Formed in 2000, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LABB) is an environmental health and justice organization working with communities that neighbor the state's oil refineries and chemical plants. The group’s mission is to support communities' use of grassroots action to create informed, sustainable neighborhoods free from industrial pollution.
The EPA-approved "bucket" is an air-sampling device that people who live next to industry—“fenceline” neighbors—use to document pollution in their neighborhoods. Air is drawn into a 19-liter bucket and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Though the bucket is an important part of the assistance the LABB provides, it is only one part of a toolbox that includes education, assistance with organizing, media and other types of sampling (water, soil, seafood).
LABB programs include the Refinery Efficiency Initiative, Environmental Justice Corps, Fenceline Neighbors Networks and Oil Spill Response.
Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LABB)
Form a citizen-science bucket brigade to study the environmental health of your community
Project Details
- Principal Scientist: Anne Rolfes
- Scientist Affiliation: Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LABB)
- Dates: Ongoing
- PROJECT TYPE: Fieldwork
- COST: More than $50
- GRADE LEVEL: 18+ years old
- TIME COMMITMENT: Variable
- HOW TO JOIN:
Identify people in your community who are interested in being trained as air samplers, as well as people who would be willing to alert your group when a bad odor is in the air.
Once you have an interested group together, call the Louisiana Bucket Brigade (504-484-3433). They will work with citizen scientists to organize a bucket brigade in the community.
