Thank You; Toxic Safe Chemicals Act!

Dear EJ Crew (which you will remain forever),

First, heartfelt thanks for the lovely plant, group portrait (complete with toothy grins) and the lovely note commemorating our journey together this summer. I am deeply proud of each of you for what you have accomplished individually and collectively, and will always hold a special place in my heart (and office) for each of you. I look forward to seeing you in the fall, and staying in touch with Tiffany as she heads to Israel.

Some positive news: The new Toxic Safe Chemicals Act was proposed yesterday in the House of Representatives, similar to the bill proposed in the Senate in April It would make significant changes to current regulatory approach to chemicals in the U.S.-- a welcome first step in overhauling TSCA. Check it out!

http://www.ewg.org/Chemicals_Law_Overhaul_Proposed_In_House

For more detail on the provisions and the text of the bill:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2087:chairmen-rush-waxman-release-hr-5820-the-toxic-chemicals-safety-act-&catid=122:media-advisories&Itemid=55

Of particular interest to our EJ Crew is Section Section 38, "Hot Spots":

"New section 38 would require the Administrator to identify, assess, and develop action plans to address disproportionate exposures of residential populations in certain localities to toxic chemical substances and mixtures. The section would establish criteria for the determination of disproportionate exposure. Within one year of publishing or updating a list of such “hot spots”, the Administrator would be required to develop and publish an action plan for each identified locality that includes the chemical substances and mixtures contributing to the disproportionate exposure. The section would require an annual report to Congress on the listing and action taken pursuant to these provisions." [from the section-by-section summary by the Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce]

Best to all,
Prof G

A Healthy Baby Girl and Blue Vinyl

Having just watched A Healthy Baby Girl, I feel touched on a personal level by Judith Helfand's story. On one hand, she shows a huge manner of staying strong despite the personal crisis (which she even refuses to refer to as such). She does not focus on the disease itself, but rather its byproducts. For instance, she often talks about several problematic consequences on human interactions and relationships - particularly between mother-child figures (including both Judith and her mother and Judith and her potential children). On the other hand, the obvious great shock, pain and grief after the loss she suffered due to DES adds passion to her political activism. Both elements of her life - pain and eagerness to act - spread onto her family.

In the case of Blue Vinyl - since it is primarily Helfand's and not her parents' cause - it takes a lot of time and effort on her part to affect her parents and make them care. The difference between the two movies shows how for most of individuals, as long as they are not personally touched or bothered by a larger/national or global problem, they need specific evidence and a good reason to turn it into their cause. The same is currently necessary for the environmentalism to gain on its importance. If the need to care about environment was translated into a personal language of a community, it would spread faster and among many more of its members. Such a phenomena was visible in our experience with the women from Waltham School. Clearly, there was a hierarchy of arguments one could come up with in order to convince them about a higher value in healthy/natural cleaning products rather than popular chemical-based ones. For instance, mentioning effects on their health and the health of their children, as well as differences in prices, met with a bigger openness to new idea of healthy products than talking about general scientific study.

Blue Vinyl and A Healthy Baby Girl show how personalizing an issue seems as one of fantastic methods to make someone care, to make them act, and stand for a change.

Advocacy Clinic

It was a fairly uneventful night for Fiona and I at the clinic. Really all we did was help two men, Jose and his nephew, Miguel fill out paperwork to apply for low income housing in Watertown. Neither of them spoke very much English, but we did manage to get through the extensive application. Just in case they did not receive this housing, Fiona did a quick search on Craigslist and located several apartments in the area that fit into their price range. Both men work in Waltham but live in Bellingham and neither owns a car, meaning that it can literally take hours for them to ride the train to work. They were both very nice people, and I sincerely hope that if the Watertown housing does not work for them, another apartment that we found in the area will.

Update: Judith Helfand Now Tues at 12:30pm

Dear EJ Crew,

Judith just changed her Skype visit with us to 12:30 pm on Tuesday. If you wish, you can postpone your viewing of "A Healthy Baby Girl" until tomorrow (Monday) so it will be a little fresher in your mind and you can focus on the study work.

Photo by Jim Stewart

Blue Vinyl.

Blue Vinyl was a very well-done movie. I really enjoyed watching it and learning about vinyl siding and PVC in general. Judith did an excellent job balancing out the hard facts with just enough humor.

The movie made me wonder about how many other things we use in our daily lives that are harmful not to ourselves, but to someone else.

As an economics major, I'm appalled to see yet another example of where the cheaper product wins out, even though it is not the cheaper product, taking into account external costs (such as pollution, hospital visits, etc.) It is a recurring problem, as seen in the financial bail-outs, the BP blow-out, and PVC. Corporations are too big, and when they act together, they coerce the government into making rules more lenient.

Blue Vinyl

The Blue Vinyl's exposé of a product with a harmful cradle to grave life-cycle was not the first documentary I watched on the subject. A movie on the disposal of electronic or e-waste had a similar message of Judith’s film; these issues of disposal need to be answered soon. My interests in e-waste made it so that I paid keen attention to the documentary’s coverage of the production and disposal of PVC. The ubiquity of PVC in products such as house siding and water piping is a large problem in a future of phasing it out. In addition, I would like to know of more economical alternatives than wood purchased from Canada and paint purchased from overseas. Like Judith said, she can't imagine an ordinary family going through with the costs of eco-friendly house siding in replacement of PVC.

Blue Vinyl

This movie was a definite eye opener in a lot of ways. The journey Judith went to gather information about PVC was very detailed and informative, showing both sides of the argument in the case of PVC. Her constant pursuit of PVC information lead her down many roads, which she trudged through to deliver what was a clear message: the pros and cons of PVC. In a way, the facts about PVC are brutally honest to the point that it was upsetting: the regret that something used for so many important things, is toxic. It feels as if we really never learn our lesson when it comes to manufacturing products: the procedures these companies use will lead them to many toxic substances while the same protocols and budget calculations are similar to what was used decades ago.
As we become more informed as time goes on, it seems to annoy people a lot more when yet another product has health hazards. There are so many risks involved in so many things we use, I find it impossible to keep track of all of them. While being informed about many issues is vital, where do we stop? How should we prioritize what is and isn't important? I think one subtle lesson I learned from this experience is that nothing is perfect, and we should weigh the costs and benefits of the products we consume, or the things we endorse.

Blue Vinyl

Talking to my roommate today, I began describing in extensive detail about what I had learned from Blue Vinyl. The fact that I knew next to nothing about the hazards associated with PVC frightened me. How could a chemical so pervasive and intrinsic to our lifestyle be ignored so easily? I began to question what else I do not know about the products I am using. As a result, I feel very appreciative that Judith’s documentary brought these issues to light. Access to information is critical to making informed, ethical decisions and as Judith continually asks her family, "if you knew, would you still have purchased the vinyl?" Right to information is a crucial component of environmental justice, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be a more knowledgeable consumer.

