Our latest challenge was with Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice and it has probably been my favorite thus far. We worked on canvassing neighborhoods to test the viability of a Clean Air campaign for various zip codes in Detroit. It was the first campaign I worked on that wasn’t for a political candidate, and it was a great experience. Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect prior to last Friday. Walking around an unfamiliar neighborhood to ask business owners if they’d be interested in a pollution effort is a pretty daunting task, but the payout was also unexpected. I met quite a few people who worked, lived, and raised kids in their neighborhood and took an immediate interest in Clean Air initiatives. They were also very kind (which wasn’t as unexpected but still nice). But partnering with DWEJ was awesome – they do incredible things all over the city. They were instrumental in reducing emissions from the city incinerator, advocating for change in Southwest Detroit with regard to coke piles, and pushing for curbside recycling. They offer “Toxic Tours” of the city, and I do recommend taking one – ask for Charles and give him a generous tip.
check them out here: http://www.dwej.org/facts.htm