July 28, C. (2020, July 28). Inside the Uphill Fight for Clean Water in California’s Central Valley. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://e360.yale.edu/features/inside-the-uphill-fight-for-clean-water-in-californias-central-valley

The central valley is home to the hard working farmers of california, where over a third of the countries produce comes from our state. But in tooleville, almost every resident is living with a tap contaminated with Arsenic, nitrate, bacteria, and hexavalent chromium; all very lethal chemicals if consumed in high concentrations such as a few cups of water, or a shower. Two things that people in tooleville cannot enjoy, along with a whole list of other water related activities. Those who have been affected mention hair loss, along with other symptoms of poisoning. Although, one mile over in Exeter they have lean water. They are able to receive public funding, they have a local government, paved roads, etc. In tooleville it is two roads Alfred and morgan; which really shows the contrast between the two towns. Continuing, for over 18 years tooleville has attempted to persuade exeter’s local government to share their water, as they are in dire need. After waiting months and months for a water masterplan that was meant to show future progression for water usage in exeter, and compensation for toolevilles lack of resource they were told no action would be taken. To this day there has been no public plan released, and none of the people displayed in the video have access to clean water. 

To describe what this video did in two words, humble me. The amount one in menlo park takes for granted each day, a shower, tea, coffee, all require clean water. Imagine a day without tap water, then imagine a year. The residents of toolville have been suffering through this lack of human right for 365 days, each one getting more tiring than the last. As parents wash their children in bottled water, and watch their youngest children experience hair loss because of arsenic exposure you sit in front of this computer grading my paper, to say the least there is contrast between the two statements. But more importantly, shows the importance of this video to the world. This article/video is related to environmental science because of its focus on the members of california who are the backbone to the 49 other states of america. To bring light upon those who support our economy through the agricultural output they readily produce, and their alarming need for clean water shows the importance of environmental science. Being able to study our surroundings, and make change based on our findings in the natural or industrial world is what environmental science is all about. And by making scientific/systemic effort to clean the water we have in order to benefit a larger community shows direct correlation between ES, and toolevilles journey to a cleaner cup of water.