However, what most affected about the film was the complexity of the situation. It is not like DDT where there are easily available substitutes. For those homeless women who were provided an affordable house by the Vinyl Institute, vinyl represented the gateway to meeting basic necessities such as shelter. In addition, Judith herself struggled with the high cost of alternatives. I wish everyone could afford straw houses and recycled wood but this is not feasible.

After reporting about the endless health problems inflicting the workers in Louisiana and Italy, my roommate countered that vinyl did not seem to pose any immediate risks to those not living near the factory. I then began recounting PVC’s most dangerous quality-its inability to be recycled. This aspect scares me the most. What we blindly create now will remain a problem for future generations. Even though vinyl may seem like the easiest solution at the present, I hope that our country can learn to approach the chemical industry from a more precautionary perspective.

-Tiffany

NOTE:

Insert "PCB" everywhere I wrote "PCV" :-)

Blue Vinyl

I found Blue Vinyl to be an eye-opening and very informative documentary by Judith Helfand. Judith followed the life of the vinyl used in her parents' home from its creation to its eventual recycling, and investigated every lead along the way, creating a thorough, comprehensive study and illustration of the vinyl industry.

Unsurprisingly, the documentary included many unsavory facts about vinyl, a material used a tremendous amount in day to day American life. Manufacturers of the polyvinyl chemical were being taken to court under criminal charges in Italy, and it seems that the industry has come under a lot of scrutiny as many countries begin to seek alternatives to PCB, a integral chemical in vinyl, and begin to phase-out the use of vinyl in many industries.

On the surface, the film is great. However, as a viewer, I had a very different reaction to the movie. On an intellectual level, I enjoyed it since I learned a great deal. On an emotional level, I was actually quite upset. I have vinyl on my home. Does my parents purchasing vinyl, making them a consumer of the vinyl industry, make them responsible in any way for the suffering of the towns in Louisiana and Kentucky where vinyl is manufactured? If there is lead in the paint on the exterior of my home and I choose to replace the painted surface with vinyl siding, would I be supporting putting other people's children in danger for the sake of protecting my own?

I feel that because Judith, in a way, guilted her parents into replacing their siding, she was making them feel as if they supported the vinyl industry by choosing one of its products for their home. This sounds a bit harsh and a bit unsettling, and I was certainly unsettled by the end of the documentary. Not enough to want to go to Louisiana and protest the industry, but enough to really become overwhelmed and shut down. After reading Poisoned Profits and watching Blue Vinyl, I'm left wondering what, if anything, I can do. It seems that the chemical industry is causing an outrageous amount of suffering but proves to have its hand supporting too many aspects of life to want to tear it down.

Right now, I'm thinking of all the different ways that the chemical industry is supporting my own life, and wondering how I will be affected later on down the road. I'm beginning to see bit by bit where small changes being taken can amount to large-scale differences in the world. I'm not saying I'm optimistic just yet, but maybe with some discussion on what is being done positively in the world, I'll feel a little better.

Blue Vinyl AND Poisoned Profits Response

I have a brief response to Poisoned Profits as well because I forgot to put my thoughts from that book into blog-form. So, about Poisoned Profits...I'm sorry I missed the discussion with the Shabecoffs because while I was reading I was wondering how difficult it must have been to document such a multitude of these injury/illness cases. The research they did was incredible, but I kept thinking about the emotional weight that they must have felt, too. I was glad though, that as the book the progressed it spoke to other key issues in addition to the emotional. The Shabecoffs recognize that we do need chemicals, and that in many cases the capitalist society we live in encourages the cheapest means to dispose of waste. I thought they had insightful and knowledgable advice to how we can get around these two issues and protect ourselves amidst all the chemicals to which we are exposed.

Now, about Blue Vinyl- I had seen this movie once before in a class I took my freshman year. The first time, the movie really introduced to me to this concept that materials can be most harmful in their production and disposal. Watching the movie today was a reminder of how dangerous this fact is, but I also saw it through a new light with regards to environmental justice issues, and all the environmental chemistry I have learned last semester and this summer. Judith remarked on the problem that vinyl is just cheaper to produce, which I think is a massive obstacle to overcome. The Shabecoffs touched upon this, not about vinyl specifically, but about the influences from capitalism. They suggested that the government needs to step in and motivate industry to produce and dispose cleanly. I really hope this film helps motivate action like that because it is frightening how such a widely-used product puts human lives on the line.

post test data doc!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkFOO8eoO87JdG5oU3pveEZNbmdNZ2gyRUJCMVF5dEE&hl=en&authkey=CIr0tYkC

:)!
If you don't have full access to the doc, its because I didn't have your e-mail on hand, so comment with it and I'll share the doc with yaaaah!

Blue Vinyl Reponse

I found the movie "Blue Vinyl" very inspiring, as Judith Helfand addressed a large, and perhaps widely uknown, environmental issue. The film was informative, extremely funny (her father was great), and generally very well put together. Judith really did an excellent job of following each and every lead she found, and the people she interviewed were fascinating, especially the Venetian scientist and Bill, the lawyer with an enormous archive of information relevant to PCV and vinyl. I am greatly looking forward to meeting Judith, as I anticipate she will be a very engaging, open person.

After learning about the dangers of PVC and vinyl, however, I would like to know if any possible alternatives are being investigated for a product that is used worldwide in virtually everything. Judith seemed to explore many other types of exterior siding to use on her house, and in the end she could not find one that was not extremely expensive. It is great that Judith could afford to order special wood and have it shipped to her parent's home, but, as she freely admits, most people could not. As far as prioritizing the out-phasing of vinyl, I personally put it fairly low on the list, even behind things like the remediation of soil in residential areas contaminated by lead. Until alternatives are researched and developed, I do not think it is really even worth trying to eliminate the use of such a valuable product that itself is not harmful to humans. The production of vinyl is another story altogether, as it is clearly killing people in horrible ways. But why can regulations concerning factory conditions and environmental contamination of the lands surrounding the production facilities not be made stricter? The disposal of used vinyl is also a huge problem from an environmental standpoint, but there are external costs for everything, and virtually nothing can be produced without some sort of negative impact on something else. The bottom line for me is this: it is important that we begin to move away from vinyl, but not without a cost effective alternative in place, and its out-phasing should not take precedence over the plethora of other dangerous environmental issues that have the potential to harm many more people aside from those living near and working inside a few large factories.

Visual Assessment Google Doc

Here is the link to the compilation of all the visual assessments:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/brandeis.edu/ccc?key=0Al0dKyUt9fcKdGtfa0xiR25hanZSMHlSelgtMUJJcHc&hl=en&AuthEventSource=SSO

Special thanks to Matt and the rest of Worcester roots for creating the Google Doc and online visual assessment form.

