Who We Are

For nearly 40 years, Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has mobilized community members from some of California’s most heavily overburdened neighborhoods to prevent and reduce pollution and build community power to achieve clean energy and healthy communities. With CBE Action we are building upon CBE’s rich history and power as one of the most influential organizations in the environmental justice movement!

As a 501(c)(4), CBE Action is allowed by law to lobby for environmental justice policy, work on ballot initiatives, and endorse candidates who will take a stand for people and Mother Earth. CBE Action will provide frontline communities with the tools, skills, and resources to take charge of their own environmental health and push for statewide policies to put the brakes on climate change. As we build a future that prioritizes environmental sustainability it must include building the political power of California’s frontline communities.

CBE Action is rooted in the 4 communities where we organize local residents: Richmond, East Oakland, Wilmington (Los Angeles) and Huntington Park. Our reach will extend from there to the regional and statewide level – right into the capitol building in Sacramento.

CBE Action is engaging California’s communities of color and low-income communities living on the frontlines of climate change to participate in political organizing, lobbying, and civic engagement. Together, we will build the new clean, green, healthy, sustainable and economically viable environments that communities deserve.

Here are some examples of what your contribution helps CBE Action achieve:

Charge Ahead California initiative brings the green vehicle revolution to communities that need it most with 1 million electric, zero emission vehicles on California roadways.

Senate Bill 350: Golden State Standards, improves public health by setting a 50% increase renewable energy and 50% increase in energy efficiency by 2030.

“CBE Action communities have the power to create and influence new legislation. They are leading the way in advancing new laws benefiting all of California.”

CBE Action, a fiscally sponsored project of Tides Advocacy, organizes voters across the state to build relationships with decision-makers who represent their interests at every level of governance. CBE Action is committed to ensuring that each person is empowered through political education, leadership and organizing activities in support of social and environmental justice local and statewide policy.

Provide frontline communities with the tools, skills, and resources to take charge of their own environmental health and push for electoral and statewide policies to put the brakes on climate change. As we build a future that prioritizes environmental sustainability it must include building the political power of California’s frontline communities and championing decision-makers sharing in the same values and core principles of environmental justice.

Extend to the regional and statewide level – right into the capitol building in Sacramento. CBE Action is rooted in the 4 communities where we organize local residents: Richmond, East Oakland, Wilmington (Los Angeles) and Huntington Park.

2021 Priority Bills

As an alliance member of CEJA Action we support the 2021 Environmental Justice Legislative Agenda.

Here are two bills that we are actively supporting this year:

SB 467 (Weiner, Limon) ending neighborhood oil drilling in overburdened communities by prohibiting all new or renewed permits for oil and gas extraction within 2,500 feet of homes, school, healthcare facilities, dormitories or prisons.
SB 342 (Gonzalez) addition of two environmental justice representative to the South Coast Air Quality Management District board membership and requires that those new members reside in and work directly with environmental justice communities.

Community Leading the Way

Community Member Angie Tam speaking at CBE event in East Oakland. Photo by: Shela Bezalel

“In East Oakland, projects like Coliseum City are happening in my backyard. CBE Action is just what our community needs so more residents can engage our City officials to prioritize land use projects benefiting people, our families and our health- not unfair industry profits. ” – Angie Tam, CBE Action Community Member

*Bahram with our summer Research Intern, Mauro, a former Youth for Environmental Justice member.*

“All candidates and elected officials need to feel the strong presence of communities. We are working tirelessly to provide community members with the necessary tools for becoming effective environmental justice advocates.” -Bahram Fazeli, Director of Research & Policy