I will admit it, I do not consider myself an environmentalist. I have never marched for cleaner air, I don’t know how many species are on the verge of becoming extinct, and my first and last attempt at planting a tree was in fourth grade when we received saplings for Arbor Day (it didn’t go well and my little tree eventually died). While I don’t consider myself an environmentalist, I do find that I am growing more cognizant and concerned about the earth and our (human) interactions with it. Having grown up in Milwaukee, I remember vividly the cryptosporidium outbreak of 1993. It was the first time I learned that there could be parasites in my tap water. It was the first time I understood that toxic water could kill a person, and it was also the first time I could remember being afraid to drink from the tap or my school water fountain. These thoughts dissipated over time; I grew up, and I moved on with my life. All of those feelings rushed back when I learned of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis of 2014. To view the full article visit the Milwaukee Courier.
