. .we weren’t gonna wait around for the city or the state to figure out that the slough should be posted, so we did these big beautiful signs ourselves and we went and put them in with concrete and posts and all of that, and at the same time out together the multi-lingual warning brochure, which while not beautiful, I think was effective. EPA for some number of years talked about it as being a model for other states to use and Richard Brown with the Black United Front distributed a lot of those single-handedly, you know going into stores all through North and Northeast Portland and dropping off copies, and schools in the area asked for them, and how do you know what the effect is, I mean [sigh], the only way we could judge was periodically talking to people or at some points you’d see piles of fish left at the base of the signs. Do we know that signs are ineffective? Yes, we knew that when we started because lots of people will fish in the Great Lakes and consume dangerous levels of toxic material because, I don’t know, they like to fish, because they don’t have another source of protein and it’s free, I’m sure that it’s a whole range of reasons, and there’s no doubt that in the Columbia Slough fishing continues and people continue to eat the fish.
Nina Bell, Northwest Environmental Advocates
Warning signs brought attention to the Slough’s contaminated state, highlighting the role of citizen action in environmental protection. An expose in the local Willamette Week, blasted the city of Portland for syringes and condoms in the same body of water where primarily low-income people obtained food. As awareness of contamination grew, other community organizations became involved in public outreach. Richard Brown of the Black United Front distributed pamphlets to north Portland homes and public places. A group of students from George Middle School petitioned the mayor of Portland for money to study the fish many of their families ate. Although the city tore down the signs posted by Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA), the outcry forced the city to involve its Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) in public outreach. The NWEA signs were replaced by city signs, and BES also distributed warning literature. Since the early 1990s, BES has also formed partnerships with numerous community groups to educate those who use the Slough about its dangers. Finding that “Do not fish” warnings are not completely effective, and that protein needs may be more immediate than cancer danger, the city attempts to educate the public. Based on information from the Oregon Health Division, BES teaches citizens how to cook the fish in less damaging ways.
