60 February 2014
year. A very small price to pay for the health and
well-being of hundreds of students in my opin-
ion, and something that needed to be quickly
stopped.
Many of the families whose children could be
impacted probably never even found out what
was going on, as meeting times and loca-
tions were not announced until
the last minute and it was the
beginning of the summer break.
I was irate.
As soon as the small
story broke in our local
newspaper, I created
a Facebook event and
gave everyone the
names, emails and
phone numbers of the
school board members,
urging the public to
call and write to let
them know our chil-
dren's health is not for sale. I con-
tacted the media to tell them what
was happening. I organized to
have as many people as possible
attend the school board meeting to
voice opposition.
We packed the room that evening and sev-
eral news cameras were in attendance too.
The Balsz Elementary School Board members
ultimately rejected the proposition, mainly, I
believe, due to the public outcry and media at-
tention. Collectively, we made a difference. You
can read about the story and watch the video
HERE.
These atrocities and acts of environmental
injustice happen all over our world on a daily
basis. I wanted to share the above story to illus-
trate how you can get involved to do something
about it.
Every day, we're given numerous choices to be
conscious consumers and community ac-
tivists – on both a small and large
scale. Our political votes are
always important, but never
forget that we vote with
our dollars too. From
the food we buy, to
the products we use
in our homes and on
our bodies, every de-
cision we make can
have an impact. We
all have the ability
to help shape our
schools, our work-
places and our com-
munities.
Here are some tools for
you to educate yourself, get
involved and help create positive
change.
Get Educated, Get Involved, Get Inspired
• Watch a documentary.
• Learn about The Story of Stuff.
• Check out Scorecard to see who is polluting
near you.
• Visit Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.
• Utilize the Environmental Working Group
Consumer Guides.
• Find out what's in your water.
• Learn about Integrated Pest Management.
• Visit Moms Clean Air Force.
• See if there's a Superfund Site near you.
• Read some inspiring quotes.
While I was working on this story, my 7 year
old daughter Zoe asked me what I was writing
Miss Sustainable
Continued from previous page
"
Unless someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get
better. It's not.
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
"