Relevant to Environmental (not study) Interests

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/somerville/articles/2010/07/11/long_awaited_green_line_extension_to_somerville_medford_delayed_again/

I wasn't aware that the MBTA had a ton of environmental regulations to comply to, and that they're struggling to comply..

Urban gardens: Lead exposure, recontamination mechanisms,
and implications for remediation design
Heather F. Clark , Debra M. Hausladen, Daniel J. Brabander
Department of Geosciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA

a b s t r a c t
(m = micro)
Environmental lead contamination is prevalent in urban areas where soil represents a significant sink and pathway of exposure. This study characterizes the speciation of lead that is relevant to local recontamination and to human exposure in the backyard gardens of Roxbury and Dorchester, MA, USA. One hundred forty-one backyard gardens were tested by X-ray fluorescence, and 81% of gardens have lead levels above the US EPA action limit of 400 mg/g. Raised gardening beds are the in situ exposure reduction method used in the communities to promote urban gardening. Raised beds were tested for lead and the results showed that the lead concentration increased from an initial range of 150 +- 40 mg/g to an average of 336 mg/g over 4 years. The percent distribution of lead in the fine grain soil (less than 100 mm) and the trace metal signature of the raised beds support the conclusion that the mechanism of recontamination is wind-transported particles. Scanning electron microscopy and sequential extraction were used to characterize the speciation of lead, and the trace metal signature of the fine grain soil in both gardens and raised gardening beds is characteristic of lead-based paint. This study demonstrates that raised beds are a limited exposure reduction method and require maintenance to achieve exposure reduction goals. An exposure model was developed based on a suite of parameters that combine relevant values from the literature with site-specific quantification of exposure pathways. This model suggests that consumption of homegrown produce accounts for only 3% of children’s daily exposure of lead while ingestion of fine grained soil (less than 100 mm) accounts for 82% of the daily exposure. This study indicates that urban lead remediation on a yard-by-yard scale requires constant maintenance and that remediation may need to occur on a neighborhood-wide scale.

Worcester Data

Tried to compile as much data as I could onto one spreadsheet:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkFOO8eoO87JdDBNa29pME42MlNURE13MGZ6VUVxc0E&hl=en&authkey=CJrFhJYH

let me know what you think! also all of the lead values are the total estimated lead contents of the samples, not what was extracted.

Tenant Advocacy Clinic

Last night two Heller School students, Masoud and "Slim," came into WATCH seeking advice on what to do about their missed court date. Coming from Afghanistan and Egypt a year ago, the students immediately signed a lease with Lupo, a notoriously deceitful landlord, and thus began a series of problems. The students had entered the clinic months before because Lupo had charged them an arbitrary agent's fee (without letting them know where the money was eventually deposited) and he neglected to fix major problems with the apartment. They had heard rumors that Lupo was dishonest, so they feared giving him their last months rent and never seeing their security deposit returned. Instead, they asked that the security deposit be used in lieu of their final months rent and wanted to be checked out immediately. He never responded and the students left for the summer believing they were finished with the situation. However, Lupo had secretly filed a complaint for lack of payment and apartment damages but sent the letter to their previous address. Consequently, they never received the court notice and missed their appointment. Therefore, last night, we had to refresh our knowledge of court appeal procedures in order to ensure that the students would not get charged. They left with the appeal and answer forms and a plan to submit these to the Waltham District Court this week. Their situation was frustrating and unfair but both boys held a positive attitude. Masoud said that as long as he can prevent Lupo from doing this to others, the whole process will be worth it.

Poisoned Profits

Poisoned Profits concludes with a section on corporate reform. The Shabecoff’s write, “Taming corporate power and its abuses will take far more than ineffectual regulatory Band-Aids, fines, and a few prison sentence” (251). Years ago the Shabecoff’s sounded the warning call against the over-powerful position of corporations in American society and the risks associated with treating businesses like people. These points remain pertinent to our country’s current situation. Ironically, before the Gulf oil spill on April 20, BP was a finalist for the Mineral Management Service’s SAFE award. It sadly took another major catastrophe to produce a public outcry, despite environmentalists reporting violations and lack of transparency in these companies for decades. Now the question remains whether or not the new regulations being put into place in Washington will remain simply a “Band-Aid.” The fact the Poisoned Profits did not receive the same controversial reception as Silent Spring in the 1960s worries me. The Shabecoff’s hoped that their book would inspire social action and transform the political structure, but as of yet, it does not seem to have sparked a call to action except within the academic strata. I hope someday this book will make it to mainstream audiences, because I believe it is an important overview of the dangers facing our planet.

Meeting the Shabecoff’s really added to the experience of reading the book. I was shocked to hear the NYTimes fired Philip for being too “pro-environment” but felt inspired to see a couple believe so passionately in these issues and willingly face adversity in order to share their message. Each of the speakers thus far on the JBS program finished by asking us what we plan to do to help the environment. I personally appreciate the challenge, especially since it is not a particular generation’s problem but requires the efforts of all ages and nations.
-Tiffany

Advocacy Clinic Monday Night

On Monday night an older woman came in right at seven o'clock, and immediately began talking about her difficulties (I can only remember her last name, so I'll just leave her anonymous). She quickly began telling Paul and I that the town of Newton was corrupt, and was only run by rich white men who only cared about themselves. She also claimed that she had been verbally and physically abused by both the police and other people in her apartment complex. In addition, the woman came in with a police report stating that several formal complaints had been filed against her by one of her neighbors, and that she was to appear in court on thursday. We advised her to ask for a lawyer once she got there (although she claimed that the court had previously denied her one for no reason), but then informed her that we could not really give legal advise because we are not lawyers (which she apparently not aware of, and she reacted angrily). The woman stated that her landlord had broken into her apartment about a year ago and stolen all of her belongings except for her clothes, so we gave her a form on how to file a grievance. But aside from that we could do very little for her except listen.

On a happier note, Junia came in a little before eight, and it appears as though she has found an apartment in Waltham that is in her price range. The problem is, she must pay 2,000 dollars for first and last months rent, and she only has 500 dollars in savings and 300 from her church. In order to raise the remaining 1200 dollars Paul and I drafted an letter to various organizations around Boston to see if any could contribute money to Junia's cause. Hopefully at least a few of them will be willing to give something, and Junia and her three children will be able to move into the new apartment by August 1.

