Possible Issues

Here are some ideas for issues that your group might want to work on.

Environmental Racism
Often corporations and governments will place incinerators, landfills, toxic dumps, nuclear waste, coal power plants and other threats to human health in communities where people of color live. This is far more likely to happen than for them to risk the lives of middle class whites. This is environmental racism. You might want to use GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and Census data (available from many universities) for your area, to show that toxic sites are disproportionately placed in people of color and / or poor communities. Join with community organization to stop polluters from moving in, and expose the real health threat to the community. For instance, SEACers in Pennsylvania have worked with Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living who have been fighting against corporate dumping of toxins and waste on their community.

Tampons
Tampons contain rayon (for absorbency) and dioxin (a by-product of chlorine bleaching). Dioxins are one of the most toxic chemicals known, being linked to cancer, endometriosis, and reproduction problems in amounts as small as parts per trillion; and rayon acts to encourage bacterial growth causing conditions such as toxic shock syndrome, and over-absorption of bodily fluids which can greatly suppress the immune system . The Food Drug Administration estimates that tampons cause half of the cases of Toxic Shock Syndrome. The average woman uses between 11 and 16,000 tampons in her lifetime. SEAC advocates that you switch to alternative products, educate your friends, and pressure corporations to use safer processes (like oxygen bleaching) for menstrual products. For more information contact SEAC’s Womyn’s Caucus.”