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
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