Poisoned Profits

I thought the Shabecoffs covered the issue of chemical contamination in our modern environment with both emotional candor and solid empirical science. The suffering accrued and shear magnitude of all these individuals that were interviewed by the Shabecoffs brought a new insight into the shear scope of current environmental risks. The book definitely had an emotional aspect to it but it never caused the book to deviate from its sound presentations of how chemicals have become such a large part of modern living. The book gave a great overview of chemicals in our food, water, and air, and how companies have such an alarmingly powerful influence on government regulation. On a lighter note, really appreciated the appendix's of the book. There was great advice for what steps you could take as a person living in our modern world.

Plans for Stonehurst Saturday

Dear Crew,
Judy Fallows of Healthy Waltham, the Wayside fellows and the Waltham Land Trust are eager for your involvement this Saturday, 12-4pm at the community event at Stonehurst. Please let me know if you plan to go for any part.
All is planned already for you. Below is from Judy about your involvement in the activity and transportation options. (See earlier posting on blog about the event itself):

"We are planning the activity, all your students have to do is show up. There will be a couple of options, but the one we like the most is making a bookmark with things they find around the grounds - leaves, flower petals, etc. - and capturing them between clear sheets of contact paper. We will probably also do leaf rubbings, again they will need to hunt around and find suitable leaves. If your students come for a couple of hours, it would be terrific if they could come in shifts, so we have help with the activity throughout the 4 hours. We'll also have them keep an eye on the water station and help people get water to drink.
If some students could be there between noon and 4, that would be great, and if anybody wanted to stay beyond 4 and help with cleanup, I'd be glad to give them a ride back to Brandeis. There will be a shuttle bus (city trolley) going from the top of Moody St, past the common and out to Stonehurst several times that day, as part of the Historic Waltham Days deal. I don't have the schedule yet, but some of your students might be able to hop on the shuttle to get to Stonehurst.
I can discuss more on Thursday morning [at Brandeis garden.]I'll show up at 9 and perhaps can stay for 20 minutes,as I also have to get to Stonehurst to set up there."

Will you let me know if you plan to come, and for what portion?

See you tomorrow at "our" van in EAST lost at 10am, dirty plates and all!
Prof G

The Chili I made for you in Fall River. I also added a can of corn, and some Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Jack’s 3-Bean Chili
1 cup dried black beans

½ cup dried Spanish red beans

½ cup dried Italian white beans

2 tablespoons canola or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, medium dice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, medium dice

2 poblano peppers, seeds removed, medium dice

1 red pepper, medium dice

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water

16 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Soak the beans together overnight. Drain.

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno, poblano and red peppers; cook 5-10 minutes, until soft.

Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cinnamon; cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add beans; stir to evenly distribute seasonings, and add broth and water. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, leaving the pot uncovered; cook for at least 1 hour or until beans are tender to taste.

Add tomatoes. salt and pepper; continue simmering for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the chili has thickened. If at any time the liquid falls below the level of the bean mixture, add more broth or water to cover. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 10.

Poisoned Profits Response

When I first started reading Poisoned Profits I did not love it. Something about the way it was written bothered me, and I felt like every sentence was constructed in such a way as to rile people up, and really get them angry at the big "evil" chemical companies. This is the type of persuasive writing that always gets under my skin, because I do not think there is anything truly evil about a company seeking to maximize profits at the expense of the environment-it is simply extremely irresponsible and short-sighted. That being said, however, I started to come around when I realized how much research the Shabecoffs obviously had to do for this book, and the way the information was put together in an easy to understand, accessible story. Once I realized how the book was set up I became more interested; the first half gave numerous statistics regarding skyrocketing hazardous chemical production and the decrease in the health of many Americans (especially children). The second half then went on to describe how the system works, and how we can begin to correct this steadily worsening situation. Although I did not agree with everything that was said in the latter, it was nice to see that the authors were offering solutions instead of simply scaring everyone and telling them not to eat or touch anything.

I also thought it was great to be able to talk to the Shabecoffs via Skype, and it was really nice of them to take the time to figure out the technology and stick with us through all of the technical difficulties. Both offered a lot of insight into what went into the making of the book, and it was interesting to learn more about their careers. Something that really caught my attention was when Philip said that, although he was expecting to be harassed and sued by the big chemical companies when the book was released, he actually met very little opposition. Multi billion dollar companies would have no trouble making anyone's life a living hell, especially someone who wrote a book with pages and pages of statistics and numbers, not all of which could be totally defended if thoroughly investigated. I find it very interesting, then, that the chemical industry seemed to do exactly what the class suggested would have been in their best interest when going up against Rachel Carson, and that is completely ignore the book. Luckily, judging by the popularity of the book it appears as though the message has reached the people nonetheless, helping everyday American citizens to become more aware of what their children are exposed to. While this was not my absolute favorite book, I must admit that it did grow on me, and I would recommend it to anyone who does not see that mankind is truly destroying the only environment we have in virtually every imaginable way for the sake of profit.

Clinic 7/8/10

This past Thursday at the clinic, Hanna and I worked with a woman, Stephanie, who was hoping to move out of her apartment by August 13th. We helped her look up different apartments in towns around Boston. She is looking to live with an elderly woman as a housemate or to find a situation where she could exchange childcare or household work for living arrangements. She does currently live with her husband, but is worried that things between them will continue getting worse. She left the clinic with a bunch of places to call, but I think she was still very apprehensive about the whole situation. She is currently out of work, and though she has training as a nurse, the hospital wants her to be living in a stable environment before they rehire her.

Funny Onion Article

http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-ecofriendly-cigarettes-kill-destructive-human,17529/

Poisoned Profits reflection

I wasn't sure of the impact that Poisoned Profits would have on my life until I rode the bus from Boston to Waltham. I usually people watch on buses, and tonight, I saw something that intensely bothered me. A few weeks ago, I may have noticed it, but tonight, I felt almost obligated to speak out.

I saw a mother and a father feeding McDonalds fries to their infant daughter, still in a stroller sitting in front of them. At first, I wondered if they knew how many chemicals had to be in the food that they were not only feeding themselves, but their extremely young daughter. Then, I saw the baby take out a bottle which was full of juice-- full of sugars and most likely other chemicals as well. Poisoned Profits made clear again and again that mothers today are likely to give birth to children with birth defects, and here was what looked like a healthy baby being fed food that would reverse this miracle.

Although I do not agree with many of the recommendations proposed in the novel, such as the increased role of religion in the environmental movement and the necessity to adopt a system in which the economy takes an active interest in public health, I am happy that the book was able to scare me-- something valuable that I may not have gained so easily from reading a scientific paper or report. The voice of the Schabecoffs' together, even if borderline too colloquial at times, was a key element for the book in terms of making a powerful and succinct point: that even if its too late for us, there is still work that has to be done to ensure a healthy environment for our children and even grandchildren.

