REC was formed in 1971, the year after the first Earth Day, in response to an immediate crisis: impending location of a land-fill dump in one of the city's parks. Environmentalists lost that battle, but emerged with a dedicated all-volunteer organization that became a strong voice in later civic discussions. In 1993 REC hired its first professional staff. Its institutional style is to work collaboratively with other organizations, and to raise environmental consciousness—sensitivity, appreciation, and respect for the human environment in cities, as well as for green, open space. In that sense, REC belongs to the "environmental justice" movement, responding to research that has shown inner-city disadvantaged neighborhoods to be disproportionately victimized by environmental pollution and other depredation. REC's goal is to help make urban environments places where people want to live and visit. On the pro-active side, REC has developed a strong program promoting community gardens in unused vacant lots; created a Youth Environmental Service Corps for "alternatively sentenced" youth; and facilitated discussions between businesses and neighborhoods, to reduce toxic wastes. REC needs strong public support, and they've earned it.