Films, documentaries, and short news reports have become an important source of information when it comes to exploring issues from around the world. With the growing number of environmental injustice issues, films and documentaries have been able to provide a lens into the livelihoods that have been affected by these injustices. The films made available on this website cover a variety of issues ranging from toxic air emissions, water contamination, nuclear waste, to issues of “natural” hazards.
Toxic Waste in the US: Coal Ash (Full Length)
This VICE News report investigates the implications of coal ash, a toxic byproduct material, across the United States. Coal is burned as an electricity source, leaving behind coal ash as toxic waste. The United State contains approximately 653 coal-fired power plants, having many ramifications for the communities living nearby these power plants. In this report coal ash is linked to groundwater contamination. Coal ash contains extremely harmful carcinogens, such as hexavalent chromium, which causes health issues like cancer and birth defects.
why this town is dying from cancer | aj+
This AJ+ report investigates the high cancer rates faced by the communities in the small town of LaPlace-Reserve, Louisiana. This town is predominantly African American and comprised of low-income families. Since the reserve is located near the Mississippi River, many petrochemical companies have sited their facilities nearby. One of these companies, DuPont, has been releasing chloroprene air emissions at high concentration rates (400 times higher than the EPA limit). Exposures to chloroprene have been linked to liver, kidney, and digestive cancers.
What It’s Like to Live Cancer Alley | NowThis
In this cancer documentary, NowThis News tackles the important issue of environmental injustice. Factors in our environment might lead to cancer. Louisiana residents in ‘cancer alley’ discovered this first hand. They’re feeling the effects of environmental racism and the illness brought on by living in cancer alley. Mississippi River factories, the Petrol corridor specifically, might have made them sick. This cancer alley documentary explains how residents feel about it all.
Toxic Water Crisis Still This Haunts New York Town | HuffPost Reports
This HuffPort report investigates the toxic water crisis faced by the New York town of Hoosick Falls. The report finds that Hoosick Fall groundwaters have been contaminated with Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) by manufacturing facilities. The C8 Science Panel has investigated the effects of PFOA and found that diseases such as kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis, and thyroid disease have been linked to exposures of PFOA. These diseases were found in many cases at communities in Hoosick Falls.
The Road Back Home: Environmental Justice And Wetland Restoration at the Lower 9th
This documentary, directed by Reynaldo Morales, reports on the effects of hurricane Katrina. Specifically it investigates the lack of federal and state assistance being offered to the lower 9th ward, an area in New Orleans, Louisiana. The lower 9th ward is predominantly African American and consists of many low-income families. Due to its location, lack of resources, and poorly built infrastructure, the lower 9th ward was one of the areas hit the hardest by hurricane Katrina. This documentary addresses problems of environmental racism/justice and how the government has neglected the livelihoods of lower 9th ward residents.
why flint still doesn’t have clean water after 4 years | aj+
This AJ+ report investigates the water crisis that started in April of 2014 in Flint, Michigan. Four years later, Flint still has water contamination issues despite statements from the city claiming that the water is now safe. Since the city claims that the water has lower lead levels, Flint residents no longer receive free bottled water despite the lead contaminated water. Further, the report finds that children that had been exposed to the lead in the water have been showing developmental delays, asthma, and skin conditions.
The food deserts of Memphis: inside America’s hunger capital | Divided Cities
In this report, the Guardian investigates the food deserts of Memphis, Tennessee. In terms of access to fresh nutritious foods, the report highlights the distinctions between low-income communities of color and middle-upper class communities. The report finds that low-income communities have various fast food outlets and convenience stores, but lack supermarkets that provide fresh foods at an affordable price.
Living Without Water: Contamination Nation
This VICE News reports on the water crisis faced by residents of the Navajo Nation reservation in New Mexico. Decades of uranium mining during the cold war era, has contaminated almost all water sources on the Navajo Nation reservation. Water sources have been found to contain uranium contaminates such as nitrites and manganese. As a result, cancer has been the leading cause of illness and death for the Navajo Nation. Further, Navajo Nation’s economy has plummeted due to limited sources of water that affects jobs and economic opportunities.
Texas oil fields on fire with polluting flares from fracking | nbc left field
This NBC Left Field report investigates the impacts of the oil boom in West Texas. Here, the oil boom is releasing natural gas and flaring it, sending billions of cubic feet of CO2 into the atmosphere. Overall, this report finds that releasing CO2 emissions in such a large concentration has had a negative impact on the livelihoods of those living near the fracking rigs, as well as a negative effect on climate due to its contributions to the global GHGs emissions.
Residents say Love Canal chemicals continue to make them sick
This PBS NewsHour report, Megan Thompson investigates the lasting effects of the Love Canal Disaster that occurred near Niagara Falls in 1978. In present day, many residents in Love Canal (now named “Black Creek Village”) are facing many health complications. Despite monitoring water wells reporting no signs of contamination, many residents believe that the technology used for monitoring is out of date. Residents still worry about contamination and being exposed to toxic chemicals.
U.S.: Toxic Waters: Coal in the Water | The New York Times
This New York Times report documents the experience of Jennifer Hall-Massey, a resident of a small town called Prenter located in West Virginia. Prenter is currently facing a water crisis, which residents believe has been caused by nearby coal companies. Hall-Massey states that the water has been contaminated with arsenic, manganese lead, and other metals. Further, Hall-Massey reports having 6 neighbors diagnosed with brain tumors indicating the cases may have been linked to the contaminated water.
Toxic Waste in the Windy City: Petcoke
This VICE News report investigates the implications of petroleum coke, a toxic waste material, in communities residing on the southeast side of Chicago. It was revealed that petroleum coke was being stored in uncovered piles by many facilities owned by the Koch brothers. These uncovered piles sit nearby until they are exported abroad with countries with lenient environmental regulations. This type of storage is associated with high contamination risks and diseases.
Lingering Peril From Lead Paint | Retro Report on PBS
This PBS Retro Report investigates the lead contamination faced by the communities of Providence, Rhode Island. Here, lead paint and contaminated dust has been disproportionately exposed to children of color. The report finds that children have dangerously high levels of lead in their blood. Exposures to lead at a young age have been linked to developmental delays, such as stunted growth and learning disabilities. Residents desperately seek resources to have their communities cleaned up, as well as seeking just justice and accountability from the actors involved.
Food Deserts in D.C. | Let’s Talk | NPR
This NPR report investigates the food desert existing in the southeast part of Washington, D.C.. This part is predominantly low-income and lacks access to fresh affordable food. The report follows Toni Lawson, a local resident and a community activist seeking food justice, in her long journey of obtaining enough affordable nutritious food.
The Quest for Environmental Justice: Human Rights
Robert D. Bullard has been described as the nation’s leading authority on race and the environment. In this presentation from UC Santa Barbara, Bullard takes a look at the connection between human rights and the politics of pollution.
Eryn Wise, Honor the Earth
Eryn Wise is a Native American of the Jicarilla Apache Nation and Laguna Pueblo People. In 2016, Wise became a leader and media coordinator for the International Indigenous Youth Council, campaigning against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock Indian Reservation. In this 2017 presentation at the Center for Environment & Sustainability 21st Spring Environmental Symposium at Western State Colorado University, she discusses Honor the Earth, a not-for-profit that works to create awareness of Native environmental issues and support for sustainable Native communities.
PCB Protest in Warren County 1982
This is a two-minute clip of the 1982 protest in Warren County, North Carolina. Activists were protesting a landfill being created to store PCBs collected from roadsides where they were illegally dumped.
