environment

How California’s Energy Efficiency is Helping Communities of Color

With over 2 million African Americans living in California, 4.6 percent unemployment accounts for an additional 82,600 people back at work. And a significant part of California’s vibrant economy is the state’s smart energy strategy, which has created hundreds of jobs in recent years.

Supervisors Reopen Helen Keller Park

Children played on swings, raced down slides, and even frolicked in the snow as the community of Athens celebrated the grand reopening of Helen Keller Park on Saturday December 12. Out of an abundance of caution, the seven-acre park on 1045 W. 126th Street was closed to the public in the summer of 2013, when pieces of construction debris were found embedded in the soil. A $5.2-million investment by Los Angeles County cleared away the environmental hazards, and installed a new playground, ball field, walking path and outdoor exercise equipment. The landscaping and south parking lot were also upgraded. “When

Racially Discriminatory Oil Drilling Alleged in L.A. Lawsuit

Youth groups and community organizations sued the City of Los Angeles last week for allegedly allowing oil companies to drill hundreds of contaminating wells near homes which they say exposed black and Latino residents to health and safety risks in violation of state environmental laws. The lawsuit — brought on behalf of youths living near oil drilling sites in South Los Angeles and Wilmington — contends the city systematically violated the California Environmental Quality Act by routinely exempting new wells and other changes at oil extraction sites from required environmental reviews. A call for comment left with a spokesman for