I was very touched by the article and video we watched about the Inuit and the toxins that were unknowingly placed in their bodies. The passage at the beginning of the article that states "As we put our baby to our breasts, we feed them a noxious chemical cocktail that foreshadows neurological disorders, cancer, kidney failure, reproductive dysfunction" speaks clearly the frustrations of the Inuit people. Dioxins store in the fat of animals and humans, and because the Inuit have a diet that consists of animal fat they are more susceptible to the toxin. It is almost like a never ending cycle and that is why the title is so appropriate for the situation. Mothers must breast feed their babies and the Inuit must eat from the land, so the dioxins will continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
This reminded me so much of the Tuskegee experiment and our talks about the environment. Unlike the Tuskegee experiment, these people weren't tricked into their dangerous fates; however, in both cases a responsible party knew the consequences of their actions but did not take into account the pain and suffering they causes these people. We live in a society that cares so much about technology and advancement that we don't take the time to see if they will be harmful to both the environment and people. These Inuit people were not in direct contact with the pollutants but the choices that wer made by these companies to produce them has changed the lives of many people forever.
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I was also very shocked to hear from the interview Inuit Woman and the story of stuff that human breast milk contains highest level of toxin. Human breast milk have been known to help baby to develop proper immune function. However, because of what we use and how we dispose them, breast milk, which should be one of the safest food option for our infants, turned into toxin.
When we live in a small, quite edge of Atlanta and Druid Hills, we do not directly experience consequences of environmental degradation. However, reading and watching numerous article on environmental justice and effect of deteriorating environment on people, I became more aware of the consequences of our action. Right now, only certain parts of the world might be effect by this environmental change more than other parts of the world. But earth is not made up of isolated chambers, rather it is round and all countries are connected to each other. With this realization, I became more conscious about recycling as well as conserving resources. But I probably still have long way to go. But it's never too late to start to make good changes, isn't it?
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