Detroiters Working For Environmental Justice

THE ORGANIZATION IS KNOWN AS THE LEADER IN THE MOVEMENT AND IS SEEN AS THE "GO TO" EXPERTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF ITS KNOWLEDGE AND ITS NETWORK.

IN HONORING THE ONGOING SAFETY PROTOCOLS RELATED TO COVID-19, DWEJ KEPT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF DETROITERS AT THE FOREFRONT THROUGH COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. RENEWABLE SOLAR POWER DETROIT HAS SERIOUS AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS DUE TO ITS HISTORIC TIES TO THE FOSSIL FUEL AND AUTO INDUSTRIES. ACCESSING THE ENERGY OF THE SUN IS AN EFFECTIVE AND RENEWABLE SOLUTION TO NOT ONLY REDUCING POLLUTION, BUT WATER CONSUMPTION AS WELL. FOR DETROITERS SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA AND CHRONIC RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, SOLAR ENERGY IS A TRANSFORMATIVE SOLUTION TO ONGOING AIR POLLUTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS. DWEJ TEAMED UP WITH PHOTOJOURNALIST ALEXANDRE DA VEIGA TO PRODUCE A 16-PART DOCUMENTARY TITLED SOLAR STORIES OF DETROIT. SOLAR STORIES HIGHLIGHTS THE WORK THAT LOCAL CITIZENS ARE DOING TO NORMALIZE THE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY TO POWER THEIR HOMES, WORK AND COMMUNITIES. FAITH AND WORKS WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN BUILDINGS, HOUSES OF WORSHIP OCCUPY A SPECIAL PLACE IN DEMONSTRATING HOW FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS CAN REDUCE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ON THE ENVIRONMENT. FROM JANUARY TO JULY, WE PARTNERED WITH THE DETROIT 2030 DISTRICT TO CONDUCT A TREASURE HUNT WITH LOCAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY AREAS WITHIN THEIR HOUSES OF WORSHIP THAT CAN BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. AS A RESULT, HOUSES OF WORSHIP ACROSS DETROIT WERE CONNECTED TO A NETWORK OF SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS (BUILDING ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, LIGHTING AND SOLAR EXPERTS, ETC.) WHO PROVIDED FREE SERVICES RELATED TO IMPROVING THEIR BUILDING'S ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. ADVOCACY IN ACTION AS A MEMBER OF THE DETROIT ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA, DWEJ CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION OF THE 2021 DETROIT VOTER GUIDE. THIS GUIDE IS A COMPILATION OF RESPONSES FROM LOCAL CANDIDATES ON HOW THEY WOULD ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL, COMMUNITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MATTERS, SUCH AS SUSTAINABILITY & EQUITY, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AIR & WATER QUALITY, WASTE DIVERSION, AS WELL AS LAND & FOOD ACCESS. LOCAL POLITICS ARE IMPORTANT AND HAVING ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION HELPS DETROITERS CAST AN INFORMED VOTE FOR THOSE THAT WILL DIRECTLY REPRESENT THEIR NEEDS IN GOVERNMENT. WE ALSO PROVIDED TALKING POINTS TO DETROITERS IN RESPONSE TO BSEED'S PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CITY OF DETROIT RENTAL ORDINANCE. THE CHANGES WOULD REQUIRE THE INTERVAL FOR RISK ASSESSMENTS/LEAD CLEARANCES FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES TO HAPPEN EVERY THREE YEARS RATHER THAN EVERY YEAR. WHILE THE AMENDED ORDINANCE DID PASS, WE THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP AND SHOWING OUT AT EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING. DTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM DWEJ WORKED WITH DTE TO PROVIDE UPGRADES IN HOMES THAT INCLUDED NEW FURNACES/AIR CONDITIONER UNITS, WATER HEATERS, FRIDGES AND LED LIGHT BULBS TO HELP CUSTOMERS LOWER THEIR ENERGY BILLS AND SUPPORT OUR GOAL OF DECREASING WASTE IN ENERGY RESOURCES.