Detroit Incinerator Protest March [Pics]

[Lowell]

March along with a peaceful protest from the Detroit Public Library to the Abandoned Chene Ferry Market and see some Detroit sites along the way.
Assembly point on Woodward in front of the Detroit Public Library Main Branch.


In the background, the Park Shelton.


Crossing Woodward at Warren. In the background Old Main.


The marchers - predominantly young, predominantly female, and many out-of-town visitors attending the US Social Forum.


First Rally Site - Peck Park on Brush behind the Center for Creative Studies.




East on Ferry past the former B'nai Israel Synagog, now 3rd Baptist.


Second rally point, Golightly School. The incinerator stack looms in the background.

[Lowell]

What do we Want?? Top Shut it Down!


Gymnasium entrance to Golightly.


In the background the abandoned ruins of the Fisher 21 automobile factory.


Crossing the I-75 Ferry Street Bridge. In the background downtown Detroit.


Approaching the world's largest municipal waste incinerator.






Third Rally Point, the parking lot of the abandoned Chene-Ferry farmers' market. The market closed soon after the incinerator opened. The combination of its stench and population loss from the destruction of Poletown for the building of the GM assembly plant to the north doomed the market.

[Lowell]

An abandoned house on Dubois with incinerator stack in the background. The incinerator put the finishing touches on an already struggling neighborhood.


A bumblebee harvests pollen from wild clover in the field shown in the foreground above.


The Chene-Ferry Market.




Street theater actors tear down a symbolic incinerator stack.


A mounted Detroit Police officer enjoys a peaceful summer day.


Abandoned storefronts lining Chene Avenue, another victim of the incinerator and Poletown.









Downtown Detroit from the Ferry Street Bridge. St. Jehoshaphat framed by the Renaissance Center.

[Jimaz]

Not as much anger as a teabagger rally but a hell of a lot more sincerity! With that much diversity in the crowd it just wouldn't work to label them astroturfers.

Composition is top notch as usual, Lowell. It really helps tell the story.

[BasementBeat]

Really enjoyed seeing the photos of this march...

[DetroitDad]

This is the most depressing view regularly seen entering Detroit from the North. While driving down a freeway of bad traffic flanked by urban sprawl, and then urban blight, you see this on I-75. It could be irony, or some sort of bad joke of a sign from somewhere. Either way, I can only imagine what some future civilization [[maybe advanced humans, or something else, whatever) would look at this as a ruin; "this society during this time put money above all else. This civilization was given countless signs with the slow fall of it's great cities, and ignored them. This is what happens when you worship capitalism above all else, and let money blind you".

Those in power rarely seem to listen to those pesky protesters, today.

It's kind of embarrassing to know we will probably be viewed as fools with no future, in the pages of time, thanks to things like this incinerator.

[Blarf]

How much you want to bet all those people protesting throw things away in the trash?

[BShea]

1. Spectacular photos.
2. Could that mounted cop's uniform and hat make him look any more like a Nazi?
3. The signs for "good jobs" ... who are these people demanding "good jobs" from? There is no inalienable right to a "good job." Why not come invest in Detroit, start a business and provide good jobs?
4. I see posters on this thread couldn't resist sanctimonious bashing of the Tea Party -- as if USSF, which kicks out people who don't subscribe to its ideology, is anything different -- and blamed Detroit's decline on capitalism. Somehow, Chicago, New York, San Fran, L.A., etc. all managed to grow and thrive under our current system, and rebound in some cases. But capitalism is the problem in Detroit, so it needs to be replaced with socialism, communism, or whatever. Uh, huh.

Demands for government handouts -- which is nothing more than using other people's money -- and wishing for unicorns and rainbows and starting yet another network or collective is useless compared to investing and creating jobs. That's what will help Detroit rebound. Entrepreneurship.

Again, really nice photos, folks. I need to buy a new camera. I'm jealous.

[BShea]

And let's give credit where it's due: From all I've seen, this was a peaceful event. Organizers and participants [[and the private army they hired) didn't make matters worse in Detroit by smashing windows or fighting the police. As a city resident, I'm thankful.

I'm glad it didn't turn into what's happening right now in Toronto.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010062...-at-G20-summit

[Stosh]

This is the most depressing view regularly seen entering Detroit from the North. While driving down a freeway of bad traffic flanked by urban sprawl, and then urban blight, you see this on I-75. It could be irony, or some sort of bad joke of a sign from somewhere. Either way, I can only imagine what some future civilization [[maybe advanced humans, or something else, whatever) would look at this as a ruin; "this society during this time put money above all else. This civilization was given countless signs with the slow fall of it's great cities, and ignored them. This is what happens when you worship capitalism above all else, and let money blind you".

Those in power rarely seem to listen to those pesky protesters, today.

It's kind of embarrassing to know we will probably be viewed as fools with no future, in the pages of time, thanks to things like this incinerator.

WTF? I'm assuming you are looking at what I'm thinking you are, if so I can't imagine that you are really serious. bad joke? Come on.

[jams]

But capitalism is the problem in Detroit, so it needs to be replaced with socialism, communism, or whatever. Uh, huh.

Lord, try learning to sing a different note.

It's been years since I've found a communist hiding under my bed.

