PHOTO/ERIC PETERSON
GARDENA, CA — My name is Eric and I have lived in Gardena, CA for almost ten years. It is a friendly city with a special and unique farm history, multicultural residents, and open-minded treatment of all its residents. On the other hand our city really needs new representation in government for the health and safety of its residents.
Gardena has many toxic sites known as Brownfields. In 1999, the Gardena City Council spent $10,000 to inventory the cities brownfields, in order to qualify for an EPA Brownfields Assessment grant. Gardena initially received $200,000 to perform environmental assessments on selected sites and then do some clean up.
The City of Gardena hosted meetings up until 2013 for the Brownfields Community Relations Committee, however it no longer provides funding for this committee. Without the city’s support we are in a state of flux. Myself and other Gardena residents are in the process of forming the Brownfields Community Relations Committee (BCRC) into an official non-profit, a 501(c)(3). I really believe that by becoming an official legal non-profit, the BCRC we will be heard by the Gardena City Council.
The truth is that Gardena and California need a true change in leadership, a voice that really represents the voice of the common people, the working people, a party which can bring jobs and a cleaner environment to our state. That party is the Green Party of California, and this will bring real changes not just to Gardena, but to all of California.
In Gardena, the school buildings are aging and adjacent to freeways and toxic sites, and there is not enough recreation space. Yet land next to the local high school is used to build apartments, putting money and profits before the wellbeing of our youth.
As a recovering addict, I have learned that one must first learn to be honest with self and this will transcend to honesty with others. This is what really resonated with me with Mr. Luis Rodriguez, the Green Party candidate for governor. He proved to me that he is a man who is capable of standing before others telling the truth about themselves and what he really thinks, that is why I listen to him.
Some in our city want to truly do whatever it takes to permanently clean the city, yet some in our leadership don’t even believe that climate change is real. Interestingly in the local environmental groups I have been affiliated with, real progress is often hindered by internal strife.
The other day I went the to Food 4 Less, known for its cheap and unhealthy food, not organic and from cheap GMO and other toxic food production places. Ironically I was able to help put the name “Luis Rodriguez” on the ballot for the June 2014 elections. Each person who stopped, recognized that we really need to change our city and our state.
You can reach Eric Peterson at ecplot@gmail.com
