Bureau of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology.

    Water and land pollution is another extreme concern for New Orleans. Dangerous chemical facilities and waste sites were just some of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. These chemicals and waste, including the three superfund toxic waste sites that were flooded, are now affecting the air, water, and land especially of those who live in the closest proximity to the facilities. In New Orleans, this means many of the poorer communities are challenged with the most hazardous environmental conditions.

    In a state of emergency, health code regulations were loosened to allow faster cleanup of the city. According to MCC Legislative Assistant, Angong Acuil, some residents are standing for their right to live in a healthy community. A Vietnamese community challenged Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s initiative to create the Chef Menteur landfill consisting of demolition debris just two miles away from their homes. This landfill would likely include the mold and waste risks mentioned above. Because of the community’s strong persistence, the landfill is not being dumped within such close proximity and this community can continue with its homegrown rebuilding plans.

    We believe that the city of New Orleans can provide and protect the right to environmental justice to all of its citizens, even to poorer and racially diverse communities. Let us keep watch over rebuilding plans and environmental policies so we can encourage our congressional representatives to act justly.  We look forward to more celebrations and victory reports coming from New Orleans.

    For further information, visit the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) at www.nrdc.org/ and a collaborative 10 Point Plan of Action at http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/katrina/leg_06011001a.pdf

Grocery List Morality - 8/20/2010 7:00:00 AM

On Wednesdays over the past year, I could be found at the grocery store, list in hand.  Apples, cereal, pretzels… Check!  I brought reusable bags to save plastic, and having smiled at the cashier, assumed that I was a positive influence. | Read More...

Growing Insecurity in Latin America - 8/13/2010 7:00:00 AM

Since mid-2009, the Obama administration's relations with its Latin American counterparts have become increasingly strained. | Read More...

Summer Obesssions - 7/23/2010 7:00:00 AM

My summer has been filled to overflowing in Washington, DC, and marked by several highlights. For a section of the summer, my biggest obsession was undoubtedly football…I mean soccer…I mean World Cup. I love everything about World Cup. I love—for better or for worse—that Africa finally hosted one of the biggest tournaments in the world. I love the hype, the excitement, the crazy fans, the spectacular stories, the drama of red cards, the killer penalty shots, and the joy of players and fans when their dreams come to fruition. World Cup was glorious. World Cup had the world falling before their television sets. | Read More...

A Six Month 'Progress' Report - 7/9/2010 7:00:00 AM

Two months ago I reported on the dire situation faced by the Haitian population. July 12 will mark the six-month anniversary of the earthquake. Unfortunately, little has changed in the past two months. As international organizations and governments continue their response with well-meaning plans designed in Washington or in board rooms, most Haitians experience little progress. Hundreds of thousands are living without adequate shelter in the debris-filled city of Port-au-Prince. | Read More...

Justice Through Transparency - 7/2/2010 7:00:00 AM

In a cruel twist of irony, more than two thirds of the world’s poorest people live in countries that are rich in natural resources. Tragically, these countries’ biggest potential for economic growth and well-being is often its greatest downfall. Rather than making prudent investments, revenue from lucrative extractive industries is often mismanaged, diverted to the military, or swallowed up by corruption. | Read More...

Inherited Responsibility - 6/18/2010 7:00:00 AM

Each day, my walk to and from work takes me through old neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. The cement and buildings disguise the fact that some of the federal city was once wetlands, but during the summer the nourishing rain, humidity and mosquitoes quickly remind me. | Read More...

Gaza Resources, Upcoming Middle East Peace Conference - 6/4/2010 7:00:00 AM

Israel-Palestine has been in the headlines this week, after Israel intercepted a flotilla of ships headed to Gaza with humanitarian supplies. | Read More...

"Secure the Border!" - 5/21/2010 7:00:00 AM

Its closure didn’t make the national news. It’s not a place that many from northern states have visited. But the Sabal Palm Sanctuary is a special place indeed. | Read More...