On my bed, yes, but I'll keep that to myself!

[Lowell]

How much you want to bet all those people protesting throw things away in the trash?

I'm sure they do. That is unavoidable but that isn't the point. The point is to reduce the waste stream and recycle. One thing you did not see in that march were throw-away beverage bottles. Instead the marchers carried reusable bottles. A vehicle with with water tanks provided refills.

There is a lot that can be done. Consider all the unnecessary packaging, much of which is for shelf space visibility. Software is a prime example of that, a big box with a small object that could even be downloaded. I saw a solution in Germany where people are charged for trash pickup based on the volume / weight of their trash. This causes people to demand that stores not stick them with the packaging which leads the stores to demand the same from manufacturers.

[DetroitDad]

Kudos to them for that!

Imagine if we cut down our soda and juice drink consumption. We would no longer be using those plastic bottles, or cans, or straws, and significantly increase our health while reducing the obesity rate, in which Detroit is among the worst. We'd also save money on straws, of which you are supposed to use if you drink sugary drinks.

[Meddle]

I've always supported incineration, especially if it's used to generate power. When done right, emissions are negligible. And it sure beats landfills.

[ja!mz]

Lord, try learning to sing a different note.

It's been years since I've found a communist hiding under my bed.

On my bed, yes, but I'll keep that to myself!

Great pics as usual, as you can see they are not under the the bed anymore, they are right next to you, they have been in town all week comrade....

[fryar]

I saw a solution in Germany where people are charged for trash pickup based on the volume / weight of their trash. This causes people to demand that stores not stick them with the packaging which leads the stores to demand the same from manufacturers.

That's actually totally routine in Germany. I'm not sure if the history of that has to do with disincentivizing wasteful packaging, though, but that it would have that effect makes sense to me. Germany also is not known for approaching the question of separating recyclables out from the trash this way, but metered trash pickup can provide an incentive to do that as well [[Germany is known for requiring recycling).

[fryar]

When done right, emissions are negligible.

No way?! I mean, landfills are no crowd-pleaser [[apart from Mt. Trashmore in winter), but emissions can be negligible? Seems like they clearly would be toxic.

[Russix]

Fuel on Hulu: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com...php?title=2851
<the movie is not working on hulu itself!>

[Meddle]

No way?! I mean, landfills are no crowd-pleaser [[apart from Mt. Trashmore in winter), but emissions can be negligible? Seems like they clearly would be toxic.

You can see it for yourself if you have a campfire or a fireplace. There's smoke at first before it gets heated, but once a fire gets good and hot in a controlled setting, you'll see very little smoke rising. That mean there's not much in particulate matter and most of the fuel is being consumed. There may be some unseen chemical emissions, but that's what scrubbers and other filtering systems are for on industrial incinerators. There will always be some emissions, but even landfills emit significant amounts of gasses like Methane.

[East Detroit]

$10 says the person holding the "Good Jobs" sign drives a Honda.

When EF demonstrated against the incinerator when it was first coming up, I remember that we had a document showing that "only 1 - 3 people per million" would die as a result of the incinerator if no scrubbers...

Did they eventually install all the scrubbers necessary to keep mercury etc out of the air [[from people throwing batteries in their garbage and perhaps these days the CFL bulbs)? Is that even possible?

[Russix]

I've always supported incineration, especially if it's used to generate power. When done right, emissions are negligible. And it sure beats landfills.

Can we move it next to your house? Or do you want to prove your commitment to this statement by moving downwind of it?

[DetroitDad]

Can we move it next to your house? Or do you want to prove your commitment to this statement by moving downwind of it?

I never understood why they built the incinerator in a neighborhood, smack in the middle of the city like that. That location has always puzzled me. How was this allowed?

[Lowell]

I never understood why they built the incinerator in a neighborhood, smack in the middle of the city like that. That location has always puzzled me. How was this allowed?

It dumbfounded us then too and the same question was asked. There was extensive opposition to it. I marched in a protests against its construction but the efforts fell on deaf ears.

The big selling point was that it was trash to energy. At the time Middle East nations' oil boycotts created a big push to develop 'energy independence' so that line fed right into the sentiments of the time. At the same time resistance to development of new or extension of existing landfills further propelled this idea.

Coleman Young's support for its construction insured its completion as he was at the height of his power. It was mistakenly seen as a waste solution and a money maker.

Regrettably no serious efforts at reduction / recycling were undertaken.

[Russix]

I never understood why they built the incinerator in a neighborhood, smack in the middle of the city like that. That location has always puzzled me. How was this allowed?

The only reason I can think of why it was put here instead in SW Detroit near other massive polluters was the need to tie it into the steam grid. Too bad we didn't spend a quarter of the money on building a recycling center which could process about 60-70% of waste.

[cloud_wall]

The only reason I can think of why it was put here instead in SW Detroit near other massive polluters was the need to tie it into the steam grid. Too bad we didn't spend a quarter of the money on building a recycling center which could process about 60-70% of waste.

I'm pretty sure that's the reason. The steam line runs in a loop from the incinerator toward downtown, theoretically providing energy to center-city businesses. I mapped it once using the legal description during an internship in the City Legal Dept. I wish I'd hung on to a copy.