SfA on Video
Below are videos that illustrate key concepts that come up in communities affected by toxic contamination. Scroll down to browse the key concept videos, or click on a link below to skip to the video you want.
Quick Concepts
- What's a Liter? Parts per Million in Water
- Milligrams per Kilogram: Parts per Million in Soil
- ND = Not Detected
- Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
- Averages Can Be Political
- The Cost of Bottled vs. Tap Water
- Stats Can Get a Lawmaker's Attention
- Importance of Statistics Based on Science
- Soil Contamination and Gardening
- Expert Advice on Health Studies
Community Stories
- From Superfund Site to Community Park
- Sampling and Testing Contaminated Soil
- Will the Health Study Prove Liability?
EcoAlert TV (30-minute episodes)
Other Videos We Like
Quick Concepts
What's a Liter? Parts per Million in Water
Martha Merson of TERC describes how averages used in environmental testing might not be the best way to present what's really going on. She uses the example of city tests of trihalomethanes in drinking water. For more, see the fact sheets on grams, liters, and part per million in Common Units.
Milligrams per Kilogram: Parts per Million in Soil
Martha Merson of TERC shows how milligrams and kilograms relate to parts per million and parts per billion. For more, see the fact sheets on grams/kilograms, and part per million in Common Units.
ND = Not Detected
Martha Merson of TERC explains what "ND" or "Not Detected" means on a set of environmental test results. For more, see the fact sheets on Detection Limits in Limits and Levels.
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
Martha Merson of TERC describes how chemicals can become more concentrated as they go higher and higher in the food chain.
Averages Can Be Political
Martha Merson of TERC describes how averages used in environmental testing might not always be the best way to present what's really going on. She uses the example of city tests of trihalomethanes in drinking water. For more, see the activity Inside Averages.
The Cost of Bottled vs. Tap Water
Tap water and bottled water vary in price,but the cost of bottled water is generally over 1,000 times more than the same amount of tap water. This video is based on 1/2-liter bottles of water (sold at $12 for a 24-pack, or 50 cents apiece) vs. the cost of tap water in Miami, FL, where a typical household would pay $2.078 per ccf (100 cubic feet, or about 748 gallons).
Stats Can Get a Lawmaker's Attention
California State Assemblyman Bill Monning talks about how an alarming statistic can get his attention as a lawmaker, and how other statistics can help solve problems.
The Importance of Statistics Based on Science
California State Assemblyman Bill Monning discusses how his attention was caught by a 100-fold discrepancy in the "safe" levels of the pesticide methyl iodide recommended by public health scientists, and by state staff regulators. He stresses the importance of having a reliable source for data and statistics.
Soil Contamination and Gardening
A discussion of some ways you might be exposed to soil contamination through home gardening, from the perspective of a environmental risk assessment professional. Excerpt from Interview with Andrew Friedmann, Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection. June 9, 2010.
To raise awareness about routes of exposure, use the activity Risk: Points of Contact
Expert Advice on Health Studies
An overview of the different kinds of health studies, with Dr. Madeleine K. Scammell of the Boston University School of Public Health. Learn more about Health Studies here.
Community Stories
From Superfund Site to Community Park
Kimberly Wasserman Nieto of Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) in Chicago describes how her community worked over 16 years to get an abandoned superfund site cleaned up and turned into a public park. Wasserman is the 2013 North American winner of the Goldman Prize for grassroots environmental organizing.
You can also watch this same video in three parts, designed for a group discussion in a community group or adult education center. You can find suggested discussion questions in the description of each part (click on "show more" below each video.)
Part 1: The Problem - Contamination in the Community
Part 2: The Fight - We Fought Back Using Science
Part 3: The Resolution - Informed Negotiating
For more about hazardous waste clean-up: Hazardous Waste: Containing the Danger
Sampling and Testing Contaminated Soil
Linda Segal of Wayland MA describes decisions and mistakes made for soil testing on an old Dow Chemical plant in her neighborhood. To learn more about soil sampling, read Soil Quality Guide: Digging into the Dirt
Will the Health Study Prove Liability?
Linda Segal from Wayland, MA describes a health study done in her community. Everyone thought it would show that the Dow Chemical Plant caused cancer in the neighborhood, but the results were inconclusive. Learn more about Health Studies here.
EcoAlert TV
EcoAlert: Soil Contamination
Nadine Patrice of Operation Green Leaves in Miami hosts a panel discussion about soil contamination, featuring:
Martha Merson, Project Director for Statistics for Action at TERC
Wilbur Mayorga, Chief of Pollution Control Division, Miami-Dade County Dept. of Environmental Resources Management.
EcoAlert: Tap Water Quality
Nadine Patrice of Operation Green Leaves in Miami hosts a panel discussion about water quality, featuring:
Martha Merson, Project Director for Statistics for Action at TERC
Raymond Diaz, Lab Services Division Chief, Miami-Dade County Water & Sewer Dept.
Susan Luck, Founder, EarthRose Institute
EcoAlert: Community Water Contamination
Nadine Patrice of Operation Green Leaves in Miami hosts a discussion about water contamination in canals and rivers, and sediment test results near a junkyard, featuring:
Martha Merson, Project Director for Statistics for Action at TERC
Audrey Peterman, President, Earthwise Productions, Inc.
Joseph Jean-Baptiste, Outreach and Education Expert on Water Management
Other Videos We Like
An animated story of the life-cycle of the things we make, buy, and throw away.
River Network: Videos on Water Quality Standards
A series of short videos from River Network to help the Yukon River Intertribal Watershed Council educate Native Alaskans about Alaska's Water Quality Standards. Native Villagers often consume far more fish than current health-based standards take into account. Videos include:
- What are toxics?
- Are toxics in fish?
- What are water quality standards?
- Do water quality standards protect our health?
- How can we strengthen water quality standards?
