On February 11th, around 600 gallons of oil spilled from an oil refinery in Richmond, California. The oil refinery is owned by Chevron and is one of the largest contributors to pollution in the state of California. The toxins that are released into the air and sea are detrimental to the health of people living nearby and to the environment. Chevron has been mass-producing oil there before the city was even established, and this is not the only time where the refinery has been hazardous to the public.
There was another incident from this chevron refinery in 2012 where an explosion released toxic as into the air. The demographic of the city, with 80% people of color, includes a high rate of asthma, high rates of cancer, and a fifth of the city’s population living under the poverty line. That event left around 15,000 people in the hospital suffering from various health issues. Yesterday, locals vividly described the stench of gas and brown murky water that was suddenly plaguing their city.
Yesterday’s oil spill has pushed environmental activists over the edge after their long and endless battle of fighting against oil refineries. Leaders of environmental organizations expressed their concern and pointed out the fact that these refineries clearly pose a major threat to those who live near them as well as our planet as a whole. Many politicians, activists, and citizens want to see California immediately start to slowly disconnect with Chevron in order to reach their state-wide goal of being carbon-free by 2045, directly fighting the climate crisis. They recognize that the shift will not be easy because the chevron company alone provides around 3,500 jobs and has funded tens of millions into local nonprofits. Activists still believe it is possible and necessary to become carbon-free by transferring jobs in the oil industry to renewable energy in order to fight the climate crisis.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/11/richmond-california-chevron-oil-spill
Hey Romy, I think that this is event is so tragic. I’m so glad that many activists, politicians, etc. are standing up and fighting for a change that’ll benefit our environment. I believe that’ll it’ll be hard for California to become carbon free, but it’s not impossible. Do you think that the state will be able to completely disconnect with Chevron and become carbon free by 2045?
ReplyDeleteHi Romy, thank you for bringing attention to this environmental tragedy! I agree with Coby and think it's important that people are speaking up about the change that needs to be made. It is terrible that so many people are in danger because of the mistreatment of the environment that is going on. I hope that this can be prevented in the future and think that going carbon free by 2045 could be great.
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