Environmental Health & Justice

Environmental Health & Justice Initiative
Bay Area residents are often exposed to poor air quality, pollution generated from traffic, power plants, industrial sites, and toxic chemicals in consumer products. These environmental hazards disproportionately effect communities of color and low-income neighborhoods and are increasingly being linked to a range of conditions such as asthma, cancer, and birth defects.

The environmental justice movement has historically been led by people of color and low-income neighborhoods to challenge the presence of environmental hazards in their communities. The environmental health movement works to scientifically link environmental conditions with human health and to advocate for protective public policies. The San Francisco Foundation established the Environmental Health and Justice Initiative in 2000 to address the impact of environmental factors on local communities and to build upon the strengths and mutual goals of these movements.

The environmental health movement works to scientifically link environmental conditions with human health and to advocate for protective public policies.

Our Work
The Initiative supports impacted communities, grassroots groups, and nonprofits as they promote protective public policies, minimize environmental health risks, engage in policy advocacy, and educate and involve residents in creating safe, healthy neighborhoods. We are strengthening a network of individuals, groups, and agencies to link scientific knowledge, policy expertise, and community leadership to assure the right of all people to a healthy environment.

Special Projects

The Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative
A significant focus of the Environmental Health and Justice Initiative, The Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC) is a partnership between researchers at the Center for Justice, Tolerance and Community at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Communities for a Better Environment, The San Francisco Foundation, and a number of coalitions working on air quality, asthma, and transportation issues throughout the Bay Area. The broad goal of the BAEHC is to assure better health outcomes for local residents by improving the Bay Area's air quality through community capacity and knowledge building and the establishment of protective public policy measures. Building on their diverse set of assets and skills, the partners are working together to increase the capacity of Bay Area residents, organizations, and coalitions to educate and organize community members about regional air quality concerns; support and facilitate a coordinated multi-organization campaign to improve the region's air quality; and promote policies at the local, regional, and state levels that improve the Bay Area's air quality and better protect public health.

The Dow Chemical Settlement
As part of the work of the Environmental Health and Justice Initiative, The San Francisco Foundation has been able to secure numerous environmental health related litigation settlements. Most recently, two local nonprofit organizations filed a public interest lawsuit, alleging that the City of Pittsburg improperly approved the replacement of a smaller existing plant in the City of Pittsburg with a larger facility and that Dow's activities (tripling Dow's on-site production of the pesticide sulfuryl fluoride to 18 million pounds per year) would negatively impact the local environment and community. Rather than fully litigating the case, the parties agreed to settle the lawsuit. As part of the settlement, the plaintiffs secured meaningful mitigations by Dow to limit environmental and public health impacts by the company's activities. Additionally, Dow agreed to provide $1,000,000 in funding for projects geared towards community and environmental benefit. The funds for these projects ($500,000 each) will be administered independently by The San Francisco Foundation and the East Bay Community Foundation. The San Francisco Foundation program ($500,000) will be used for projects benefiting the environment and/or the public health of the Pittsburg/Antioch area over the course of the next three years.

Precautionary Principle
Communities are increasingly bringing the old adage, "better safe than sorry," also known as the "precautionary principle," into practice. When there is reasonable concern that an activity or product raises threat to ecological or human health, the principle asserts that precautionary measures should be taken, even without complete scientific data. We believe that this is an important public health framework that will help build healthier communities. With our partners, we are promoting public policies and industrial solutions that are the least harmful to people and the environment.

About the Initiative

Vision
Our vision is to foster effective and coordinated environmental health and justice movements, and to see a Bay Area where all people can breathe clean air and work, live, and play in unpolluted environments.

Initiative Strategies
We employ diverse strategies to support the environmental health and environmental justice movements in the Bay Area:

• Identify and promote community actions and public policies to address key environmental health and justice issues in the most impacted communities.
• Support and strengthen multi-ethnic, community-led coalitions.
• Provide grants, trainings, and technical assistance to help build the capacity of groups engaged in this work.

We partner with nonprofits, grassroots groups, business and civic leaders, public health agencies, local governments, and regulatory agencies to develop a coordinated vision and effective strategies for fostering an environmentally healthy Bay Area. Increasing public awareness of and funding for environmental health and justice issues is at the core of what we do.

Funding
The Initiative works on and funds in three issue areas:

• Reducing the impact of toxins and chemicals on human health;
• Advancing and promoting the "precautionary principle" as a useful framework for improving and protecting public health; and
• Improving the Bay Area's air quality and addressing the effects of air pollution on human health.

We invite you to get involved to improve our region's environmental health:

Learn
Join us on a site visit, hear about effective projects, attend a briefing, or meet with our Environment Program staff to learn more about the environmental health and justice issues facing the Bay Area and how you can get involved.

Support
Fund local organizations engaged in innovative projects to improve public health or support the Environmental Health and Justice Initiative directly. Contact our Donor Services Department at 415.733.8500.

Apply for Funds
Apply for funds from the Foundation to support of your important work.

Partner
Partner with us in hosting an educational event, briefing, or program. Contact the Foundation's Environment Program staff.

Contact Information
For more information about the Initiative or to learn, support, apply, or partner with us, please contact the Foundation's Environment Program staff at 415.733.8500.