Tri-Valley CAREs
Communities Against a Radioactive Environment
Get Involved
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Posted by Brendan Phillips
Despite their importance, environmental issues have often taken a back seat to other political topics, particularly when those environmental issues have a local impact.
Few people in our community are aware, for instance, that routine operations at the Livermore Lab’s nuclear facilities have resulted in several hundred documented cases of toxic and radioactive releases into the surrounding air, soil, ground water, and surface water, increasing the risk to those exposed. Or, that more than 2000 Livermore Lab employees have applied for compensation due to toxic exposure. Further, few know that Livermore Lab received an airborne shipment of plutonium in containers that were illegal, posing an additional threat to the community in the event of an accident.
As a life-long resident of the Bay Area, I find these developments disturbing, and can only assume the Lab is allowed to continue nuclear weapons research and testing in such a highly populated area because of the aforementioned dearth of general knowledge about this topic. I believe it’s important for local communities to take a proactive approach in defending their health, safety, and environmental interests, which can only happen if awareness is spread about these issues. With that thought in mind, I’d like to bring attention to Tri-Valley CAREs’ youth video contest.
Youth between the ages of 10 and 30 can submit a 2-minute video explaining the effect that nuclear weapons development has on their community. There is a chance to win five hundred dollars. I myself plan to submit an entry into the contest.
Background information can be found at: www.trivalleycares.org/contest2017.html, or see the flyer posted below.
