Welcome to “Daisy Watches”!
This post is the beginning of a new series similar to “Dave Reads” – I, Daisy Wanless, will be starting a series “Daisy Watches”.
I believe movies are a powerful tool in changing attitudes towards climate change and calling people to action (and others agree, see: The Climate Films Shaping Society, Climate Activists Are Turning Their Attention to Hollywood, and Eco-Critical Cinema: Film and Environmental Awareness), especially when the tale is a true story about environmental contamination catastrophes. Negative effects of contamination can often be invisible to the naked eye and are best understood through the stories of the people, plants, and animals. Humans also tend to remember information better when delivered as a narrative.
“No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced” – Sir David Attenborough
Each post will have three parts:
- Movie elements – How the audio, visuals, and characters are used for story telling
- Favorite scenes
- Current status of the towns, land, and people portrayed
My first post will be about the 2000’s hit “Erin Brockovich” starring Julia Roberts, who won an Oscar for the role.
If you haven’t already seen the movie, you can read the synopsis here.
Movie Elements
- I love how Erin’s fiery attitude and unwillingness to play by arbitrary rules are visually depicted in her bright, trendy outfits in the desert, especially when collecting water samples.
- Hinkley is portrayed as a beige, dry, nearly deserted town. No natural surface sources of water are shown, emphasizing the scarcity of water in the area.
- The soundtrack is an original motion picture soundtrack and no popular songs are used. I think this is powerful in generating the right emotion for the scenes and for the movie as a whole… and to capture the right late-90’s vibe.
Favorite Scenes
Learning About Hinkley’s Poisoned Water
I think this is the most iconic scene from the movie. The mother challenges Erin at first, but her slow realization to the truth is unmistakable on her face. When I first saw this movie as a child I didn’t understand what the premise of the movie was, but the emotion has stayed with me.
A Lame-Ass Offer
I love this scene – it highlights Erin’s ability to make people understand the conditions and wishes of the clients she was representing, and her delightful take-no-crap attitude. This is also the moment Ed realizes Erin’s full power in even a professional setting, a turning point in their relationship.
Is Hinkley, CA Still Contaminated?
Unfortunately for Hinkley, the chromium 6 contamination still persists. Remediation of the groundwater below the town will be on-going for decades to come. In fact, you can see the open cleanup case and view the site documents on the California State Water Resources Control Board’s GeoTracker site.
The city of Hinkley has a dedicated website for sharing information and providing updates on the plume of contamination: https://hinkleygroundwater.com/. They post the updated plume maps every quarter and the most recent map can be seen here.
The contamination has spread to an area of about eight miles long and two miles wide. The plume is currently being prevented from spreading further with ethanol injections. Ethanol breaks down the chromium 6 to less toxic chromium 3s. The chromium 3s naturally bind to soils and effectively is removed from the water. The remining chromium 6 plume is being monitored though wells throughout the area.
Chromium 6 contaminated groundwater treatment system
Where is Erin Brockovich Now?
She is still kicking ass and taking names! Erin has shown that unconventional paths to make a difference in the world are just as powerful as any other. You can take a peek into the real Erin Brockovich’s life and see what her current projects on her website: https://www.brockovich.com/ . She even discusses the accuracy of the movie that portrayed her.
Stay tuned for the next installment of Daisy Watches!
Resources
https://www.osha.gov/hexavalent-chromium
https://environs.law.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk15356/files/media/documents/ENV-26-2-banks.pdf
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_stry_pl#synopsis
https://theecologist.org/2013/apr/04/securing-natures-future
https://hinkleygroundwater.com/site-information/in-situ-reactive-zone-irz/
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/lahontan/water_issues/projects/pge/