What’s Next?
This research is just the first step toward a healthier Salisbury. Disseminating information to the public is important, but access to information itself will not fix any of these issues. The levels of pollution coming from these sites around Salisbury are currently legal. Awareness of the negative consequences of this pollution is not enough to change the practices of these industries. For anything to change, action must be taken.
As some of these case studies have shown, there is hope for change. Residents of Morris Mill advocated for themselves and were able to receive clean water from the city, avoiding the polluted well water in the area. Concerned Citizens Against Industrial CAFOs have also had success stopping the further production of chicken houses near rural Wicomico communities. Beazer East successfully contained toxicity on-site and continues to monitor the effectiveness of their solutions. Just because things have not changed at a site yet does not mean they never will. In the words of author Paul Rogat Loeb, “social change always looks a lot more inevitable in hindsight than when you’re trying to make it happen.” Though the ultimate goal is daunting, taking small steps toward positive change will eventually add up to something larger. You may not be able to end the emission of hexane by the end of the week, but you can participate in protests, attend city council meetings, or write a letter to a representative. Our actions need only to encourage a sense of community and collective drive toward a common purpose in order to make a difference.
As some of these case studies have shown, there is hope for change. Residents of Morris Mill advocated for themselves and were able to receive clean water from the city, avoiding the polluted well water in the area. Concerned Citizens Against Industrial CAFOs have also had success stopping the further production of chicken houses near rural Wicomico communities. Beazer East successfully contained toxicity on-site and continues to monitor the effectiveness of their solutions. Just because things have not changed at a site yet does not mean they never will. In the words of author Paul Rogat Loeb, “social change always looks a lot more inevitable in hindsight than when you’re trying to make it happen.” Though the ultimate goal is daunting, taking small steps toward positive change will eventually add up to something larger. You may not be able to end the emission of hexane by the end of the week, but you can participate in protests, attend city council meetings, or write a letter to a representative. Our actions need only to encourage a sense of community and collective drive toward a common purpose in order to make a difference.