Environmental activist Erin Brockovich recently held a roundtable discussion at The Huffington Post's offices to address water contamination challenges, the upcoming documentary "Last Call At The Oasis," and her newest endeavor to combat health concerns around the world.
"Last Call At The Oasis" focuses on the growing global water crisis, from the drying up of Lake Mead to the fight to keep herbicides from tainting drinking water. The film highlights Brockovich's newest project, mapping disease clusters around the world in partnership with Google.
Brockovich told HuffPost that this "pet project" began as she was receiving up to 50,000 emails per month from people reporting health issues in their communities, writing concerns such as: "We think it's odd that we have 18 people on our street with Hodgkins; We think it's odd that we have 15 kids on our street with leukemia; We think it's odd that we have 20 people in the community with glioblastoma brain tumors."
She began to plot the communities on a map, and Brockovich now believes, "The map is going to be one of my life projects."
Another focus of Brockovich's is military communities. The situation hits close to home -- her youngest daughter is a military police officer and her son recently returned from Afghanistan.
Groundwater contamination at the Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune is of notable concern. Studies are currently examining links between past chemical exposure at the Lejeune and possible increased levels of diseases among former residents.
Brockovich told HuffPost, "You are looking at soldiers who would give their lives so we are afforded this opportunity to be here today. They come home from three, four tours of duty, and they get poisoned on their own soil. If we stand down on them, if we don't rally to look at this, it will be the biggest black eye on America I've ever known."
Despite the many challenges facing the safety of the world's water supply, Brockovich also offered suggestions for improvements, such as examining increased regulations, private sector help with site cleanup, and improved company relations.
She said, "Corporations in communities need to be better neighbors. Communities have indicated they'd like support for an advisory board. See, communities want jobs. They don't want a company to go away. They work for those companies. That's how they feed their families, send their kids to college. But they don't want to be poisoned either."
Brockovich places hope in the upcoming film. "I'm very happy about 'Last Call At The Oasis.' I hope it's a wake up call ... we caused the problem, but we can be the solution."
Produced by the company responsible for "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Food, Inc.," the Jessica Yu film features Brockovich, Peter Gleick and Robert Glennon.
As the climate changes and world population soars, the global water crisis is expected to intensify. The film's social action site provides water conservation tips, including the advice below:
Support Trevor's Law, which would give assistance to communities facing "disease clusters" caused by contaminated water. Sign the petition today.
Say ‘No’ to bottled water. It takes three times the water you’re drinking just to create the bottle. Plus, you’ll save money.
Change your garden practices. More plants die from overwatering than underwatering. If you live in a dry community, try native plants instead of water-guzzling grass.
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich recently held a roundtable discussion at The Huffington Post's offices to address water contamination challenges, the upcoming documentary "Last Call At The Oasi...
Environmental activist Erin Brockovich recently held a roundtable discussion at The Huffington Post's offices to address water contamination challenges, the upcoming documentary "Last Call At The Oasi...
The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off for the eleventh time starting Wednesday when "The Five-Year Engagement" premieres, and festival organizers have just announced the star-studded...
By Natasha Baker TORONTO (Reuters) - Whether it is melting glaciers, coastal erosion or drying lakes, a new app displays the impact of climate change...
TORONTO - The financing company behind a cancelled gas-fired electrical generating station in Mississauga has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the Ontario government for...
You, your families, your neighbors and your co-workers all need to see this eye opener of a movie. It will make you talk about how much we've taken the availability of clean, fresh water for granted.
Investigation requested today: I requested and investigation into the allocation of funds, from the Department of defense to the Department of the Navy that was used to conduct these allege Camp Lejeune contaminated water models & studies. In my request I allege that these funds was used for no other
purpose than to lace the pockets of the hired contractors and subcontractors. This investigation request was made to the Committee on Appropriation, the ones in charge of allocating funds to the Department of defense, sent to chairman: Daniel Inouye.
Rodney_Rhodan: Investigation requested today: I requested and investigation into the allocation
Congressman Miller: In the hot seat, with question posed by a 1983 Beirut Lebanon Veteran,, Rodney E, Rhodan, has challenged the entire administration to include congressional members of congress. Congressman Miller, why haven't you address the Department of The Navy violation of the 4th, 5th and 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution against those affected by the Camp Lejeune Contaminated water issue. The mishandling of the Camp Lejeune contaminated water by the Department of the navy, this was also done by keeping vital information away from the investigators and research of this issue. The leaving out of benzene, Vinyl Chloride & 500,000 gallons of fuel, from the initial report. Informing those effected, some 10, 15, 20 or more years later after the fact. All direct violations of The United States Constitution, by The Department of The Navy.
Rodney_Rhodan: Congressman Miller: In the hot seat, with question posed by
No coal, no natural gas, no wind and no nuclear power could be cheaper or cleaner once the holes had paid for themselves. Coal dumps radioactive cinders, and minute amounts of mercury into the environment, Nuclear power is a third as much as coal and the waste when it comes out will last ten thousand years, Wind requires a smart grid from Sandia laboratories. Natural gas is the last one it is relatively clean but still costs money to burn. the last one standing that has a long term chance at sustainability with our current technology base is sea based geothermal. Steam power from the sea is the only way drill down to 540 degrees Fahrenheit and collect the steam power, water, and hydrogen if the power grid won't accept the electricity. no smart grid needed. last time I checked the earth hadn't cooled so much that this technology would be depleted while at sea.
l_monroe: No coal, no natural gas, no wind and no nuclear
Even Lake Superior is polluted. At all the public landings there are signs saying pregnant women should not eat fish caught in the lake more than once a month.
We have big water issues, not just dirty water issues, and that is why corporations are trying to hurry up and take why they can before it is gone.
olitenup: Even Lake Superior is polluted. At all the public landings
I think that its ironic that the seat of reactionary thinking, the Southwest, will be the first area of the US to really feel the effects of water shortages. The lowering of the oglala aquifer, reliance on snow melt, over population, the attempt to green the desert etc. All are taking their toll with the appropiate denial by the purveyors of disinformation, the TPGOP radical right, Who I imagine are investing in bottled water concerns, no surprise here folks. ~~(^..^)
rg9rts: I think that its ironic that the seat of reactionary
But yeah some military bases are the worst offenders for water pollution.....and don't forget unexploded ordinance, seems like they find it all the time in surburban San Diego where a lotta new housing tracts were built on ex military base land.
JScott: RWNM whiners have visited and commented here. But yeah some
Wait, don't we have a federal agency, budgeted at several billions of dollars each year tasked with this? Why do we need activists to uncover the real dangers to our environment and health?
The_Dude67: Wait, don't we have a federal agency, budgeted at several
Why do we need activists? Are you joking? Because governments at all levels are lying like mad and the polluters are seeing to it that it goes on in this vein.
Vera_Gottlieb: Why do we need activists? Are you joking? Because governments
Been sayin' for years now that everything is being polluted and nothing is going to be clean enough to use a lot sooner than expected. Everybody who thinks fracking is a good thing is dead wrong, unfortunately they will be dead like the rest of us before they realize I and people like me are right.
oldwolf49: Been sayin' for years now that everything is being polluted
When people run out of clean water, or when the oil companies own all the clean water and charge $50 a gallon then they'll be wondering if all those $'s were worth it.
oldwolf49: When people run out of clean water, or when the
Loading comments… 
The Huffington Post | By Joanna Zelman Posted: 05/01/2012 1:38 pm Updated: 05/01/2012 1:38 pm