Utilizing CPBR to address environmental health issues of concern in Northern Manhattan: A community driven process to engage local businesses to create clean healthy streets

Engagement of the private sector, members of which have sometimes been responsible for environmental pollution, has been proposed as a critical component to achieving environmental health and justice; however, achieving this has been difficult for communities. WE ACT set out to change the paradigm. We engaged businesses in Northern Manhattan through a CBPR Study to examine local concerns around Garbage, Pest and Pesticides. We began working with community residents in Harlem on increased rodent outbreaks, pesticide use and poor waste management practices. Upon completion of 4-guided discussions the campaign steering committee identified 2 residential buildings and a commercial corridor in Harlem for a pilot project. This project included the engagement of building management, apartment superintendents, residents; local businesses located in retail businesses, and city agencies. The Northern Manhattan CARE Collaborative is a multi-stakeholder group whose main goal is to identify environmental health concerns. In order to synergize their efforts, coordinators of the two projects worked together to mobilize around community-based solutions to a problem both groups identified – solid waste. We enlisted the help of student researchers to use the PhotoVoice methodology to engage local businesses, which resulted in the formation of the Northern Manhattan CARE Collaborative Business Roundtable. The Roundtable has a diverse set of stakeholder members that include local business leaders, community development agency representatives, community residents, and academics. This innovative approach to addressing environmental health hazards and developing solutions that meet community needs has proven to be a rich lesson in CBPR.