What Is Environmental Democracy Project?
The Environmental Democracy Project is an environmental justice non-profit organization working in East Oakland that aims to educate, advocate for, and litigate on the behalf of, black and brown community members on Environmental injustices.
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We believe that the unprecedented level of environmental degradation and widespread poisoning of human beings by agricultural and industrial pollution is incompatible with basic principles of democracy. The most vulnerable members of our society are the most impacted by pollution caused by wealthy corporations, such as agribusiness and the fossil fuel industry. We are committed to fighting for environmental democracy on behalf of the 99%. We are also committed to combating the greenwashing of consumer products by corporations seeking to exploit the public’s desire for organic, healthy, and environmentally beneficial products.
EDP is overseen by an independent board of directors and an executive director
What We Do
advocacy
We are working to improve the quality of life in East Oakland by collaborating with pollution-impacted neighborhood groups to provide administrative process and legal advocacy training. We have worked with youth groups to conduct training on using handheld air monitors to monitor local pollution impacts in Oakland and we recently partnered with Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health and local residents in filing a Proposition 65 notice of violation against Denver-based cannabis landlord Green Sage to tied, semi-trailer-sized generators.
Education
We are focused on educating under-resourced citizens of sacrifice zones, AKA environmental justice communities throughout northern and central California, and bringing them into the public conversation on the impacts of pollution, local land use decisions, and zoning regulations on the physical, mental, emotional, and economic health of the Black and Brown communities historically overburdened by pollution. In addition to initiating dozens of suits against retailers falsely advertising organic materials, EDP regularly partners with other community organizations in East and West Oakland to document, map and analyze the environmental and public health impact of inappropriate waste management in their communities.
Litigation
We are a litigation advocacy group that aims to hold polluters and greenwashers accountable for the implementation of environmental justice principles and to hold government entities accountable for swift and effective enforcement of pollution violations within environmental justice communities. EDP partnered with the Oakland Cannery Collective and Center for Environmental Health to fight for the removal of more than nine unpermitted diesel generators. Despite numerous violations, no government entity had taken any action while the illegal situation continued for over two years. Within a couple of months of becoming active in the issue, EDP moved from regulatory engagement to legal action and was granted an injunction against the offending property owner.