In our communities how can involvement and social activism, all have the hidden meaning of "civic engagement". But what does it truly mean? Is it simply about volunteering? Or does it have a different meaning?
Civic engagement, as defined by a few sources, means that it is a wide range of actions focused on finding and solving public issues. It includes many different activities, like volunteering and working together to solve community problems. It goes beyond just learning through service and involves getting involved in organizations and politics. Ultimately, it's about giving people the power to make a difference in their community.
Living in Wilmington, CA, near one of the biggest ports in the U.S., makes it clear how important civic involvement is. Our area faces challenges from industry, especially with air and water pollution from the many refineries. Despite all of the benefits, these refineries can affect our health and environment.
Personally, the impact hits close to home. The inhalation of polluted air has compromised many of our respiratory health, while it also causes water contamination and threatens our drinking water. I have witnessed family members who have started to have respiratory problems due to this situation and highlights the urgent need for a change.
One family member that hurts me the most affected by this is my mom's best friend. She has a smile that illuminates all and due to the air quality, she was diagnosed with cancer. Her doctors informed her that this was due to all the toxins in the air. This really opened my eyes that we need to make a change. It enraged me that our community
Other people in the community feel the same way:
“Polluted Wilmington, Having been born and raised in Wilmington, CA we were brought up believing the refineries actually cared for our communities considering the “donations” they’d make to our schools and community by building parks and what not. As time passed we began to realize the truth, they made those donations in order to keep us quite meanwhile behind the scenes doctors found that more and more residents were developing asthma and other respiratory issues as well as the workers getting cancer for being exposed to such conditions. It’s a love hate relationship for our city considering they do employ a lot of people here which means they do put food on a lot of our tables. With the level of corruption it is hard to believe anything that comes out of their mouths because even if they hire people to quote unquote regulate them, that doesn’t mean they’re going to be truthful. What needs to be done is 3 party regulation, no company should be allowed to regulate themselves because that means they can pick and choose rather than actually be held accountable.” written by Luis Hernandez, 28 years old
“Since I can remember refinery pollution has been part of my life. Living near or around over 15 refinery you can only imagine how much pollution I been around. Growing I always struggled with asthma and difficulties breathing. I always assumed the reason for my miss fortunes were due to natural causes, but upon reflecting and doing my own research and the causes of asthma, I have learned that one of the main causes of asthma and difficulty breathing are refinery pollutions and harmful chemicals in the air due to the pollution. I know the world isn’t perfect and a lot of people are facing same issue with their heath due to the refinery pollution all around us. I just wish there was a better way to control what they put out in the air. Or even a way they can filter everything that comes out of all the refineries around us. I know I’m not the only one who faces this issues and won’t be the last but I wished their was a more eco friendly way for refineries to control what comes out and what they out into the air for not only my sake but all the children around us.” written by Jorge Cabrallo, 29 years old
“Refinery pollution is a big deal because it can directly impact your health and the environment around you. I worry about the air quality on a day-to-day basis since pollutants from refineries can contribute to smog and respiratory issues. Plus, it's not just about the air; water and soil can also get contaminated, affecting everything from local parks to the food grown in the area. It's a concern for the community's well-being and the future of the neighborhood. It's super important to stay informed and support measures that reduce pollution for a cleaner and safer Wilmington ! “ written by Marco Castaneda, 22 years old
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