Sometimes it is hard to look at the trouble in your own backyard. People even tend to look past things when it does not affect them. It is even more disappointing, when it takes someone being personally affected before anyone speaks up about an issue at all. That is what was happening to a little town in California named Kettleman City.California: it is known for the beaches, good weather, cultural diversity, large economy, and land of opportunity. Sure, California may be the land of opportunity and wealth, but it does not always meet everyone's expectations. Looking at current issues troubling California today, you will find that many of these issues represent the same issues faced ...view middle of the document...
These large umbrella groups provide information, education, training, moral support, physical support, legal, and other types of needed expertise. "Chem Waste never imagined we'd fight," said Espy Maya (Street 263). Even some of the group's most surprising allies turned out to be former opponents. Also, hundreds of citizens in the city formed El Pueblo para El Aire y Agua Limpio (people for Clean Air and Water), a multiethnic coalition whose aim was to stop proposed incinerators (Street 261). Kettleman City is not the only town in California being affected by landfills. There are 23 other toxic sites in California, with the majority of them near small rural towns. It is a travesty and a shame that people are getting sick or even dying because of the environmental abuse. Families are losing their homes because of crop loss. Children are getting sick at younger ages. There is a larger financial burden on families because of medical expenses, and these are only a few of the horrible things happening in the communities nearby. Greenpeace and other organizations proclaim that no one is safe; if the waste seeps into our water supply or into our crops, millions all over the state...
