Yesterday, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) and its allies had an Energy election in downtown Chicago to close down the city's only 2 coal power plants, located in Chicago's largest Latino communities-Little Village and Pilsen

Here is a video about the event

 

These 2 plants contribute 15-20% of the entire annual carbon dioxide emissions in Chicago

They are the largest contributors to particulate matter which exacerbates asthma (and cause asthma as well), diabetes, heart disease and other diseases as well as mercury, dioxin and other pollutants

According to a 2001 Harvard School of Public Health study each YEAR the 2 plants cause:

41 excess deaths, 500 emergency room visits and 2800 asthma attacks, primarily in Little Village and Pilsen

By staying home during an asthma attack poor and working class families lose $Millions each year in lost wages, our children lose valuable education time, the Chicago Public Schools lose $millions in State and Federal Average Daily Attendance Funds due to asthma being the #1 cause of school absences, public and private agencies, businesses and the City of Chicago lose $millions in worker absences and decreased productivity.

Neither plant produces ANY electricity that is used in the City of Chicago

In the year 2000, Green Mayor Daley said Chicago would get 20% of its energy from renewables by 2006

Guess what-so far Chicago is getting 0% of its energy from renewable sources

LVEJO is proposing to replace the plants in 2010 with campuses for Energy Conservation and Efficiency Training and the manufacture of components for certain renewables

If you want to show your solidarity with LVEJO please consider:

1. forwarding this email to others you know

2. signing up for the LVEJO email list (email are only 1-2 per month)-on the main LVEJO website

3. donating to LVEJO-by clicking on the button on the upper right corner of the main LVEJO website

Thanks