3 ms·

> Here in Silicon Valley there's often surprise at my reluctance ... It's definitely not just the Valley. I live in rural western Ohio. It was really eye-openi

> Here in Silicon Valley there's often surprise at my reluctance ... It's definitely not just the Valley. I live in rural western Ohio. It was really eye-opening to see how much contamination there is even here, in a relatively sparsely-populated area. Once I knew the extent my feelings about local real estate changed dramatically. Everybody should research toxic sites in their area. No doubt the manufacturing center in Dayton, OH, helped drive local contamination. I'm in a suburb 30 miles away in another county, however. We've got fun Superfund sites like the old county incinerator (PCB), two contaminated aquifers (tetrachloroethene and trichloroethylene) under the largest town in the County (from three sources, too!), and lead from a battery "recycler". I simply can't understand the mentality earlier generations had re: environmental contamination. I hear it in my father (71) re: anthropogenic climate change ("I can't believe the activities of humans could change such a large system...") and I imagine similar sentiments were in the minds of people dumping PCB or lead into the ground. It's chilling to me.

ikiris 2y ago
The difference between the valley and Ohio is Ohio never even tried to change / clean it up.
coldpie 2y ago
I do woodworking in some shop space I rent in northern Minneapolis. The building complex used to be a General Mills research laboratory from about the 20s through the 50s. Reportedly, Cheerios were invented there. At the time it was a relatively rural area, so how do you dispose of your research chemicals? Dump 'em in a pit out back! Now, it's a fairly densely populated urban neighborhood. It was declared a superfund site in the 80s, and they're still monitoring the site and working on nearby properties for remediation, decades later. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/sites/gmivi.html https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazar... > I simply can't understand the mentality earlier generations had re: environmental contamination. I hear it in my father (71) re: anthropogenic climate change ("I can't believe the activities of humans could change such a large system...") and I imagine similar sentiments were in the minds of people dumping PCB or lead into the ground. It's chilling to me. It is bonkers, but you still see it all the time. "Oh, my choice to drive a 10 MPG SUV to work every day doesn't matter. I'm only one person."

ikiris 2y ago

The difference between the valley and Ohio is Ohio never even tried to change / clean it up.

coldpie 2y ago

I do woodworking in some shop space I rent in northern Minneapolis. The building complex used to be a General Mills research laboratory from about the 20s through the 50s. Reportedly, Cheerios were invented there. At the time it was a relatively rural area, so how do you dispose of your research chemicals? Dump 'em in a pit out back! Now, it's a fairly densely populated urban neighborhood. It was declared a superfund site in the 80s, and they're still monitoring the site and working on nearby properties for remediation, decades later. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/sites/gmivi.html https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazar... > I simply can't understand the mentality earlier generations had re: environmental contamination. I hear it in my father (71) re: anthropogenic climate change ("I can't believe the activities of humans could change such a large system...") and I imagine similar sentiments were in the minds of people dumping PCB or lead into the ground. It's chilling to me. It is bonkers, but you still see it all the time. "Oh, my choice to drive a 10 MPG SUV to work every day doesn't matter. I'm only one person."