Deteriorating buildings in the inner city create unhealthy conditions — especially for children — where peeling paint and high levels of dust, mold, insects and rodents can cause lead poisoning and asthma. The flight of supermarkets to the suburbs limit access to healthy foods and raises prices, contributing to a rise in obesity and Type-II diabetes. Pesticides that keep down the rodent and insect population and 135 abandoned contaminated industrial sites in Trenton alone expose residents to toxic chemicals.
Isles’ Approach
By partnering with communities, Isles finds creative, low-cost ways to transform toxic spaces into beautiful, clean places by educating people to take control of their own physical environments and personal health.
Isles’ solutions: Planting community and school gardens; building and renovating parks; educating adults and children about the environment and nutrition; testing and cleaning up unhealthy homes, schools and brownfields; creating opportunities for enjoyable exercise; and training residents for careers in cleaning up environmental hazards.
Videos:
- Community Gardening Overview
- Dust Does Not Discriminate (English)
- Dust Does Not Discriminate (Spanish)
- Arrest the Pests in Your Nest (English – Part 1)
- Arrest the Pests in Your Nest (English – Part 2)
- Arrest the Pests in Your Nest (Spanish – Part 1)
- Arrest the Pests in Your Nest (Spanish – Part 2)
- Attack of the Mold Spores (Part 1)
- Attack of the Mold Spores (Part 2)
Grapevine:
For more information on Isles’ Environment and Community Health services, call 609.341.4700 or e-mail info@isles.org.