Environment & Health News
Neighborhood residents can responsibly dispose of their Christmas trees by taking them to the recycling drop-off point in McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Road, Chicago, starting this Saturday. A program of Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation in partnership with the Chicago Park District, the tree recycling will run from Saturday, January 6, through Saturday, January 20, at McKinley Park and 24 other locations across the city.
The trees will be turned into mulch for use in Park District locations, for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and for residents to pick up at some recycling locations, which unfortunately does not include McKinley Park.
A new map from the Natural Resources Defense Council has illuminated Chicago's localized pollution levels as tied to environmental justice issues, which consider how sources of pollution are sited within specific demographic and geographic areas. The analysis found a preponderance of environmental justice burdens on Chicago's Southwest Side, with McKinley Park in the middle of a swath of neighborhoods heavily impacted by pollution within minority and economically disadvantaged communities.
"This map illustrates that our community is disproportionately impacted by the burden of pollution from past and present," said Robert Beedle, a member of Neighbors for Environmental Justice, a group that McKinley Park residents formed earlier this year in the wake of new industry moving into the neighborhood. "This map shows the need for continued environmental action in our area to make sure we maintain and even improve our environment over time," he said.
Read more: McKinley Park a Hot Spot for Pollution, Environmental Justice Concerns
Rescue of one of the migratory geese that flock to McKinley Park has led to new fishing line disposal containers around the park's lagoon. Goose rescuer Andy Van Laan, an avian expert who leads birdwatching sessions at the park, came across the bound goose and was able to free it with the help of McKinley Park Community Garden President Nicholas Efronsis.
"I happened to have a multi-tool with me, and Andy used it to carefully remove the line," Efronsis said. When he heard this had happened multiple times, Efronsis reached out to the McKinley Park Advisory Council (MPAC), which worked with its contacts at the Chicago Park District toward installing the containers to help keep the lagoon clear of fishing tackle.
The McKinley Park Underage Drinking and Other Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (McK-UDOS) has completed its analysis of the latest Illinois Youth Survey data, resulting in a snapshot of teen alcohol and drug use in the McKinley Park neighborhood. Key findings include some statistically significant spikes in alcohol and cannabis use among teen girls, as well as a general perception among youth that their peers consume alcohol and pot much more than they actually do.
Substance Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator Vernalynne De La Rosa spelled out the analysis at the coalition's regular meeting on September 13 at the offices of the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA), the sponsoring organization for the coalition. De La Rosa also related program updates to the attending coalition members, who comprised a wide range of community stakeholders and representatives from social services, law enforcement, academia, media and local non-profits.
Read more: Coalition Tallies, Analyzes Teen Substance Abuse in McKinley Park
Neighbors for Environmental Justice, a recently formed, grassroots group based in the McKinley Park neighborhood, launched its programs and advocacy with a well-attended community meeting and the rollout of specific projects, including a new air quality sensor network. Formed as a response to the quickly built MAT Asphalt plant at 2055 W. Pershing Road, the environmental justice group seeks to keep an eye on current industry, counter the environmental impact of encroaching industry and hold elected officials accountable for harmful pollution in the area.
"What is to come to the South Side?" asked group member Kim Wasserman, a McKinley Park resident and the executive director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO). She was one of several speakers at the group's July 26 community meeting, when she highlighted Chicago's dislocated North and West side industries now seeking new homes, as well as the City of Chicago's flawed process for approving new industrial development.
Read more: Environmental Justice Group Launches as Counterpoint to New Industrial Development
