Air Pollution & Health
What does PM2.5 stand for?
What is Particulate Matter that is 2.5 microns or smaller.
What’s a rain garden used for?
What is to absorb rainwater and reduce flooding?
Who decides what gets built in your neighborhood?
Planning boards, city council, developers, etc.
What is environmental justice?
Fair treatment of all people in environmental laws and decisions.
What happens when trash isn’t disposed of properly?
It can pollute the land, air, and water—and harm people and wildlife.
True or False: Breathing in truck exhaust can affect your lungs and heart.
What is true?
True or False: More pavement in a city increases flooding.
What is true?
What’s zoning?
Rules that say what types of buildings can go in different parts of a city.
True or False: All communities are equally exposed to pollution.
What is false.
True or False: Burning garbage is a clean way to get rid of waste.
False—burning trash can release harmful air pollutants.
Which neighborhoods usually have worse air quality wealthy or low-income communities?
What are low-income communities.
What does “green infrastructure” mean?
Nature-based solutions to manage water like rain gardens, trees, and permeable pavement.
True or False: Residents have no say in development projects.
False—residents can attend hearings and advocate!
Name a community group in Newark that works on environmental justice.
South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA)
Name one way to reduce waste in your community.
Recycling, composting, reusing items, or reducing plastic use.
What is the name of the toxic chemical often found in emissions from incinerators?
Dioxins
What is a “heat island” and how does it affect cities like Newark?
Areas that are hotter due to concrete and lack of trees
Which part of Newark floods most often?
The South Ward and Ironbound (or allow local interpretation)
What does the term “cumulative impacts” mean in EJ work?
The combined effect of multiple pollutants or stressors
What type of waste often found in older homes?
Lead paint
What does the term "OBC" stand for?
Overburdened Communities
What is community mapping and how does it support EJ?
Collecting local data to highlight environmental harm
What does it mean when a community is called a “sacrifice zone”?
An area that is heavily polluted and neglected for the sake of economic development
What does GALA stand for at the South Ward Environmental Alliance?
Green Alliance Leadership Academy
What does illegal dumping look like and how does it impact neighborhoods like Newark’s South Ward?
Trash or waste being dumped on empty lots; it attracts pests, pollution, and lowers quality of life