Dear rudenski--yes, I agree with you that pollution in and of itself doesn't necessarily lead to poverty, but in the case of MCS, multiple chemical sensitivity, and other autoimmunune diseases, it can. There has been no "proven" link that our overchemicalized society has led to an increase in autoimmune disease, but that is my belief. I read in NEWSWEEK magazine some time ago that the incidence in autoimmune disease in this country has risen 40% since the WWII--that is at the time industrialized countries started their "better living through chemistry" agenda and an explosion in the amount of toxic chemicals in our environment began. Autoimmune diseases like lupus, MCS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Multiple schlerosis, etc. If people who have these chronic conditions become too sick to work, they become dependent on the government for disability income. I don't have an exact figure, but I believe the maximum income per month for someone on SSI in the State of California is $880. How can someone live on $880 a month? I would call this poor, at least by U.S. standards. it's worse for those sickened in parts of the world where there is no help from the government; if you are sick and disabled, you must beg on the streets for sustenance. and so the link between poverty, ill health, and polluted environment is made.


and yes, you are SO RIGHT, that often the most polluted parts of the country (and the world, for that matter) are where the poorest people live--if people have money, are they going to live next to chemical/manufacturing plants that spew stinky fumes into the air? are they going to live next to obviously polluted water? Unfortunately, this is just a matter of degree, as pollution has become so widespread that NONE OF US CAN ESCAPE IT ANYMORE. for example, Southern California, with all its mansions and wealth, can not escape from having the worst air quality in the nation, covering 4 counties--Los Angeles,Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino. whether you are rich or poor, if you live in one of these counties (like I do) you are breathing in a toxic soup everyday. and NONE OF US can escape polluted drinking water, toxins in our food, toxins in our soil, toxins in our everyday household products, clothes, cosmetics, etc etc etc. and toxins in our bodies. it has become endemic to industrialized nations of the world, and worse in developing nations where the governments tend to look the other way when companies pollute, as these companies are bringing money into the country, jobs, economic growth, along with ill health and environmental degradation.

and you are so right about depleted uranium!!! it is a travesty, no matter what country uses it for weaponry, Israel against their neighbors,the U.S. against their Iraqi "enemies". it is all very short-sighted, as yes, this stuff will get back to the perpetrators, one way or another. pollution of any kind "gets back" to those that make it--including us, ourselves. everytime we get into our gasoline powered vehicles, buy food sprayed with pesticides, purchase toxic cleaning products, etc etc etc, we add to the morass. again, it's all a matter of degree. some of us may be more culpable than others, but we are all culpable. All of us. and we are all affected by pollution, some to a lesser or some to a greater degree than others. even those military-industrial complexes, manufacturing plants, or agribusinesses who are the worst offenders in terms of creating pollution are run by people who have families. what will the future be like for their own children? grandchildren? for our children and grandchildren?

there's only one planet to live on, we are all in this together.

thank you so much for writing and expressing yourself! Blessings, rudenski, you are a blessing. Love, Liora Leah