About LEAN

What is LEAN?

The Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) is a community based not-for-profit organization that has been working since 1986 to resolve the unique environmental struggles present in Louisiana. Through education, empowerment, advocacy, and support; LEAN provides the necessary tools and services to individuals and communities facing environmental problems. Such problems that often threaten their health, safety and quality of life.

In 1986 a group of concerned citizens gathered in Baton Rouge to share stories and offer support for the environmental struggles their communities were facing. Mothers, fathers, plant workers, community members, doctors, lawyers, and everyday citizens from around the state came together because they all were facing severe environmental challenges and no one was adequately addressing their concerns. Within this solidarity and combined purpose, the Louisiana Environmental Action Network was formed. From the original founders to the over 30 years of work, LEAN brings the experience and expertise of countless community members and professionals together to build a powerful resource for anyone working to resolve the environmental challenges that Louisiana faces. Many of these community members and environmental experts are represented on LEAN’s board of directors. LEAN has been on the forefront of the environmental movement in Louisiana, building and supporting countless individuals and organizations to create a more aware, engaged and empowered public. LEAN, as well as the individuals, organizations and communities we serve are committed to finding meaningful resolutions to the concerns we face. Together we are working to reduce impacts, alleviate suffering, protect health and ultimately build safe and sustainable communities that can thrive in the 21st century.

LEAN's Problem Solving is Empowerment

Louisiana's rich geology and the transportation superhighway of the Mississippi River have given rise to an abundance of resources, opportunities, and inevitable conflicts. LEAN's work has been centered around these unfortunate conflicts between community and industrial stakeholders in Louisiana. It is our goal that, community to community, person to person we are slowly but surely changing the landscape of Louisiana. Louisiana has a legacy of prioritizing industry over community and LEAN's work aims to shift this unfortunate imbalance of power. Ultimately our goal is to create a statewide citizenry in control of their own community’s health and environmental well being. With each community LEAN assists, we are building a population aware and capable of addressing the problems that arise in their community. We help them understand complicated environmental situations and become proficient in the tools they have to address them. LEANs support is on-going, and with each new community struggle, we build new allies, friends and network colleagues. LEAN is engaged in doing the groundwork for creating a cultural shift in Louisiana that creates informed, empowered and healthy communities in a state too often built on exploitation and sacrifice. This change must come from the bottom, from everyday people invested in building a better future for themselves. LEAN is the tool with which they are able to build that future.