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- Campaign Home: The Right to Breathe
- Special Feature:
50 States United For Healthy Air - Report: Sick Of Soot: How The EPA Can Save Lives By Cleaning Up Fine Particle Air Pollution
- Feature: In the Shadow of a Smokestack
- Feature: A Success Story, with Many Chapters Still to Come
- Video: The Right to Breathe
- Video: Asthma Feels
- Video: Air Watch: Documenting California's Air Pollution
- Video: In The Shadow Of The Stacks
- Storybook: Tom Frantz (Central Valley, CA)
- Audio Interview: Clearing the Air: Q&A with Earthjustice Attorney Jim Pew
- Action: Sign The Declaration
- unEARTHED: Recent news about clean air
- Return to Earthjustice Campaign Center
Alexandra Allred
Clean Air Is:
I'm here because:
I cannot express how little concern is given to the health and welfare of children or any residents of Midlothian.
Clean Air Ambassador:
Alexandra Allred
Midlothian, Texas
(May 27, 2011 Update: The White House blog published a piece from Alexandra on her family's experience in Midlothian, TX and the meeting between her son, Tommy, and Barack Obama when he was a senator.)
When my family moved to Midlothian, Texas (a.k.a. the cement capital of Texas), we knew very little about the cement plants other than what we were told: "They're in compliance!" and "It's just steam coming out." We were more excited about the fact that we could actually afford land, own horses and goats, that we had an incredibly cool creek in the back filled with snapping turtles, crawfish, snakes, owls, coyotes, a bobcat and more.
But shortly after moving to Midlothian, my then two-year-old son, Tommy, became sick. Pneumonia, double pneumonia, bronchitis, fever, unexplained coughing and shortness of breath. We couldn't figure out what was going on because the rest of us—older, with stronger lung capacity—were fine. Only after a doctor at Children's Hospital in Dallas perused Tommy's medical file did he say, "Oh ... you live in Midlothian."
This was the beginning.
As I began to research, talk to my neighbors, teachers, school nurses and parents, I discovered that there was indeed a problem. School nurses talked to me about their "asthma baskets" and how the number of children with inhalers was growing. Later, my son's school would be named in a USA Today report as being in the upper 1 percent of the most toxic schools in the nation—the same school I butted heads with cement plant executives about being under the toxic plumes while children were at recess.
By age 5, Tommy risked being held back because of the number of days he missed due to severe asthma and upper respiratory problems. He was rushed to Emergency and put under doctor's care six times in two months! It was a horrible and terrifying time … made worse only by the fact that local government/city officials and cement industry did everything they could to keep this dirty little problem a dirty little secret.
In 2006 when it was discovered that a cement quarry was planned 500 feet from an elementary school playground, the response from AshGrove Cement (a company that is suing the city of Dallas and surrounding cities for supporting "green" cement) was, "We were here first." I cannot express how little concern is given to the health and welfare of children or any residents of Midlothian.
written by Tommy and illustrated by his sister, Kerri Leigh Allred.
In 2006, my son Tommy—who has asthma—met then Sen. Obama, and they had an impromptu discussion about asthma. (Editor's Note: Check out a story about this meeting with Barack Obama, written by Alex and Tommy and illustrated by Tommy's sister Kerri.) Sen. Obama told Tommy about his own daughter's asthma. We left that meeting on Cloud 9 believing this would be a man who would do something about our air pollution problem. I want President Obama to recall his words to my son, to remember the frustrations the Senator felt about his own daughter's asthma, to feel the certain pride and definite commitment he made to this nation and DEMAND cleaner air.
I ask that members of Congress and the EPA listen to us and make decisions based upon principle. A man or woman who truly loves his/her nation is ready to put service above self.
The views and opinions expressed by the Clean Air Ambassadors do not necessarily represent the opinion or position of Earthjustice or the co-coordinating groups.
I work for a local company here in Texas not to far from Midlothian which deals with many harmful and hazardous chemical containers which are only supposed to have chemical reside and we drop and spill chemicals on the ground and dirt, which the place is covered in old crushed concrete, and the spills get absorbed in the dirt and ground and when the winds gets to blowing thses mixture gets airborne and blows all over the area. I am not proud of where I work and the owner is just a greed man who only concern for any well being is in his bottom line. I am in the process of seeking employment else where and doing something to stop this madness. I was inspired by your story and the concern for the well being of your child. I have the same concerns about my health and my childrens' health as well. Plus I hate to know that I am part of a company that is harming the Environment.
Keep up the good work, and keep the pressure on politicians. In fact, all of us need to do that to ensure that our children and grandchildren will be able to breathe well and live healthy lives!
Thank you for speaking up!
