Prof. Kevin J. Kircher: Like remembering that before unions, a lot of folks worked 6 or 7 days a week, it's worth remembering that before environmental movements, the air and water in a lot of places were fucking gross. Left to their own devices, companies just straight-up poisoned people. They will again if we let them.

Like remembering that before unions, a lot of folks worked 6 or 7 days a week, it's worth remembering that before environmental movements, the air and water in a lot of places were fucking gross. Left to their own devices, companies just straight-up poisoned people. They will again if we let them.

It's worth googling the Great Smog of London to see how far we've come. Images like this from the 1950s. It was caused in part from burning coal

Of course, many people are still forced to work long hours for low pay, breathe toxic air, drink poisoned water. We haven't won these fights, but we have made a whole lot of progress. Movements work.

This didn't just look bad. 4,000 deaths. 100,000 people sickened. Estimates of between 10,000 and 12,000 unreported or delayed deaths. London is particularly vulnerable to this kind of thing because of weather patterns. So is LA. June Gloom could turn into *this*.

They do already, everywhere they can get away with it, and they try it on even when it's clear there are laws against it

Definitely. It's a constant struggle, always evolving.

One of the outcomes of the Chevron decision

And another reason to reform the federal courts that the right wing has so thoroughly corrupted.

when my mom entered the workforce as a secretary weekly office hours at her company were 9-5 Monday-Friday and a Saturday, half-day, 8-12.

Comparatively this was La around the same time.

Reading a novel about Frances Perkins and conditions for the poor in early 1900s were horrendous.

When I was a child, the Cuyahoga River *caught fire*.

Love Canal is woke.

Absolutely! Companies can’t be trusted to do the right thing. They will always do what’s in their best financial interests. www.popsci.com/america-befo... www.popsci.com/america-befo...

This is what America looked like before the EPA cleaned it upwww.popsci.com A snapshot from America before the impact of the EPA and the effects of rules regulating clean water and air were felt.

Pollution is the ultimate externality.

As the saying goes, "your regulations are written in blood"

www.nytimes.com/1964/03/11/a...

Air Pollution Puts Runs in Nylons (Published 1964)www.nytimes.com Air Pollution Control Dept repts nitrogen dioxide, released during blasting at Irving Trust bldg site and held in air by atmospheric conditions, caused runs in many nylon stockings

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