Erin Brockovich addresses sold-out crowd
Erin Brockovich, namesake of and inspiration for the Oscar-award winning film Erin Brockovich, came to the defense of the Yadkin Riverkeeper on June 29th in Brendle Recital Hall. Brockovich, sporting her signature potty mouth and show stopping four inch red pumps, delivered a powerful motivational talk to generate awareness of the alleged environmental degradation caused by dams and factories constructed by the local branch of multibillion dollar aluminum smelting company Alcoa.
Over the last 18 years, the “environmentalist with cleavage,” as she has been dubbed, has led legal battles against dozens of corporations that have treated the environment and the communities that support them with negligence and disrespect. Though the film about the health problems of the small town of Hinkley, California that skyrocketed Brockovich to superstar status are now old news, the issues it addressed regretfully are not, she said. Among other causes, Brockovich is currently championing a fight against an Alcoa refinery in Australia that residents claim is spewing toxins into the air.
Brockovich’s visit was sponsored by the Yadkin Riverkeeper to promote awareness of the threats to the Yadkin River which supplies drinking water to most of the residents of Forsyth and Yadkin counties, provides countless recreational opportunities to the region and hosts rich biodiversity including a number of endangered species.
The Yadkin Riverkeeper, Dean Naujoks, discussed the issue in depth before Brockovich took the stage, enumerating the negative effects that negligent industry has had on the river and the communities that depend on it. He urged the packed auditorium to rally together to stop the renewal of Alcoa’s 5- year lease that would give the company dominion over the river for the next five decades. “If we always do what is right for the river, and answer to the river first, we cannot go wrong,” he said.
“We are seeing the results of our complacency, but we will not be stuck in this rut forever,” Brockovich said. “Through choice, we have an influence on our future. We can determine the outcome by getting involved.”
The first step to involvement, according to Brockovich, is “awareness and the right to know.” To exercise your right, visit the Yadkin Riverkeeper web site to learn more about this issue and to find out what you can do to protect yourself and the community.
Caitlin Brooks, Communications and Outreach Intern