How "Forever Chemicals" Polluted America's Water
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by: Vox|Published on: April 27, 2021
VideosScientist Reviewed
6789101112
Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This 12-minute video from Vox about PFAS chemical pollution describes what "forever" chemicals are, some of the products you'll find them in, and how widespread the toxic pollutant is in drinking water across America, detailing the pollutant's impacts on North Carolina's Cape Fear River and city of Wilmington.
- It discusses the need for the precautionary principle when reviewing and approving new products, chemicals, and chemical ingredients in products.
Subjects: Civics, Health
Authors: Vox
Region: North Carolina
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The graphics in the video are very informative.
- The video provides a local example in North Carolina that some students may identify with.
Prerequisites
- There are ads during the video.
- Although there is no direct discussion of climate change, clean and fresh water is vital to life on Earth, and this dwindling resource is being affected by climate change and pollution.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can investigate the companies that make PFOA chemicals and investigate other chemicals that may be damaging to human health through the FDA, CDC, OSHA, and NIH websites.
- Students can research all of the products that contain PFOA chemicals and types of water filters that might be able to filter them out of drinking water.
- To make connections to climate change and government regulation, students can follow this video by studying the Montreal Protocol, which is an excellent example of collaboration and action to protect people.
- Other resources about pollution include this video, this experiment, and this interactive map.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