I may not agree with all of the opinions stated in Poisoned Profits, but I do agree with this: that the world, my generation in particular, has been charged with an immense goal of not only preserving but cleaning up the environment. I think I can help in accomplishing this goal, and I can only hope that others feel the same way and are ready to begin.

Reflection on Poisoned Profits

Looking from a standpoint of environmentalist movement, Poisoned Profits fits perfectly as a modern summary of an ever-existing problem. Abuse committed on our environment, including its continuous contamination, has been a repetitive problem for the humanity. With ground-breaking Silent Spring by Rachel Carson through Civil Action and the story of Erin Brockovich, the world learns personal stories of people directly affected by harmful pollution. Poisoned Profits, similarly to other literature we have come across in our course, tells a story of children and their families, victimized by self-righteous and uncontrolled companies, which on a daily basis choose to sacrifice the human health for their own profit.

I am sure that Schabecoffs' book made a profound impact on some politicians, litigators, as well as common men and yet, I hope for a truly monumental moment that would change people's attitudes towards environment and finally, influence the world of politics so that nature can be protected from its further destruction. It seems, however, that as long as money is involved in the decision-making processes, there is a higher potential for corruption, which inadvertently impedes upon a selfless commitment to environmental protection. Inasmuch as hazardous living conditions due to contamination exist not only in the US, but also in other parts of the world, a problematic tension between the private companies, the government, and the good for the people occurs around the globe. The recent story set in Nigeria proves how international companies destroy the environments of foreign countries - usually, the countries of high corruption and internal domestic conflicts between the government and its people: "A series of repressive and corrupt governments in Nigeria have been supported and maintained by western governments and oil corporations, keen on benefiting from the fossil fuels that can be exploited. As people and transnational oil corporations have been fighting over this “dark nectar” in the delta region, immense poverty and environmental destruction have resulted." [http://www.globalissues.org/article/86/nigeria-and-oil] Clearly, differences in regulations in different countries allow for abuses of environment everywhere and the lack of environmental law well-established and governed on an international scale further disallows awareness about a global need for environmental protection.

Finally, I am very grateful that we got a chance to speak with Schabecoffs. It is always so good to fully immerse in the topic and be able to understand it from several various perspectives. As for Poisoned Profits, I expended my knowledge and understanding of the book even further after speaking with its authors.

More Feedback from the Community

Dear EJ Crew:
I just received this from Alex Siegrist, one of the teachers at the Waltham Family School and also the Breaking Barriers Program Manager at WATCH (in charge of all the classes and special programs):

"Hi Laura,
I think that the Healthy Cleaning Training yesterday at the Family School went fabulously - I got very positive feedback from my class afterwards! Tell your students great job and we are looking forward to Tuesday!
It would be great to recreate it here at WATCH with our English program participants... [She then goes on to suggest ideas, but it would have to be for next semester since you are almost done!]
Alex"

Junia

I know many of you have worked with Junia and may have an opinion on this. Just thought I would start a discussion going.

Junia has visited the clinic for the past month. She first came in as she was checking on her place on section 8 and public housing. She then found out that her public housing application had been denied, but she was unaware. We wrote to the WHA to get more information and Greg Gibson (family division) has yet to return Paul's calls. We felt that the case should be reevaluated, as the denial may have been a fault of the WHA, not Junia, who claims that she constantly notified them of change of address. In the last couple of weeks, you have helped her do a housing search for a new place - and she has found one!

Junia is behind on rent. She has not paid May, June, or July. The next step is to move out of the apartment and find a more affordable place. For the new place she found, she has put $500 down of a $1000 deposit. I told her that I would fill out emergency financial assistance forms as she has exhausted most of the other resources. JF & CS (Jewish Families & Children's Services) cannot help. I spoke with the intake worker directly who is sad that the Homelessness Prevention Program has no founds. Salvation Army says they cannot help, although she is going back in today to see why.

Should we use the emergency financial assistance to provide her with the $500 deposit on the new apartment so that she does not lose the place? She gets paid today, but only $400. She will likely lose the place without a full deposit. I have told her to negotiate with the new landlord so that he doesn't give the place to someone else until the end of the next week - this gives her some time to find the funds. The move in date is August 1, and giving her the money WILL NOT solve her other problems - unpaid rent for May, June, and July. That she will have to deal with, and she is trying to work out a payment agreement with her landlord. I didn't promise her anything, but I solely told her that I am filling out an application for her.

She is coming back in Monday. I really don't know what to tell her anymore.

The question is - is providing the money to Junia sustainable? It will help her get this new apartment, but where is she going to get other help?

Thoughts?

Some Worcester stuffs

Hi guys!!

So I got all of the visual assessment stuff (that I have) into a spreadsheet. Let me know if you feel there is a better way to do it to better analyze the data

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkFOO8eoO87JdGJFUnRzRjREZmxqNzlUc1BFbnBmaUE&hl=en&authkey=CID9opYO

Also, here are the jobs that we came up with the other day...

Data collection and formatting: Tiffany and Fiona
Data analysis: Ken (blood lead risk graphs [IEUBK, the link is on the LATTE site]), William (excel graph master), Tyler (low to high Pb content histogram), Phil (sample 1 vs sample 2 correlation coefficient) [[these are all ideas Joe mentioned in class on Tuesday]]
Methods: Natalia and Maddie
Visual guru: Hanna
Demographic table on Worcester: Tiffany
Comparison lead table (Worcester vs Boston vs Waltham vs China): Fiona

If any of this is wrong-- comment with a change. This is just what I had written down in my notebook.

If you have any more ideas for good tables/figures that we can use and how we can best analyze the data-- create it! if you need help, ask around.

aaaand don't forget about the introductions! :) See everyone on Monday!

Thank You Reminder

Hi All,

I just received a lovely thank you card from Mary Toomey from Woburn for the flowers, which reminds us that we still need to send Mary, Donna and Kevin each a thank you note. I'll bring some note cards on Monday and let's make time to do this.
You also might want to send a note of thanks to the Shabecoffs.
Pasted below is an excerpt from a note I just received from Alice:

"Dear Laura,
needless to say, we should be thanking you for giving us an introduction to the very people in the very generation we hope will carry on this message and do something about it. In no way do you owe us a favor, hardly even the lovely thank you that you've sent us here. Philip does hate 'public speaking' which is a shame since I think he's inspiring, but once it was over and we had overcome the technology hurdle, I think he was pretty happy.
The questions were pretty astounding: how would a young man think to ask about environmental reporting back in the Stone Age of the '80s; how would it occur to a young woman to ask what writing a book together was like.
The only regret I have is that we couldn't talk about the new sciences [she's referring to the section on nanotechnology, etc]-- thou there's enough in the book if they read that part with some attention."

