Mon 5PM: MARCH TO BAN PETCOKE IN CHICAGO TODAY

MEDIA ADVISORY, Photo Opportunity                                                                                                         Monday, September 8


                     ****   Cross-Country March for Climate Action Arrives in Southeast Chicago   ****
	   Climate Action joins the Southeast Chicago Coalition to Ban Petcoke in the 2nd neighborhood march to
	   10th Ward Alderman Popes office and KCBX terminals to demand a complete ban of petcoke from Chicago.

CHICAGO — On Monday, September 8 at 5pm, Southeast Chicagoans are expected to join marchers with the Great March for Climate Action to take on the Koch Brothers and their deadly petcoke piles! The health impact is stunning—increased asthma in infants, rare cancers, increased respiratory and heart issues, premature deaths. Home values have plunged. A petcoke ban would require all petcoke operations to cease immediately and studies are needed to determine the impacts of petcoke on Chicago communities, the Calumet River and Lake Michigan.

	WHAT: Chicago Climate March

	WHO:
		•    Peggy Salazar, Southeast Environmental Task Force
		•    Olga Bautista, Southeast Side Coalition to Ban Petcoke
		•    Ed Falloon, Marcher & Great March for Climate Action Founder

	WHEN: Monday, September 8th starting at 5:00pm

	WHERE: Bike Path, 106th Street/ near Ave C and Ave D, Chicago, IL


“An enormous petcoke cloud blew across southeast side communities last year forcing us to evacuate our clinic. Days later I noticed that staff and patients were reporting an increase in respiratory issues. The petcoke particulates are causing life-threatening health issues for patients in our communities.”
—Rolanda Watson-Clark, RN, Robbins Clinic

“We can no longer wait for Rahm Emmanuel and the Chicago City Council to work out a deal with the Koch brothers, we need a ban on petcoke now.”
—Olga Bautista, resident and organizer with Southeast Side Coalition to Ban Petcoke

This event is part of a cross-country trek intended to inspire action and collaborative organizing to address the sources and impacts of climate change. Marchers began their journey on March 1, 2014 in Los Angeles and will end their march in Washington, DC on November 1, 2014.

The community event will kick-off from 5pm-6pm at the bike trail on 106th Street between Ave C and Ave D, a brief rally from 5:30pm to 6:00 pm at the trail before marching to KCBX terminals. Marchers will speak as well as other Chicago environmental and health advocates.

Pastor Jim Galuhn from the East Side United Methodist Church (11000 S. Ewing Ave.) has offered the use of the Church building to 40 Climate Action Marchers for lodging and for a potluck meal immediately following the march to KCBX.


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BACKGROUND: On August 26, the Great March for Climate Action crossed into Illinois on the march to Washington, D.C. Marchers began their journey on March 1, 2014 in Los Angeles and will end their march in Washington, DC on November 1, 2014. They marched over 2,200 miles to reach Chicago through flashfloods, blinding dust storms, excessive drought, crop-crushing hail, triple digit heat, and tornado watches.

The marchers walking one day or more represent 37 different states and range in age from 3 to 83 years with a core group of around three-dozen. Along their journey, hundreds of other marchers will walk portions of this route to demand action on the climate crisis. Please visit www.climatemarch.org to join the March and find out more about the events in Illinois.