1. California Communities Against Toxics

Jane Williams is Executive Director with California Communities Against Toxics who are inspiring and building a sustainable, healthy, and just future for the East Bay, California, and beyond. We discuss California’s economy in relation to polluting industries and their GDP last year was $3.2T, representing 14.6% of the total U.S. economy. California's economy is so big that if it were a country, it would be the 5th largest economy in the world, more productive than India and the United Kingdom. Hexavalent Chromium compounds are common in California and are given off by industry. They have been shown to cause lung cancer in humans when inhaled. The Report on Carcinogens lists hexavalent chromium compounds as known human carcinogens. Studies have consistently shown increased lung cancer rates in workers who were exposed to high levels of chromium in workroom air. We also talk about new laws in place with California, set to ban all heavy diesel trucks and vans by 2045. And these heavy-duty trucks are responsible for 70% of vehicle air pollution in the state. With Jane, we discuss California’s economy, what kind of toxins that are common in California, new laws coming in place, and how you can support this work.  Contact and connect with Jane: [email protected] California Communities Against Toxics: https://ecologycenter.org/directory/directory-entries/california-communities-against-toxics-ccat/ Heavy Duty truck ban: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/06/california-set-to-ban-all-heavy-diesel-trucks-and-vans-by-2045/ Prop 65: https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65 CEASE fire campaign: https://cswab.org/cease-fire-campaign/about-the-campaign/