Video Discussions about Environmental Illnesses, “Sensitivities”, and Disability

It’s not often that we hear people discussing chemical and environmental “sensitivities” and other environmentally linked chronic health problems and disabling  conditions, or how they relate in the bigger picture.

Two such discussions have taken place in August of 2019, and you can watch the videos below.

The first is a discussion that took place on August 5, 2019 with a group of people who shared their thoughts after viewing Marie LeBlanc’s presentation  of “WHO says we need fresh air?!”  at the WOW! Manitou (Wonder of Words) Festival .
(it’s a 49 minute youtube video)

The second is a discussion that was hosted by Sins Invalid and Health Justice Commons called “Crip Bits: Climate Chaos + Environmental Illness”
(it’s a 1hr 2 minute video on fb)

“WHO says we need fresh air?!” includes many slides with quotes from people who have developed  environmental illnesses (EI), environmental sensitivities (ES), multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS),  electromagnetic hyper sensitivities (EHS), lyme disease, toxic mold injury (and others), to create awareness of these disabling, environmentally linked conditions.

Here people discussed things that touched them in the presentation, as well as some of their own experiences.

WHO says we need fresh air?!
Discussion at WOW!Manitou

Marie LeBlanc’s website:
https://www.marieleblanc.net/

A few of the quotes Marie uses in her presentation can be seen in this post that Marie wrote for SStP in 2017:

Endangered Human Art Project: Bringing Awareness to Chemical Sensitivity

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In the 2nd video, Mordecai Ettinger, Executive Director of Health Justice Commons, and Sofia Webster, Social Media and Communications Specialist at Sins Invalid, spoke about their experiences with environmental illness in the age of climate chaos.

“People with environmental illness and injury are at the front lines of climate chaos. We are the proverbial canaries in the coal mine. We are here to sing our urgent truths!

Environmental racism, irresponsible capitalism, and the forces of ableism all are contributing to the rise of environmental illnesses and injuries. Find out more in this conversation!”

Crip Bits: Climate Chaos + Environmental Illness
Hosted by Sins Invalid and Health Justice Commons

5 Ways To Act in Solidarity As We Face The Toxic Tipping Point

https://www.healthjusticecommons.org/blog/2019/5/31/on-multiple-chemical-sensitivity-awareness-month-5-ways-to-act-in-solidarity-as-we-face-the-toxic-tipping-point

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Many thanks to everyone involved with the videos!
So many important things were said!

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It’s disconcerting how many people are affected now, yet far too many suffer alone, and in silence, thinking they are the only ones. As mentioned by people in the videos, the current health system is usually of no help, and can even cause harm. Most of us have nowhere to turn when we are disabled by pollution.

The more all of us (including still healthy allies) can speak up, and also ask for (and enforce) disability related accommodations, the better it will be for everyone, as the exposures that disable us harm most other people too, but they  develop different kinds of chronic or deadly health problems where causes and effects aren’t as clearly seen.

We are all “sensitive” to pollution. None of us were designed for the 24/7 exposure to pollutants we’re all subjected to now, even if we try to avoid it.

These constant toxic exposures need to stop before the epigenetic changes are permanent and all humans are affected. Human extinction within a few generations is a real possibility unless we make changes now.

If you’re a human canary,  please chirp as loud and as often as you can!

If you are an ally, please chirp as if your life depended on it too!

Future generations need us to do so now, more than ever!

Be non-toxic and fragrance-free!

Demand policy changes!

Let’s take care of each other and the planet that supports our lives ♥