Current Campaigns
WE ACT works to build healthy communities through advocacy, research, and community-based participatory planning. Here are our active campaigns and projects.
Heat, Health, & Equity
The Challenge Because of climate change, New York City summers are getting hotter and the heat is lasting longer. According to a report released in 2017, there are about 13 heatstroke deaths per year, over 100 deaths “from natural causes
Community Power: A Community Solar Project in East Harlem
The Challenge In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, WE ACT for Environmental Justice (WE ACT) worked with community members to develop a Northern Manhattan Climate Action plan. The plan identified the need for energy independence as a priority in Northern
NYCHA Healthy Homes Campaign
Established in 1934, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) was the first and is currently the largest public housing authority in the United States. It provides affordable housing to nearly 600,000 New Yorkers in 326 developments across the five
Solar Uptown Now Services Solar Workers Cooperative
The Challenge Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the air pollution and greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels to produce energy. In New York City, a study found that air pollution contributed to at least
Beauty Inside Out
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS IN YOUR COSMETICS, HAIR CARE, & OTHER PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS? Personal care products are largely unregulated and many of the items you use every day contain toxic chemicals. Everyone is at risk, but women of
Protecting NEPA
Read this Op-Ed on Why We Need to Protect NEPA by Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Christy Goldfuss, Senior Vice President for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress
PFAS
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that are a public health and an environmental concern. The use of PFAS is widespread in the making of products that resist grease, oil, water, and stains – such
Energy Efficiency
The Challenge On average, New Yorkers with a low or moderate income and New Yorkers of color pay a disproportionately higher percentage of their household income on energy. For many, their energy bill is their second largest monthly expense,
Home Energy Assistance Program
What is HEAP? The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a funding program from the federal and state government that assists eligible low-income households with their heating and cooling costs, energy crisis assistance, weatherization, and energy-related home repairs. In New
NYC Cooling Centers
Extreme heat events are increasing in frequency, severity, and duration in New York City. There are a number of negative health impacts from extreme heat, including heat stress, dehydration, dizziness, and fainting. These impacts can lead to hospitalization, worsening of
Phthalates
What Are Phthalates? (pronounced THAL-eights) are a group of chemicals linked to a variety of health concerns. They are used to make plastics more flexible, particularly polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, as well as a dissolving agent for other materials –
Hospital Community Benefits
WE ACT for Environmental Justice is working to achieve health equity by creating a bi-directional understanding between hospitals, community-based organizations (CBOs), and community members about how to focus on health prevention and address the social determinants of health. WE ACT
East 125th Street Community Visioning Action Plan
East Harlem / El Barrio’s 125th Street corridor boasts the natural assets of a world-class cultural, business, and transportation center that could anchor good jobs, small businesses, green public spaces, and other services for the people who live, work, and
Child Safe Products Act
Children of color are disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals such as arsenic, formaldehyde, lead, mercury and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Researchers have linked these and other toxic chemicals found in children’s toys and essential products to cancer, learning disorders,
Solar Uptown Now!
Solar Uptown Now brings northern Manhattan community members together to purchase solar as a group and lower the cost of solar installation.
We Are El Barrio Workshops
East Harlem is at a crossroads, facing a number of threats including climate change, development, and gentrification. WE ACT for Environmental Justice, in collaboration with Ascendant Neighborhood Development and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, is offering a series
Climate Change and Its Impacts on Public Health in Inwood
Climate change can have serious impacts on the health of communities of color and low income, such as here in Inwood: • Climate change is causing more heat waves, which can lead to dehydration and hospitalizations. • More intense storms
WE ACT’s Faces of Flood Zones in Northern Manhattan
A New York City Climate Week – Sept. 23rd-29th – Social Media Campaign To better illustrate the impact of flooding driven by climate change in our communities, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and its partners are running a social media
Uptown Chats
RSVP here! Following last year’s success, WE ACT for Environmental Justice is continuing our UptownChats speaker series. UptownChats was born out of the idea that “Uptown” residents need a place to connect to policymakers and leaders about our unique concerns, and
Corbin Hill Farm Food Share
WE ACT is partnering with Corbin Hill to offer a food share drop off site at the WE ACT offices,
Freedom to Breathe Tour
The Freedom to Breathe tour is designed to draw attention to the immediate impacts of climate change in communities across the country, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice is supporting a number of community organizations participating in the tour through a
Cleaner Air, Cleaner Communities
Low income and/or communities of color in the U.S. are more likely to be located near sources of pollution. As a result, these communities often experience negative health outcomes such as higher levels of asthma and heart disease. African American,
Northern Manhattan Climate Action (NMCA) Plan
A plan to create resilience in the face of the disproportionate impacts of climate change on poor and working class communities.
Dirty Facts: How EPA Budget Cuts Impact Vulnerable Communities
Historically, low income communities and communities of color have been disproportionately affected by environmental hazards and pollution. Vulnerable communities are less likely to have the resources to prevent and take on environmental disasters. That is why it is critical that
Coalition for Asthma Free Homes
We have created a prescription to address asthma and asthma disparities: healthy, affordable housing.
Environmental Justice Leadership Forum
The EJ Forum is a national coalition of 54 environmental justice organizations working together to advance climate justice.
Healthy and Sustainable Public Housing
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the nation’s first and largest public housing agency. Housing nearly 600,000 residents, NYCHA’s mission is to provide decent, affordable housing to New Yorkers and access to social and community services. Decades after being
Unequal Air and Care: Asthma Disparities
How well are federal strategies to reduce disparities in the treatment and management of asthma working?
