ECO-Action was founded in 1989 with the understanding that environmental problems that threaten the health and quality of life of many communities are symptoms of larger problems rooted in political and economic inequalities. To this end, ECO-Action teaches people how to get solutions to their problems through education on the issues, skills development, organization, and community action.

Community: Social Justice & Environment
We helped the Taylor County Environmental Task Force (an African-American led group which ECO-Action helped form), to restore the community's voting rights. Our work on hazardous waste highlighted the community's lack of representation in local (city) governance. Working in collaboration with the local NAACP and civil rights attorneys, ECO-Action helped citizens exercise their right to vote after being denied an election for 10 years. The group also succeeded in stopping the harmful waste proposal. View headlines & photos.

We worked with the Newtown Florist Club to transform complex chemical data into a useful educational instrument that dentified and mapped toxic sites, and substantiated racially disparate toxic siting patterns. The model was used to educate citizens and public officials, in conducting toxic tours, as evidence in a voting rights lawsuit in Gainesville, Georgia and in encouraging media. We connected the group to ECO-Action Board member and writer, Ellen Spears, professional photographer, Michael Schwarz and to Roderic Johnson who did the map illustrations. The book, The Newtown Story: One Community's Fight for Environmental Justice, is available for purchase through the Newtown Florist Club, Gainesville, GA.

From 1989-1993, we worked with communities in middle Georgia, to prevent the building of a 3,000-acre hazardous waste incineration and storage facility proposed by the state of Georgia. Citizens for Safe Progress and Friend of the Environment successfully halted the state's plan. After more than five years of struggle. ECO-Action was recognized for our work with community groups with the Georgia Environmental Council (1993) Special Achievement Award and the Common Cause of Georgia (1994) Citizenship Award. View article.

Since 1989, we have assisted in organizing more than 130 community groups. Go to our Georgia map to view more.

ECO-Action's GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK

Structural Change: The Hazardous Waste work with Taylor and Talbot residents (see above) ultimately led to a legislative change requiring that the Head of Department of Natural Resources be a DIFFERENT PERSON than the Head of the Environmental Protection Division. (Up until our work with these groups, the same person presided over both departments, which presented a conflict of interest between regulating polluters and protecting natural resources). View photos of events: "Get the Led Out" and the "People's Court."

Toxics Lotto Campaign: A campaign of the Grassroots Environmental Network, facilitated by ECO-Action, to bring attention in the governor's race to the gambling that was going on in communities by placing unsafe facilities in them. A huge rally at the state capitol called for all candidates to address ending the toxic lottery in communities. View Photos.

Public Participation in Enforcement of Environmental Laws: Groups comprising the Grassroots Environmental Network successfully organized and advocated for regulations that would stop the state Environmental Protection Division for negotiating enforcement agreements in a secret process when companies are alleged to have broken the law. The regulations called for communities to be notified and have an opportunity to comment on the “consent” order (enforcement order) prior to it being finalized. The National Environmental Awards Council 1992, 1995, 1996, and 1997 recognized this network of groups for four years. View Article.