"Significant and Unavoidable"

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar

(Oakland, Nov. 21) - Significant yes, unavoidable NO! Just don't add sixteen new aircraft gates to Oakland Airport. This was the message delivered to the Port of Oakland Board meeting by scientists, a medical professor, students, airport workers and environmentalists.

As a powerful atmospheric river, made worse by global warming, drenched the Bay Area, members of 1000 Grandmothers and environmentalists rallied in front of the Oakland Port Board's meeting building to oppose the proposed expansion of Oakland Airport.

At the meeting, Oakland residents spoke of the increased asthma rates in their families. A UCSF medical school professor explained the health effect of aviation emissions and noise. Climate scientists were there to warn of the climate consequences of jet travel. Students and activists noted that remote conferencing was becoming more prevalent, reducing business travel and casting doubt on estimates of future air travel.

Environmentalists made the point that facilitating increased air travel only promoted air line profits, not the well being of overworked and underpaid airport workers.

See all high resolution photos here.