Environmental Justice
Community Research Project
Spring 2006
Providing education about environmental issues
Gaby Espinoza
Linsey Iermini
Andres Medina
Jose Quintano
Nopi Rivas
Environmental Justice –
Presentation Outline
• Executive Summary by: Gaby Espinoza &
Andres Medina
• Needs Analysis by: Linsey Iermini & Jose
Quintano
• Solution Description by: Andres Medina
• Solution Criteria by: Gaby Espinoza
• Solution Choice by: Nopi Rivas
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Executive Summary
By: Gaby Espinoza & Andres Medina
Project Goal
• To collect information and data about:
– Awareness in the community regarding
environmental issues: global warming, climate
change, natural disaster, and use of
resources
• To create a solution that will address
these issues
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Research Questions
• What is the awareness level of Santa Cruz County
citizens regarding the possibility of climate change
being cause by the activity of humans?
• How concerned are the people about the environment,
global warming and climate change?
• What resources are being used most in our county?
• What can the citizens of our county do about global
warming?
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Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gaby Espinoza – Team Leader
Andres Medina – Team Leader
Linsey Iermini – Need Statement
Jose Quintano – Need Statement
Nopi Rivas – Solution Statement
Gaby Espinoza – Solution Statement
Andres Medina – Solution Statement
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Data Collection
¾ Surveyed 189 people
¾
¾
¾
¾
32 % - Finished High School
46 % - Some College
15 % - Finished College
47 % - Male 53 % - Female
¾ Ethnicity:
¾ 57 % - Hispanic/Latino
¾ 35 % - White
¾ Age:
¾
¾
¾
¾
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34 % - Between 1515-20
31 % - Between 2121-25
10 % - Between 2626-30
25 % - 30+
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Data Collection
¾ Surveys distribution:
¾Cabrillo Campuses – Watsonville & Aptos
¾Watsonville and Santa Cruz Farmers Market
¾On the streets of Watsonville, Santa Cruz and
Gilroy
¾Career Works
¾Shopping Centers (Capitola Mall, Big 5, Nob
Hill)
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Environmental Justice:
The Needs of our Community
Jose Quintano
Linsey Iermini
Who is in need?
¾Citizens of Santa Cruz County
¾Youth in our schools
¾All animals and plant life
¾Environment and ecosystems
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Where do we find these people?
• In our community and all over the planet
Earth!
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What are the needs?
1. Educating citizens about the environmental
crisis
2. Preparing our citizens for disasters and the rise
in sea level
3. For citizens to vote, voice their opinions,
and elect officials that will represent
their environmental concerns
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How do you know this is a need?
• People are not aware/ignore global warming is
happening, and the U.S government denies the fact that
it is taking place.
–
–
–
–
–
Unusual/record breaking weather
Polar ice caps melting
Animals are being stressed
Natural disasters are occurring more
Agriculture is decreasing
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Public Awareness
ƒ 95% of students said their
schools don’
don’t provide classes
about environmental issues
ƒ 64% of students said their
class rooms do not have
recycling bins
100
95
90
80
70
64
60
50
ƒ 41% said that they weren’
weren’t
aware of the effects of
Styrofoam and aerosols
41
40
30
30
20
ƒ 30% said they didn’
didn’t know
what the green house effect
meant
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no
yes
10
0
green house styrofoam & recycle bins environment
effect
arosols
in class
classes
room
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Public Awareness
• 28% were not aware that the
litter on the streets or sewers
pour into the ocean.
77
80
Not Aware
70
Ö Learn more at:
http://www.lenntech.com
60
Aware
50
40
28
30
20
10
0
Litter goes into the Ocean
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Uses of Natural Resources in the
Community
947% were
concerned about
how our
community uses
50
natural
40
resources.
47
37
30
I guess Yes
Don't know
Concerned
20
7
10
0
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Natural resources support
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Preparing our citizens for disasters
and the rise in sea level
¾ Disaster preparation.
100
¾ 74% indicated that
90
they are not prepared 80
for a natural disaster. 70
60
¾ 93% are not prepared 50
40
for the rise of the sea 30
20
level.
10
0
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not ready
yes
93
74
Personally Community
prepared ready for
rise of sea
level?
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Too many people don’t car pool.
– Daily consumption of fossil fuels which create hot CO2 gasses
that change the atmosphere.
66
70
60
50
40
30
Yes
No
N/A
25
20
7
10
0
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Car Pool
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9
Type of Vehicles Used
35
32
30
25
20
18
15
10
10
5
5
10
10
2
Bi
ke
Tr
uc
k
4
SU
V
cy
lin
dr
er
6
cy
lin
de
8
r
cy
lin
de
r
H
yb
ri
d
0
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People in the community don’t
voice their opinion through voting
9 58% said they didn’
didn’t
vote
9 56 % were not aware
of the fact that
highway expansion
and habitat destruction
is taking place here in
our county
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58
60
50
56
48
42
40
Yes/ I guess
No
30
20
10
0
Voted Last Election
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Aware of Expansion
20
10
Why do these needs occur?
• Schools don’
don’t teach much about global warming and
environmental issues
• People have grown dependant on fossil fuels by using
them on a daily basis, and other natural resources.
