Questions:
Were you aware that environmental tragedies of this
magnitude still exist today?
I was, but I didn't really know the huge extent of these disasters, and didn't realize that they really could happen anywhere. We are brought up to believe that we are so
incredibly advanced, and that, because of huge amounts of testing and
regulation, we are completely protected from this type of disaster, where in
reality there is so much we have no idea about, just like the residents of the
Love Canal area.
Do you believe that environmental crises affect you/your
family today?
I believe that environmental crises do affect me and my
family today, but in a far less direct and dramatic fashion. We are far more
likely to be impacted by such things as decreased share prices or increased gas
prices than an actual health risk.
Why should we care about something that happened over 30
years ago?
People always say that the past is the key to the future,
and that is completely the case in scenarios such as this. If we become more
aware of past environmental disasters, and the factors that lead to their
outcomes, we can more easily recognize similar markers in our own lives, and
are more prepared to respond to disasters such as this.
Responses:
“to me it seems as if
the string of events could not have been foreseen. yes, it's sad and hard to
understand but in the 20s and even 50s they couldn't have known the
consequences of their actions. Does it mean they should repeat the mistake? No,
there should be a way in which to ensure that Love doesn't happen again without
being overly controlling.”
“We learned about this case in one of my chemistry classes,
and it really shows to me the importance of research and testing. There are a
lot of things we still don’t know about how to properly contain cases like
this, and I worry that the safeguards they have in place both at Love Canal and
at similar sites won’t be enough to truly contain the disaster.”
“I can’t believe that the residents knew that they lived
that close to a waste site, and didn't do anything to make sure that the
chemicals weren't detrimental to their health. Weren't there enough clues that
something was wrong here?”
“It is because of events like this that we have been able to
develop laws and protocols that regulate companies and the dumping of their
toxic waste. Sure it was a horrible, horrible tragedy, but it did help the
public to become more aware of the health risks associated with toxic waste.”
“This shows to me why factories and industry need to be
regulated and held responsible for their waste and it’s clean up. This is an
absolutely horrible situation that should not have happened.”
“I think it is incredible that this horrible disaster was
just sitting there, waiting to happen, and that no one did anything to ensure
the communities safety. I mean, kids were coming home with chemical burns, shouldn't the residents have taken a hint?”
“What I want to know is why the state thought it would be a
good idea to build homes and a SCHOOL over a known toxic site, without regular
testing. Did they have no idea of the hugely dangerous effects of these
chemicals? I think it shows a huge lack of foresight.”
“This story makes me wonder what kinds of things we are
doing today that may end up causing huge health risks in the future, just
because we didn't have enough information on how to prevent it. I’m pretty sure
the people at the Hooker plant didn't know that this would happen, and were
sure that there was no way the material could escape and cause this scale of a
disaster. Will our generation have our own “Love Canal”, and what will be the effects of the oil spill in the future?”
“To me this really proves that we really need to be more proactive
in our areas about where waste can be placed, and ensuring that it is far
enough away that our families and children are kept safe.”
“Stories like these absolutely terrify me. That there was
nothing done to protect against future contamination is horrifying. This
account reminds me of the land mines often left over after wars, just waiting
for one small thing go come and set it off. I wonder how many more sites there
are around the country that we have no idea exist.”
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