So while the residents living along the proposed pipeline route might be able to breathe a little easier, the fight is not over for the communities living on the fenceline along the US/Canada border.

Global Community Monitor has been working with communities living on the fencline of oil refineries for over ten years so it’s no surprise we were ready to go and jump started the campaign with a recent trip to Toledo, Ohio in order educate the local community about tar sands and how it will affect them locally.  BP/Husky, located in Toledo, OH is slated for a $2.5 billion expansion, but has not made public a date and time when the tar sands expansion will happen.

Global Community Monitor’s Bucket Brigades have been launched in 27 countries, allowing residents to sample their own air to answer the question, ‘What’s in the air that we are breathing?’  

Even if we do win, and the Keystone pipeline is defeated, we still need to work to stop tar sands oil from and to protect communities like Toledo, OH, Whiting, IN and Detroit, MI.  Why should those communities live with the increased risk of reproductive harm, cancer and other diseases while the oil companies rake in big profits?  These families are already overburdened with toxic emissions from the polluting refinery next door, it would be an extreme injustice to even think of expanding it to create even heavier toxic emissions.

Over a hundred people attended and we raised nearly $10,000 to further our mission of empowering communities living on the fenceline.  The silent auction was a huge hit with great deals on local wine, hotel stays, event tickets and gifts galore.

Not only was it a very successful celebration but it was also an awe-inspiring opportunity to connect with other activists working for Environmental Justice around the country.  Hilton Kelley, 2011 Goldman Prize Winner from Port Arthur, Texas, shared stories from his community and from his fight for fenceline communities.

Connections were made, and victories shared from community organizers to policy advocates-those that have built a web of support for the grassroots Environmental Justice movement.

If you did not have a chance to make it to the event, check it out this incredible video from our community partners- watch here. Thank you to all that gave to GCM’s 10th. We greatly appreciate it. If you have not had a chance, it’s not too late to give to the 10th Anniversary. You can help us continue to assist grassroots leaders around the world. Donate here.

We’d also like to extend gratitude to Tres Mexican Kitchen for the delicious food and drinks. Special thanks to our flamenco guitarist, Carl Nagin, for creating a warm and inviting ambiance.  Sincere thanks to our host committee and event sponsors who provided the much needed resources and dedication in ensuring a great event.

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to our Event Committee including our Event Intern, Sarah Price.  We could not have pulled such a great event off without you!

Looking forward to the next 10 years.

Global Community Monitor is turning 10 and we’re having a party!  On November 15, 2011, GCM is hosting an anniversary party to celebrate a decade of breathing new life into communities.  We’ve proved that the Bucket Brigades are a force to conted and we’ve started building a movement for Environmental Justice through empowering fenceline communities.

The anniversary celebration will include food and drinks provided by Tres Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Lounge; and a silent auction with more than 40 items donated by: The San Francisco Giants, Hotel Durant, Beach Blanket Babylon, Patagonia Clothing, Osmosis Spa, LUSH Cosmetics ($200 gift basket), The Berkeley Rep Theatre, Brown Sugar Kitchen and many more. This is the perfect to time get a great bargain on an early holiday gift.

Get a chance to really talk with Hilton Kelley, GCM Board Member and Goldman Prize Winner from Port

 Arthur, Texas; will be in attendance.  This is a great opportunity, in small informal setting, to hear first hand about his latest battle against the controversial Keystone Pipeline and dirty tarsands crude from Canada already in the US!

Last, but certainly not least, we’ll have beautiful flamenco music provided by guitarist Carl Nagin.  Come on down, relax to flamenco music while enjoying cocktails, great Mexican food and inspiring company.

We discussed wind direction, seasonal changes and the effects of temperature to determine the best place to take a sample.  Now we’re ready to build some Buckets!

 Sunday afternoon: Just a few hours  later, everyone in the room had  contributed to building two Buckets,  ready to take air samples.  The residents all practiced capturing the  ambient air in the special sample bag we ordered from the lab.

We went over some important Quality Control practices and filled  out the sample Chain of Custody form needed to ship the samples to  the lab and built out a solid sampling plan.  

Now, the residents are trained environmental samplers and the Bucket Brigade has been launched!

Sunday evening: I am back on the plane returning to the GCM headquarters, excited about the new balloon mapping project and encouraged that a new Bucket Brigade has found a home in Rhode Island.

 Stay tuned, sample results are on their way.

Desmond D’sa has been a community leader in the fight for Environmental Justice in Durban, South Africa and has developed ties all the way to Richmond, CA.  With his leadership SDCEA has contributed to multiple Environmental Impact Reports and collaborated with NGO’s worldwide to confront Shell International about the incidents, accidents and high level of pollution from their refinery in Durban.  The Bucket Brigade provides the tools they need to take independent air samples and hold the government accountable for enforcing safety regulations and pollution control.

The Ellas brought in hundreds of people: some new energetic activists with fresh faces, some old salty organizers willing to stop at nothing and artists of all ages ready to motivate us through the toughest times through creative and inspirational messaging.

Organizing for environmental and social justice is no easy task and the only way it’s even possible is with the power of the people.

So why do we do it?  Why do we commit ourselves so deeply to challenge the biggest, richest and most powerful corporate interests in attempts to change the existing power structure?

Now these questions will most likely produce an array of answers, just as diverse as the movement.

But, the real answer is that all of us believe in a better world, a better society for our families, children and neighbors.

Last week at the Young Nonprofit Professional Network’s annual party someone asked, ‘What do you do?’  My response was ‘I do Environmental Justice work’ and somehow I felt more empowered just by saying that.

Empowered because I know I am working in solidarity with hundreds of communities, coalitions and other nonprofits around the world.  

Just by empowering one person with the tools they need to be an effective activist, the entire community is lifted up and society will forever be impacted.

And, we will never stop because the more we push the more we win.  We refuse to be defeated.

We believe in clean air for Detroit, a healthy high school for West Oakland students and climate justice for Port Arthur.  We stand together with the residents of Richmond, CA and Durban, South Africa who are both fighting the same fight against big oil.

This work is fun and rewarding, but I do it because I can’t not do it.

We need to “be the change we want to see in the world.”  There is no other work to do until these injustices are rectified.

An injustice to one is an injustice to all and if we don’t come together and take a stand for that, who will?

We just got to keep remembering that there ain’t no power like the power of the people ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop.