learn more about our environmental justice task force

The Environmental Justice Task Force is driving meaningful, people-powered change across Racine by turning concern into action—and we’re always looking for more voices to join us.

From protecting children’s health through the Lead-Free Ambassador Program, where trained youth and adults canvassed neighborhoods to educate families about lead dangers and support lead pipe replacement, to reducing environmental impact through Food Waste Composting, the Task Force delivers real results. In just 18 months, more than 80 participants helped divert over 17,500 pounds of food waste from landfills, with plans underway to open an additional drop-off site as participation grows. Memberships for 2026 cost $30. We need more households to join this movement to keep the service affordable to the public. Please visit compostcrusader.com to open or to manage your account.

We  bring the community together through education, advocacy, and reflection. Nearly 100 people gathered for the 2025 Season of Creation ecumenical prayer service, themed “Peace with Creation,” held at Siena Center. Participants took action beyond the event by signing letters to legislative leaders calling for debt relief for poor countries and collecting funds for hunger relief in Haiti.

In solidarity with Indigenous communities, members partnered with the Sierra Club and thousands nationwide in the “Fish for the Future” project to advocate for clean water, oppose the Line 5 pipeline, and support Native Peoples’ rights. Locally, the Task Force supported the successful effort to rename Racine’s lakefront roadway from Christopher Columbus Causeway to Kipi Kawi Causeway, honoring the land’s original inhabitants.

Task Force members are also actively confronting climate change by opposing proposed methane gas plants in Oak Creek and Kenosha through rallies, public hearings, and letter-writing campaigns—standing firm that gas is not a clean alternative to coal.

If you care about public health, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and climate action, there’s a place for you here. Join the Environmental Justice Task Force to learn, act, and help shape a healthier, more just future for our community.