• The government tries to hide the fact that the
environmental crisis is a serious matter
• People’
People’s lack of appreciation for the earth
– 71% said that they are not interested in solar cooking classes.
• Waste materials of products gets thrown out by humans
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When are the needs evident?
• The needs are becoming evident now!
• When our students are indifferent to the
environment
• When students are not recycling
• When a disaster occurs
• When the sea-level begins to rise
• When people notice record breaking weather
patterns
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When are the needs evident?
• Animal birth rates in environmentally sensitive
areas are decreasing due to changes in the
environment, e.g. polar ice caps
• We notice trash from the streets in our oceans
• When our elected officials don’t care and we
don’t vote them out of office
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Consequences of meeting the needs
Citizens will be provided with recycling options
More people will carpool
, There will be less use of aerosols and other
products that damage the environment
The community gets involved in conserving
natural resources
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Consequences of meeting the needs
Citizens will be prepared for natural
disasters
Our community is prepared for the rise in
sea level
$ The O-zone layer will begin to repair itself
We will elect Federal representatives that
care about the environment
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Consequences of not meeting the needs
• Polar areas and ice caps will continue their rate of
melting
• Lower geographical areas will be in danger.
• Change in weather patterns will effect agriculture
• Unexpected death and harm due to lack of
preparedness
• Federal representatives won’t be responsive to our
needs
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Environmental Justice - Core Needs
• Our community is not prepared for disaster nor the rise of
the sea level
• Schools need to provide education on environmental
issues
–
–
–
–
–
–
What is the greenhouse effect
Effect of aerosol and styrofoam on the environment
Connection between growth and habitat destruction
What is on the streets ends up in the bay
Pesticide runrun-off
Energy Conservation - Energy Star Appliances
• Schools need to provide recycling bins
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Environmental Justice
The Solution Statement
Andres Medina
Gaby Espinoza
Nopi Rivas
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Three recommended solutions
1. Build awareness about natural disaster
preparedness & environmental Issues
2. Help schools teach more about environmental
issues & provide recycling
3. Involve the City of Watsonville in environmental
issues & provide recycling
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Solution 1: Build awareness about natural
disaster preparedness & environmental
issues
• Get the word out about planning for
natural disasters
• Educate on what it takes to be prepared
for the future
• Provide support groups to help each other
out in preparing
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Solution 2: Help schools teach more about
environmental issues & provide recycling
Purpose: Help students become aware of
environmental issues facing their generation
Obtain buy-in from student government and school
administrators to:
Educate our students about the future of the environment
Increase student awareness about what they do that impacts
the environment
Help our students realize they can make a difference
Educate our students about the benefits of recycling
Provide recycling bins at schools for recycling
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Solution 3: Involve the City of Watsonville in
Environmental Issues & Provide Recycling
Purpose: To involve the city in educating its
citizens about environmental issues
Planning for the future rise in sea level
Increase awareness about what they do that
impacts the environment
Help our citizens realize they can make a
difference
Educate our citizens about the benefits of
recycling
Provide recycling bins for recycling
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Criteria for Selecting Final
Solution
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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Level of advertising needed
Needed Funds
Getting people involved
Ongoing support groups needed
Help from organizations
Written proposals
Conducting surveys to find core needs
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Criteria Table
Awareness In
The community
about
Environmental
Issues
Educating
Schools About
Environmental
Issues
Getting The
City Involved In
Environmental
Issues
X
XXX
XX
1.
Level of
advertising
needed
2.
Needed
Funds
XX
X
X
3.
Getting
People
Involved
X
XX
XX
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Criteria Table
Awareness In The
community about
Environmental
Issues
Educating
Schools About
Environmental
Issues
Getting The City
Involved In
Environmental
Issues
X
XX
XX
5. Help From
Organizations
X
XX
XX
6. Written
Proposals
XX
XXX
XXX
4. Ongoing
Support
Groups
Needed
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Criteria Table
7. Conducting
Surveys to
find core
needs
Total
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Awareness In
The community
about
Environmental
Issues
Educating
Schools About
Environmental
Issues
Getting The City
Involved In
Environmental
Issues
XXX
XX
XX
11
15
14
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Help schools focus on environmental
education & providing recycling bins
• Educating youth is important because they are
our future.
• They can also influence the pop culture in
making it fun to help out with the environment
• Workshops in schools so youth will have the
knowledge that is important to save the
environment
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Goals
À Educate our youth to respond effectively to
the environmental crisis
À Use the structure of the school system to
make this happen
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1.
Objectives
Obtain buybuy-in from student government and
administrators
À
À
À
2.
Develop programs at the schools:
À
À
À
À
3.
Create PowerPoint presentation
Seek funding through the school board and grants
Meet with student council and administrators from different
schools
Create clubs/support groups within schools
Create workshops at least one month out of the school year to
educate students about the environment
Field trips to give students a handshands-on experience about the
environment
Recycling education and provide recycling bins
Promote environmental information around campuses
to educate students
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Outcomes
1. Youth will care about the environment and take
action to help spread the word
2. Provide recycling bins in ALL classrooms and
offices
3. Obtain support from environmental
organizations to get involved with schools
4. Get more school districts involved to create
similar programs in their schools
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