A Mother’s Instincts
December 1, 2008
Audubon Magazine has a concise, empowering piece on Lois Gibbs in its November-December issue. Gibbs was the mother of children affected by the Love Canal toxic waste scandal of the 1970s, when a community that had been built on a chemical waste dump site in western New York suffered birth defects and chemical-related diseases from toxins and carcinogens leaching up through the ground and into their homes and yards. Fighting for her children’s health in that context launched her into a life of transformative environmental justice. She founded an organization, now called the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, which has successfully convinced high-profile corporations to alter their environmentally destructive practices and materials. Most of the organization’s actions focus acutely on reducing toxins that are destructive to creation and that pose a threat to the health of children.
At a time of year when we, as Christians, are talking a lot about mothers and children and Mary’s bravery regarding Christ’s birth, it’s exciting to read about another woman whose willingness to do right has helped creation.
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