Please make sure to look at what is already posted on the LATTE site for resources relating to the issues raised in Poisoned Profits, including the Environmental working Group's (EWG.org) very accessible and good resources for making wiser consumer product and food choices (they address everything from cleaning products to makeup.)

Prof G

Moussa!

Moussa, who visited the clinic numerous times throughout June, has found an apartment in Malden, MA! Thank you all for you help! He will be living there with his wife who just arrived from Cameroon and their 18-month year old baby.

Adolfo Martinez Update

One more post...

I just wanted to let you know that Adolfo is getting help from BCLAB for his court case TODAY. The post below from Alan asked if last minute resources could be utilized...and it seems like they have.

Two people from BCLAB are working with him and his court case began about 20 minutes ago.

He should have a translator and let's keep our fingers crossed.

Thank you for all your help throughout. Special thanks to William for his amazing translation skills!

Thanks all!

Robyn

Marilyn UPDATE

Hello again,

I have just returned from Marilyn's apartment.

I think some progress has been made. Marilyn seems 75% sure she is staying where she is, which I completely agree with for now.

In visiting the apartment, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting absolute awful conditions, but the place was well kept and all the problems had been fixed. I mentioned the rodent problem we had advised Lupo of last week. Apparently, this is not a problem. Her mom and sister misinformed us. As soon as I got back to the office, I called Lupo's assistant to tell them of the miscommunication.

Marilyn has an appointment for an apartment which she is still going to tomorrow. If it is perfect, she will take it. I guess we can continue our housing search for Marilyn, but seeing as moving is not an emergency (she is protected in her lease until end of December if we revoke notice to quit) she seems ok for now.

She explained that she didn't want to leave Waltham because it is her support system. She could find the perfect place in Boston, but she would have difficulty with transportation, getting someone to babysit her children (who are all beautiful!). It makes sense. But for now, she is safe, has the support of WATCH and the Housing Authority who will be on Lupo's case the first second anything goes wrong.

I think staying is the right decision for now. She has a lot of stuff she will have to move, and it seems like there is no perfect place for her to go to for now. Marilyn lives on Dartmouth, and as a Brandeis student you probably have passed her house one thousand times. I have spoken to her case worker from the Boston Housing Authority and she also told me that Marilyn only has to give her landlord a 30 day notice to leave (although Lupo requests 60). So we can keep the search up - if any one us find a perfect place with utilities included, we can contact Marilyn, get her to see the place, and go through this process....but until then, I think she should revoke the notice to quit.

If you ever have time and want to do a craigslist search, see if there is anything. 1700 for 3 bedrooms in Waltham. If so, maybe pursue it and see if it is available. Then we can have a discussion with Marilyn.

Marilyn will NOT be coming in tonight as there is not a need. She will be in on Monday as she is going to fill out a public housing application - she is a low priority but for the long term it may be a good idea. She will require assistance filling it out.

:)

Robyn

Marilyn

Hello everyone,

In have spoken with Professor Goldin, I am writing to update you on Marilyn.

I have asked Marilyn to come in again to the clinic tonight. This is an overview of the situation and the options we have moving forward.

Situation: Marilyn has lived in the Lupo apartment for three years. She wants to leave as in the past he has cut off her heat illegally, and she has three children. On June 17, we provided Lupo with a 60 day notice to leave. The problem is - Marilyn cannot find another apartment. She is on the Boston Housing Authority Section 8 housing, and she is unable to pay fees up front until an inspection has passed. Therefore, she can find an apartment and get all the applications filled out, but the BHA must still approve the place. The process takes a couple of weeks, which is why we wrote her the 60 day notice. Because the voucher is from the BHA, they will not provide her a last month's rent or security deposit, only first month's rent. Waltham landlords are not really willing to only accept a first month's rent. She has the money for a security deposit now, but is not successful in finding a three bedroom for $1700. Advocates have searched for her every week. In some cases, we feel it may be discrimination. In other cases, the utilities are not included. This is a requirement of the subsidy. If they are not included, the BHA may only be able to cover some of the costs - but this is not guaranteed. One apartment which she wants to apply for just had the move in date changed from September 1 to November 1 - too late for Marilyn. She has an appointment for an apartment viewing on Friday at 5:30. It is 1500 not including utilities. The man is only willing for her to move in August 1, which may work out...but she may not love the apartment. This may be the best shot right now.

If this one on Friday does not work out, I fear that she won't be able to find another place in time for a September 1 move in date. Sandra Redish (her worker at the BHA) has worked with her for over a year to find housing in WALTHAM. She has been unsuccessful. If she can't find a place to move in to for September 1, Lupo will find someone else to move in. I have reasoned with Crystal (Lupo's assistant) to not begin advertising the apartment until next week, just in case we can convince Marilyn to stay where she is. Otherwise, they will begin advertising for a September 1 move in. Her lease is good until December 31st, but not if she does not revoke the notice to leave. I told her that if she decides to stay, we will constantly be able to help notify Lupo of the problems. If the heat is turned off as it has been in the past, the BHA reacts immediately. The exterminator is coming in soon to deal with the rodent problem which we notified them of last week. The BHA knows of it, and will send an exterminator in if Lupo fails to deal with the situation properly. Crystal's belief is that Marilyn constantly finds something to complain about. In one case, a light which had fallen (according to Marilyn) was found hiding in the apartment (according to Crystal).

I am going to visit her apartment within the next hour to take pictures and see for myself what its like. From there, there are three options.

1. Stay in the apartment - we will then need to revoke the 60 day notice to leave. They will accept this next week if she decides to do this.

2. Move out of the apartment beyond Waltham - she is not willing to leave Waltham. She has a very important support at the Waltham Family School and I fear that if she leaves, she will be unhappy. The thing is, she will be able to get an apartment outside of Waltham. The Boston Housing Authority has places they work with to ensure their Section 8 clients are taken care of. Marilyn is just not willing to leave...

3. Keep the search on - either hope the place on Friday works out, or we continue to search. We would then need to provide Lupo with another 30 day notice allowing her to stay in the apartment until September 1. I fear that if she can't find a place by September 1 and Lupo finds other tenants to move in, he will bring her to court. I don't think this will be good at all for her.

So...based on what I see when I visit, we should try to provide her with some guidance tonight. I have spoken with her on the phone and in person many times and hoping that YOU CAN all help. Maybe hearing her options from someone else. Maybe one of you can help her do another search on craigslist. I am hoping that we can all work together to help her through this.

See you all tonight.

Robyn

Hey Everyone! Please check out what Joe posted on the "Useful Study Abstacts" page above! It's a paper about Worcester!!!

Emilie

Waltham Family School Tomorrow; Shabecoffs

Dear EJ Crew,

Good work in helping to establish common ground with Worcester Roots today, and accomplishing so many sites for testing and assessment despite the outrageous weather. The piles of post-remediation soil samples and visual assessments are rapidly growing!

