Valley Improvement Projects (VIP) was formed in 2012 with the mission of improving the quality of life of underrepresented and marginalized residents of California’s Central Valley. Community members have been advocating for the closure of the Covanta Waste-to-energy Facility in Crows Landing in Stanislaus County for over 20 years.
In 2021, VIP collaborated with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and EarthJustice on a detailed report on the last two incinerators in California (in Stanislaus County and Long Beach). In 2022, they co-sponsored California State Assembly Bill 1857 to remove diversion credit for incinerators and to define incineration as disposal.
In 2023, VIP collaborated on a community-led Zero Waste Plan for Stanislaus County. The Zero Waste Plan identifies the policies, programs and infrastructure that will be needed to reduce waste and increase reuse, recycling and composting – creating new jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This presentation will describe Stanislaus County’s path to Zero Waste and the next steps for implementing the plan and closing the incinerator.
Burning Injustice – voted ‘Best Short Documentary’ at The San Francisco Green Film Festival – was produced in conjunction with The Story of Stuff Project. The 18-minute documentary chronicles the tireless efforts of VIP campaigners in their fight to protect their community against the harmful impacts of Covanta’s Incinerator in Crows Landing, Stanislaus County. The film sheds light on the severe health consequences of the incinerator and the group’s ongoing battle for environmental justice in the northern San Joaquin Valley. The trailer for Burning Injustice will be shown during this session and the full documentary will be screened during the Open Space session.