In my Environmental Justice class, we have been discussing the widespread use of chemicals in almost every aspect of our lives, from pesticides to toxic waste to being part of everyday materials like plastics. Many of these chemicals are toxic and potentially carcinogenic, and the regulation of them unfortunately does not always prioritize public health over economic benefits. Along these lines, we’ve been reading Living Downstream, an excellent book by Sandra Steingraber about her experience with cancer and the links she has made between environmental pollution and cancer.
A documentary has since been made about this book and Steingraber, and you can see the trailer here: