Help Eliminate America's Sweatshops on Wheels
When it comes to the environmental impact of our purchases, we often contemplate carbon footprints and food travel miles. And it's true, much of what we buy comes from overseas -- in June alone we imported $43 billion worth of consumer goods.
What we usually don't think about is how those boatloads of goodies enter through our nation's ports, which are in turn jam-packed the physical manifestations of our nation's trade deficit: diesel trucks moving goods in and bring them out.
And yes, those trucks are responsible for a lot of greenhouse gas emissions. But that's not the only problem. Our ports also have some of the worst air quality in the nation, putting an estimated 87 million people who work or live near them at extra risk of asthma, cancer and heart disease. Not only are ports an environmental and human health nightmare they are also labor ones, too. Truck drivers idle for hours a day breathing in their vehicles' dirty exhalations, but don't have the resources to buy cleaner-burning vehicles. Their average take-home pay is about 10 bucks an hour; most drivers don't even have health insurance or benefits.
So how do we solve this triple whammy: clear the air, protect communities and workers? With really smart coalitions. The Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports is a massive alliance of groups across the spectrum -- environmentalists, health advocates, labor groups, faith groups and of course, truck drivers. This rock-star organization has gotten more than 120 organizations to back a hugely important federal bill called the Clean Ports Act of 2010. The legislation is designed to help eliminate old, dirty trucks -- what they call "sweatshops on wheels" -- and accelerate fleet turnover by implementing clean truck programs. These programs have already been successful at some ports, and have been shown to reduce health care costs and give truck drivers an economic boost.
Their campaign has been gaining momentum. Back in 2008, a Los Angeles Clean Truck Program had reduced air pollution in ports and nearby communities by 80 percent. Because the program would make truck companies rather than unpaid drivers shoulder fleet maintenance responsibilities, the American Trucking Association had tried to halt the program with a lawsuit. Luckily, just last week, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the Clean Truck Program was legally sound.
This is good news in the push for federal legislation, which would help even more ports around the nation clean up their act. It's not often you see such a coalition of organizations teaming up and showing so successfully that labor and enviro groups don't have to be at odds. This is also an extremely important environmental justice issue and a chance for us to help improve the quality of life for millions. Less pollution, fewer kids with asthma, better labor standards -- it's an opportunity we shouldn't pass up. Help make it happen.
Photo credit: philcampbell
Tara Lohan
is a senior editor at AlterNet.org where she heads up the environment, water, and food sections. Her work has appeared on the websites of The Nation, Mother Jones, the Huffington Post and in Yes! Magazine.
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