"A 'toxic tour' past rail yards, smokestacks and refineries aims to show officials the consequences of their decisions in low-income, predominantly Latino communities in southeast L.A."

"You won't find any homes of the stars on this tour bus as it shuttles rubber-necking sightseers through Los Angeles.

You may not even see the Hollywood sign through the haze from the smokestacks, rail yards and refineries along this "toxic tour" through neighborhoods southeast of Los Angeles.

'To your left is a brownfield,' guide Roberto Cabrales announces from the front of the bus to two dozen tourists aboard. 'To your right, that's a former steel company. It's contaminated with heavy metals.'

The half-day excursions by the advocacy group Communities for a Better Environment were begun in 1994 as a way to show a handful of government officials the consequences of their decisions in low-income and predominantly Latino communities."

Tony Barboza reports for the Los Angeles Times July 27, 2013. [2]