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In thousands of communities across the United States, drinking water is contaminated with chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are used in a wide range of products, such as non-stick cookware, water and stain repellent fabrics, and fire-fighting foam, because they have properties that repel oil and water, reduce friction, and resist temperature changes. PFAS can leak into the environment where they are made, used, disposed of, or spilled. PFAS exposure has been linked to a number of adverse health effects including certain cancers, thyroid dysfunction, changes in cholesterol, and small reductions in birth weight.
Hurricanes Hit Just Before Election Season — Why Aren’t We More Prepared?
As the climate crisis fuels stronger storms with more devastating impacts, it hits economically vulnerable populations the hardest and threatens their right to vote. These disasters and the destruction they cause should fuel something bigger: political change and a push to combat both climate change and voter disenfranchisement.
When hurricanes hit only months or weeks before an election, those who have been forced out of their homes face additional obstacles to cast their ballots.
This year, NC must put Black communities first as it spends taxpayer dollars
It is time, as our state faces systemic failings that led to higher COVID-19 deaths rates in Black communities. It is time, as Black workers and business owners grapple with greater loss of income, jobs and revenue due to the pandemic.
North Carolina has the money. More public dollars are available than anticipated, partly due to the robust federal response to the pandemic. They must be used to focus first on what Black families and communities need to rebuild after disproportionate harm.
MORE ARTICLES
What North Carolina’s Unfair Political Maps Have To Do With Hurricanes
"In states prone to natural disasters, a census undercount will have disastrous consequences."
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Another Corrupt Politician: Why Voting Down the Ballot is Critical
"Eastern North Carolina Counties were gerrymandered in a way that gave large dirty corporations more financial and political power than the communities.
Due to these poisonous corporations, communities have faced increased illnesses, cancers and damaged land due to the negligence of said corporations especially amid major climate disasters that have exacerbated environmental impact.
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When environmental racism and diluting of votes through gerrymandering are combined, this creates environmental disenfranchisement."
