right Laurie Perin

"There are so many people who don't know these issues exist - or understand the severity of them. The only thing that changes that is education. By being part of a group - by partcipating, you can educate people on how they can make a difference."

expertise
research, environmental policy

region
central Ohio


While a graduate student at Bowling Green University, Laurie wanted to get involved in environmental policy. Internet research led her to Ohio Citizen Action. She called and expressed interest in doing an internship. Because she was attending Bowling Green University, she was in the perfect location to help with research on a campaign to reduce pollution at Sunoco's oil refinery in Oregon Ohio. Laurie spent hours leafing through all Sunoco's EPA documents; compiled reports; and got involved in community meetings. Laurie said, "My experience working with neighbors of the Sunoco refinery was that they didn't know there was an option. They thought - this is just how it's supposed to be. When you grow up there you don't understand that there is another way. They didn't realize at first that they could get the Sunoco management to sit and talk to them."

After Laurie graduated she moved to Columbus and kept in touch with Ohio Citizen Action. She went on her first door-to-door campaign in April of 2007 to educate neighbors on the south-side of Columbus about the environmental ramifications caused by the Georgia Pacific plant. She said,

"I remember people wanted to know why some group who wasn't affected by this would actually want to help. They seemed very grateful. It was rainy and cold that day. I think it says a lot about how much it means for canvassers to get out there and work for people whose air is polluted and groundwater is contaminated. The people that do that day to day understand the importance of education. There are so many people who don't know these issues exist - or understand the severity of them. The only thing that changes that is education. By being part of a group, by participating, you can educate people on how they can make a difference."

Laurie works for the Ohio Department of Commerce.

UV hound meeting
Hilton Kelley gives Oregon community members a demonstration of a real-time air monitor. From left to right, Hilton Kelley, Laurie Perin, Anita Laporte and Heather Wolfe.