Reminder: We meet AT THE VAN (#26) tomorrow 10:20am to pile in to head over to the Waltham Family School. For a "picture" of the program and sense of the context beyond what I described today, take a brief look at the Waltham Family School's website beforehand:
http://www.walthampartnershipforyouth.org/walthamfamilyschool.htm
Note that the WFS is one of only a tiny handful of Early Start programs(out of a much larger number) that have survived successfully in recent, municipal and state budget-crunching, years.

The plan with the WFS women is as we discussed in the van. I'm trying to reach Britta to make sure she is comfortable with the chair set-up we envision for the ice-breaker and discussions after Ted's talk.

At noon, we'll return to campus for our class discussion with Philip and Alice Shabecoffs via Skype. If you go off to get something to eat, please make sure to be back in the classroom by 12:55.

On another topic: in relation to the discussion with Ted earlier today about air pollution caused by the Tennessee Valley Authority's powerplants and the ensuing lawsuit, I thought you'd be interested in this recent development in EPA rule-making:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/science/earth/07epa.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

As you may be able to glean from the NYTimes article, these new rules have been long in coming, and go in a different direction from those proposed by the prior administration.

See you tomorrow, and may it be a little bit cooler.
Prof G

Hi Everyone,

I just had a couple things I wanted to share. First, I thought our talk with Joe Allen was very helpful yesterday. It was comforting to know that hitting obstacles in a study is very normal, and that there's rarely a study where previous data is exactly what was expected. I had been getting worried that the actual data of this study wouldn't be valuable because the Worcester Roots samples were gathered in a different way than ours. So, I appreciated that Joe gave us some perspective.

I also went to the clinic last week, but I never commented on that experience. I was not signed up for that night, and it turned out there were a few too many of us, but we all found jobs to do. As was mentioned in an earlier blog post, it seems as though Marylin does not need to leave her apartment. I wrote up a letter for her to give Lupo informing him about the leaky walls and rats. Her sister was saying that the apartment passed a health inspection in May, but there are clearly still health code violations. Marylin's sister and mother are going to find out who exactly has convinced Marylin she has to leave, and whether this is true or not.

Best,
Maddie

Hi JBS!

I thought I would forward along an email to provide you with an update about Adolfo Martinez. This email is from Alan Minuskin, writing to someone at BCLAB - he is trying to scramble last minute resources to get an attorney to show up for Adolfo on Thursday. Read below...

Hi Maritza,

I did some poking around on this case, and I think there is something quick and easy we can do to get a dismissal this Thursday afternoon. From reviewing a recent Waltham Health Department inspection report, I think Mr. Martinez probably has strong habitability claims that may exceed the rent owed, which I think totals $3033 through July.

I learned from Dottie in the Waltham Court clerk’s office that the landlord is not represented by a lawyer. I’d thought that John Santangelo was on the case, but when his phone greeting said he was on vacation through the beginning of next week I asked Dottie to check to see if he had entered an appearance for the landlord. He hasn’t. The complaint is signed by Raj Santhmoorthy and indicates a PO box in Lincoln, MA. The Health Department report cites the owner, Travancore Corporation. I did a Lexis property search and can see that Travancore Corp. owns the property. I also searched the BBO database for a lawyer with a name anything like Santhmoorthy. I don’t belief this person is a lawyer. This means that Travanacore MUST be represented by a lawyer. An individual, even the president of the corporation, cannot file a complaint or appear on behalf of a corporation. This is known in Massachusetts as a Varney defense (see attached case at HN4).

Knocking out the present summary process case would force a refiling. The earliest first-trial date (i.e. without discovery) on a new complaint would be 7/29. That would give us a chance to build the warranty of habitability case. All of this may encourage a business-minded landlord to make an offer of time and an accommodation on money.

To effectuate this, we’d need to get someone over to the summary process session this Thursday afternoon to bring this to Mike Finucane’s attention. Brining a couple of copies of the Varney case would probably do it. He’d then explain to the landlord that he must start over and be represented by a lawyer.

I asked Dottie whether the court file reflected that an interpreter had been requested. She did not see it but said that someone named Gracie is at the Waltham Court all the time to assist with interpreting English-Spanish.

I’m wondering whether Alissa (3:03 certified) and Jay (knows housing and speaks Spanish) would be up for delivering the knock-out punch to buy Mr. Martinez a few weeks so we can set ourselves up for a more substantive defense and counterclaim. Of course, this has to be weighed against the heft and level of activity of everything else you and they are managing. The other practical consideration I should add is that even though the above analysis all makes neat sense to me on paper, who knows how things will really unfold at the courthouse?

I have not attempted to contact Mr. Martinez. His number is 781-492-2981. It looks like the landlord’s number is 781-257-5016.

Let me know.

Alan

You Spoke, We Listened!

Dear EJ Crewers,

Just in case any of you missed my email from Friday, I'm posting it here to the blog as well:

I'm glad many of you had a chance to speak with Emilie on Friday about the JBS so far, and she shared some of your thoughts with me. It's a good time to take stock and make adjustments as appropriate. The EH&E folks and I are eager to discuss all this with you directly, so we can best ensure the rich, engaged learning experience we wish and expect you to have. Meanwhile, we're already addressing some of what we heard (albeit second-hand so far) in some changes in the plans for next week (also reflected in the calendar.)
We will meet with Joe Allen at 9:30-11:00AM this Tuesday, July 6 in the classroom for discussion and for planning about going forward on the health study. (We will then go to Worcester in the afternoon.) Wednesday also will begin with an Environmental Health science class in the morning.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to reading your A Civil Action papers, due Tuesday. You also should be reading Poisoned Profits (or the very recently published paperback version, Poisoned for Profit.) Please complete reading as much of the book as possible by Thursday.

Reminder: no Tenant Advocacy Clinic on Monday.

Have a great July 4th weekend!
Best to all,
Prof G

Tenant Advocacy Clinic (#3)

Ah, sorry for the late posting on this... I disappeared into the woods of New Hampshire for two days and my mind just returned back to normal.

Anyway! Advocacy clinic! Tyler and I worked with Junia on Thursday, and before I tell the rest of the story, I'll tell the ending -- she left smiling.

Junia came in with her daughter on Thursday. She had been trying to get into contact with different landlords, with no luck. She expressed to us how worried she feels about losing her home.. with girls aged 11 and 17, I would too. Its different to accept being homeless if its just you, its so much more different once you have children you care about.

So, we looked for some more places for her. None are really perfect, but I think leaving the office with a few pieces of paper made her happy. Also, Carly suggested that we help her draft an e-mail template that she could send to different landlords in case they didn't respond to phone calls as much as e-mails. I feel that this will really help Junia, and make her feel that she is doing everything possible to protect her family (which at this point, she is). Jewish Family Children Services was willing to give her a small amount of money, but no huge miracle has helped her yet.

