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Uptown Chats
By Jaron Burke, Lonnie Portis, WE ACT for Environmental JusticeSociety & CultureBusinessEducationNon-Profit
Uptown Chats episodes
- New York Beauty Justice Act
Are your personal care products safe to use? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about WE ACT’s Beauty Justice campaign, which aims to ban dangerous toxic chemicals from products we use every day. Featuring special guest Elizabeth Reyes, WE ACT’s Toxics Policy Campaign Coordinator.
Extra Resources:
Not sure if your products are safe? Check out the apps and resources below to learn more.
- Clearya - Nontoxic Shopping Made Easy
- EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Check out our previous episode Don't Be Toxic, Be Beautiful to learn more about WE ACT's work on beauty justice.
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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28 min - Affordable and Renewable Energy with NY HEAT
Is your energy bill too expensive? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about WE ACT's campaign to help make energy more affordable and support New York’s transition to renewable energy, featuring Cameron Clark, WE ACT's NY HEAT Campaign Coordinator.
Extra Resources:
- How a Bill Becomes a Law (New York State)
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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32 min - Congestion Pricing
Congestion pricing is here! What is it, and why should you care? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the pros and cons for environmental justice communities with help from New York State Senator Liz Krueger.
Extra Resources:
- What Is Congestion Pricing? (NRDC)
- Congestion Pricing Myths and Facts (NRDC)
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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36 min - Looking Back, Thinking Forward: Building on the Success of 2024
Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025! Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on some of WE ACT's major wins from 2024 and discuss some exciting advocacy efforts coming in 2025 with the help of WE ACT's new Acting Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs.
Resources:
- Check out WE ACT's 2025 Policy Agenda at weact.org/policy!
- Get involved with WE ACT's Climate Justice Working Group
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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31 min - Holiday Special with WE ACT Chair Jeff Jones
In the spirit of the holidays, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by long-time activist and Chair of WE ACT’s Board of Directors, Jeff Jones to tell stories and reflect on this moment in the environmental justice movement.
Guest Information:
- Jeff Jones, Jeff Jones Strategies
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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31 min - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to keep our air, water, and soil clean since 1970. Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about how the EPA supports environmental justice with help from the Administrator for EPA Region 2, Lisa Garcia.
Resources:
- You can learn more about WE ACT’s Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center supported by the EPA at weact.org/tctac.
- Check out the EPA’s EJSCREEN tool to explore maps and data about environmental justice in your area at epa.gov/ejscreen.
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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37 min - Community Land Trusts
Public land for public good! In this episode, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by WE ACT’s Climate Justice Campaigns Manager, Annie Carforo, to talk about community land trusts and how they can help address the housing affordability crisis in NYC.
Want to get involved? Join WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group on the third Tuesday of every month from 7:00-8:00 PM.
Want to learn more? Check out these helpful resources:
- Affordable Housing (NYT)
- What is a Community Land Trust?
- Community Land Trusts Explained
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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32 min - Waste
It’s time for more trash talk! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about the history of waste management in New York City and how it impacts environmental justice communities with help from Julio Lopez Torres, a member of WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group.
Resources:
- Want to reduce your waste? Check out this 3 Step Guide to Zero Waste!
- The Absurd Problem of New York City Trash (NYT)
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
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36 min - Wrong Direction Wrap-Up
That’s a wrap! Join Jaron and Lonnie as they reflect on important themes from the Wrong Direction mini-series, and drop some not-so-subtle hints about future episode topics.
Anyone who missed WE ACT’s Webinar on the Implementation of New York State’s Cumulative Impacts Law can find a recording on our YouTube channel.
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
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25 min - Cumulative Impacts
New York and New Jersey have both passed landmark laws to address cumulative impacts. What does that mean for environmental justice communities? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn how these laws can help reduce pollution with help from Dr. Nicky Sheats, co-founder of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance.
Join our Cumulative Impacts Webinar on October 16, 2024: https://www.weact.org/event/cumulative-impacts-implementation-webinar/
Can’t attend the webinar on October 16? Check out this recording of our previous webinar on Cumulative Impacts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7DdpxQl-8o&
References in the Show:
- New York Cumulative Impacts Law
- Dismantling Injustice Model Legislation
You can also listen to this episode on YouTube.
Got questions? Email us at [email protected]
Connect with the show:
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36 min
About Uptown Chats
From the publisher's feed
Join Jaron and Lonnie as they explore issues in their community through the eyes of everyday people, and discuss how environmental justice is showing up in the news. It’s not just for experts, it's for everyone!
The podcast is officially 1 year old! Now that we're older and wiser, we're releasing episodes twice each month - on the second and last Monday of each month.
Uptown Chats is the official podcast of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. WE ACT was founded in 1988 and has offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. You can find us online at weact.org.