Poisoned waters

Gr 9 Up-Concentrating on the waters of Puget Sound and Chesapeake Bay as examples of worldwide environmental crises, this disturbing program, narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Frontline correspondent Hedrick Smith, investigates the ongoing poisoning of America's waters 30 years after the passage of the Clean Water Act. The threat of losing these and other vital wetland areas to pollution, environmental degradation, and large scale commercial development is significant. The question of whether man can co-exist with nature is at the base of the many studies cited. Examples of the numerous species of wildlife showing symptoms of profound distress also suggests that what is killing these animals in water will also kill people. The effects of factory farming, in particular chicken husbandry, and the government lobbies working to thwart restrictions on the environmental effects of the manufacture of such meat products is carefully analyzed and discussed. The research is rigorous and the presentation is straightforward and thought-provoking. The dire consequences of inaction are presented. Students studying environmental science and ecology would benefit from viewing this outstanding film.-Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly Trinity-Pawling School, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.