WHY WATER ACTIVISM IS SO IMPORTANT AT A LOCAL LEVEL

Welcome to part 1 of a very unique blog series on community activism!

Whoever said you can't change the world was mistaken! It takes everyday people like you and I, making a conscious effort daily to change the world!! In other words, for every action, there is a reaction. I have found this mindset extremely helpful as it has helped me make those strides in activism that normally I wouldn't have.

Shortly, after moving to Oscoda, Michigan, a friend of mine cautioned me about drinking the groundwater. "That's a problem in Flint, farther down state, isn't it?" I replied. She then briskly informed us of the PFAS contamination to our groundwater, here in Oscoda. I was intrigued and set out on a mission to find out more...

I met up with Cathey Wusterbarth, a town activist who had seen the effects of PFAS first hand. She was able to tell me all about it. Apparently, the ground was contaminated by the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base through fire training. They used products like PFAS to put the fires out. The effects of this crisis could not only be found affecting the water, but also the people, air, private and public land, fish, and wildlife. I quickly gained more interest and joined the community activist group called NOW or Need Our Water. Through activism in this group, residents are able to file their complaints with the government and work towards a faster remission, which is what I set out to do!

In the spring of 2020, my varsity swim team went to speak at the MCL hearing, to voice their opinions on this crisis.

Later that spring, we protested for a faster remission.

As of 2021, the Air Force has announced they will be putting in a pump at Clark's Marsh to help with remission. For every action, there is a reaction. This was considered a small win in the scope of this crisis. Unfortunately, the train doesn't stop here! Local activists, like me, are still fighting for a cleaner tomorrow!