Does the phrase, "Texas Is Open For Business", ring a bell? This state's government leaders are not honest about cleaning up our air and water. The more industry they can attract to Texas, the better for them. It doesn't matter that it is dirty industry. We need all the help we can get from D. C., strict regulations, etc.
It feels useless to try and clean up Texas air.
Thanks to Linda for sharing her story, but especially for speaking the truth to the plant owners and operators. Thanks also to the doctor who spoke the truth to her about her son's condition and its causes.
We need to raise our voices to speak the truth, and when enough of us tell these stories, speak the truth and let our voices ring through the halls of Congress and state legislatures, those who depend on our votes to put and to keep them there will sit up and take notice. Raise the voices of truth, and the lies that industry executives and powerful corporations tell will be seen for what they are: the worship of the almighty dollar as they sacrifice the little Tommy's of the world.
Thanks for your help!
speaking out with integrity and passion concerning the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat to live is unquestionably good citizenship. I offer you respect and thanks for your on going comittment.
Thanks for being present in DC to advocate for the rest of us, and for all your hard work for both Earthjustice and Downwinders at Risk.
I am a disabled Veteran and have trouble with my lungs due to air pollution in Austin. Thanks for all you are doing!
Alex! keep fighting the inexcusably low standards of this industry. if there were ever a person I can believe in to make a difference, you are her.
Thanks for everything you do!
Thank you for all of your hard work!
From my heart, for my childrens' health, and all of us....thank you, thank you and thank you!
In one of the most underegulated states in the union, we have a lot of work to do in Texas before we can really begin to brag about how great things are here versus everywhere else in the country. With recent talk of secession, people like yourself, Mrs. Allred are all that stand in the way of even more of our air, land and sea coasts being gifted to corporate entities. Thank you for all your efforts. I will try my best to follow suit in every way possible.
Thank you for all of your good work!
Please pass on the voting records of our representatives here in Texas who fight to protect the polluters not the citizens. If everyone would realize that the increase cases of asthma, autism, ADD, cancers and a whole host of other deseases are because of pollution not one of the pro corportation, anti-EPA elected official would ever get reelected. President Obama cannot fight the Perry's and Barton's in every state to pass effective pollution regulations. So please educate Texans on who is altimately and directly responsible for the massive pollution in your town and across Texas. It is the GOP who are anti environment, pro business.
Thank you for doing this important work. When profit is more important than children's health, what does that say about a company as a corporate citizen? It seems senseless to have to fight for something so obvious as clean air and water, but the corporatist greedmeisters make it so with their focus on nothing but the bottom line. THANK YOU for your efforts.
Keep up the good work!
Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people in gov't who care more about corporations than people, including a lot of people in gov't in Texas.
How can our fellow citizens vote for people like that??? But they have!
It is the most important thing to keep us alive, we need clean air. The earth will still be here but we will not if we destroy our oxygen supply. Please help prevent further toxins from being released into our air. Please do not forget this plea.
thank you.
I support the right of all Texans to breathe un-polluted air. Keep up the good work, Alexandra
I've been hospitalized nine times since 1992 for asthma, something I've had since I was 12. I'm now 45 and dependent on a breathing machine and an inhaler. To those who don't suffer from going through their day not knowing if they will be able to breathe or not, I can tell you it's a truly horrifying existence, one I hope none of you ever have to face.
Dear Alexandra,
I support you 100% and thank you for taking action and standing up for our rights to breath clean air. I live in east Fort Worth and am deeply concerned about the pollution resulting from all the gas well drilling that's going on. I along with many other residents of this area want to do all we can to ensure there is more regulation and control of this industry and insure that all possible measures are taken to prevent pollultion.
Please let me know what I can do besides writing this email.
Thank you again.
Yours sincerely,
Moira McCarthy
Thank you for standing up for clean air in Texas.
I've lived in the DFW area all my life. The Midlothian plant has been an ugly blemish on our area for years and years. I actually avoid the area and know that the potential health issues and pollution it causes reaches areas far to the north due to our south winds. Thank you for your dedication and persistence on behalf of us all.
Thank you for all you do to make us all breathe a little easier. We are behind you 100%.
Thank you for standing up for clean air in Texas.
Down with "Smoky Joe"!
Alex... Thanks again and again for your courageous, tireless, galvanizing work toward creating a world we can leave to our children without regret. You are a hero to so many. May every person on this planet stand up to the sense of righteousness that your actions exemplify.
I live in Dallas and have run outdoors for exercise. Unfortunately, each time I pass an intersection, I attempt to hold my breath due to all the pollution from cars waiting at the lights. It is only getting worse, as is the haze covering the city.
Fortunately, I am not asthmatic or I would not be able to continue. Good luck to you getting the message across that we all NEED to be able to breathe! And, thank you for standing up for us.
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