On the way out, Junia looked satisfied but still sad. I asked her for a hug and we hugged it out. I honestly think that helped. Sometimes if you believe in people they begin to believe (or re-believe) in themselves, too. We didn't find her a new apartment or take care of her rent, but we did help lift her spirits just a little. I'm okay with that.

Have a happy fourth of July everyone!
-Fiona

Tenant Advocacy Clinic

Yesterday was an interesting day in terms of what clients stopped by. William and I helped a man named Ivan who desired to move from his current living arrangements. He did not wish to share almost any information about himself, even information that was pertinent to an apartment search such as his current rent levels and what he was willing to spend on an apartment. William described his interactions as "terse" and I can confirm that it was very hard to find apartments with the level of information we received. We finally managed to find a promising location near where he currently lives that may have an opening in 2-3 days so we let Ivan know to contact them after the July 4th holiday.

Although I did not work with Marilyn today there seems to be progress on the case as it turns out no one is forcing Marilyn to move out of her living arrangements. Robyn managed to show Marilyn sister who has an email how to conducts searches for apartments so that the family does not need to come into WATCH as frequently. This was the first case I worked on so I am glad that the case is drawing to a close for Marilyn and her family.

I hope everyone enjoys July 4th!

-Philip

Updates on Adolfo!

Hello all,

After William's inquiry last night about Adolfo Martinez, I thought I would call Alan Minuskin this morning. I spoke with him, and although I expected him to be familiar and all caught up, it seemed like he was a bit unsure about where things were with Adolfo.

I then called Hernando, the man who has been helping Adolfo from GBLS. He told me that he does not have representation for his July 8 court date (the date was pushed back two weeks because we filed the discovery with him). I then followed up with the Waltham District Court to see whether a request for translator had been filed from Adolfo. I spoke with a very sweet and helpful woman who confirmed that the court date is July 8 and that he had not put in a request. She allowed me to do that on the phone, and so there will be a Spanish translator there for him now.

I am in the process of trying to follow up with Hernando and Alan. I hope that they connected, as Hernando has been more familiar with the case as he is able to communicate directly with Adolfo, while most of us are at a disadvantage in speaking no or very little Spanish.

My fingers are crossed that maybe some representation can come from BCLAB. But as Alan informed me, most cases they take on in the summer are for the elderly. He was unsure how Adolfo's case slipped through the cracks, however. He said that he was unsure whether Mr. Martinez ever visited BCLAB. William - I think it was our understanding that BCLAB could not take on the case and that he was referred to GBLS, which is why I got in touch with Hernando in the first place. Not so sure how this happened as it did...

Have a good long weekend everyone! Thanks for your continued support. I loved the email brainstorming session that went on last night in regards to an email from a man about about a lease that was going to be ending early. The man emailed back saying: "Thank you very much. I never expected the level of response I have got from your group. I appreciate it and will keep you informed."

See you all next Thursday!

Robyn

I uploaded more photos from our work on the garden, and also from our work at Worcester Roots. Check them out on the photo page!

A Thank You & Plan for Tomorrow

Dear E.J. Crew,

Hot off the email press from EPA:

"Laura,

Please thanks your students again for their great work which will help to make Durffee High School at safer, greener environment for all the students, teachers and support staff.

Without you help, EPA would not be able to provide their on site assistance to this school.

thanks again

Dwight

Dwight Peavey

Senior Scientist

US EPA"

EJ Study and Tomorrow:

We all owe thanks to Fiona for creating the excellent google map, which provides an excellent working and presentation tool for the entire study project. (A collective thank you, Fiona!)

Tomorrow: Brandeis garden folks work with Wayside youth at 9-9:45am at the Brandeis garden. We all meet at the van to leave campus by 10:30 am (this is is a changed from earlier-scheduled 10am.) We will be meeting the Worcester Roots folks at the site we'll be remediating together.

The overall plan with Worcester Roots:

1)You'll be able to be involved in a site remediation with the Toxic Soil Busters /Youth In Charge from start to finish -- from planning the remediation design to creating stuctures and planting.

2) You'll continue on with our study research, with the help and involvement of the youth when possible, completing the study by July 22nd. This will require breaking up into teams to get the work done. As much as possible, we would like you to take the lead in organizing yourselves to accomplish the work needed for various aspect of the study-- just like the "real thing". To help get you started, I've posted on the Latte site (under the Study topic, along with the study design and data from Worcester Roots*) a "Study Tasks" outline to read for tomorrow and consider in organizing yourselves to accomplish the work. We'll have an extra car tomorrow so you can split up as needed.

(*Emilie is creating tonight new "Study" tab on our EJ Crew blog to put all of these documents as well, so you can all add materials and manipulate them.)

3) You'll present your findings to the community on July 22.

So take a look at the Latte site, and see you tomorrow! Please wear working clothes, closed-toe shoes, and bring lunch.

Prof G

PS: (Your study intro paper is also already posted on LATTE, under "assignments")

View Worcester Roots in a larger map

yay map of tested homes in Worcester!

Fall River

Check out our new photos of our work in Fall River. Go to the photo page to see more!

Lead exposure article

Abstract

This paper presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the various aspects of lead remediation effectiveness with particular reference to human health risk assessment. One of the key elements of lead remediation efforts at such sites as those under the Superfund program deals with populations at elevated exposure and toxicity risk in the proximity of, or at, the site of remediation, especially remediation workers, workers at other tasks on sites that were remediated down to some action level of lead concentration in soils, and groups at risk in nearby communities. A second element has to do with how one measures or models lead exposure changes with special reference to baseline and post-remediation conditions. Various biomarkers of lead exposure can be employed, but their use requires detailed knowledge of what results using each means. The most commonly used approach is measurement of blood lead (Pb-B). Recognized limitations in the use of Pb-B has led to the use of predictive Pb exposure models, which are less vulnerable to the many behavioral, physiological, and environmental parameters that can distort isolated or ‘single shot’ Pb-B testings. A third aspect covered in this paper presents various physiological factors that affect the methods by which one evaluates Pb remediation effectiveness. Finally, this article offers an integrated look at how lead remediation actions directed at one lead source or pathway affect the total lead exposure picture forhuman populations at elevated lead exposure and toxicity risk.

Address: http://www.sciencedirect.com.resources.library.brandeis.edu/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V78-4712M3P-M&_user=520880&_coverDate=02%2F15%2F2003&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000023460&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=520880&md5=04cd1673c02327442227cb1190a1cf77

A Few Pictures from Another Season

I thought you might like to see some pictures from the fall, when things aren't so overgrown.