We've recently sent a team to New Orleans to asses the environmental impacts. While they are there we will be posting updates from them. Below is the first one.

The team pulled out of the Washington DC area at 11pm last night. Here in the RV is Stephanie Hillman - actions and logistics, Mike Johnson - communications/tech guru, Christian Ashlund - Photo/Videographer, and Mark Floegel - On-site campaigner. We'll pick up team leader Kenny Bruno in Baton Rouge where he is meeting with local activists. Our mission is to assess the state of industrial toxicants in the floodwaters left in communities by hurricane Katrina. We're carrying an assortment of gear to record and report, we've culled Greenpeace's files for the best intelligence on what we might find on the Gulf of Mexico, we have respirators, waders, and hazardous material clothing to protect ourselves from what so many have already been exposed to. We are each carrying memories of our own experiences working with communities along the lower Mississippi's Cancer Alley.

Hurricane Katrina was, as we know, predicted well in advance. Little action was taken to protect the poorest and most vulnerable in the storm's path. Similarly, Greenpeace and community activists have been predicting a reckoning for the heedless use of toxic chemicals as industrial feed stocks. The price for the corporate catastrophe, like the natural catastrophe will be paid, for the most part, by low-income communities of color. Again these communities will see a spike in cancer deaths. Ground water, the quality of which was already questionable, will likely be undrinkable for years if not decades to come.

Like all activists, we like to be in the middle of things so we're grateful for the opportunity to contribute. The foundation of the work we are about to do was laid by a generation of Greenpeace Toxics campaigners, especially Damu Smith and Rick Hind. Look for our reports in the days ahead.

Peace

Mark Floegel
Stephanie Hillman
Christian Ashlund
Mike Johnson