There's Something in the Water

There's Something in the Water examines environmental racism and its effects on Indigenous and Black communities in Nova Scotia, Canada. Dr. Waldron documents how industrial pollution, toxic waste sites, and contaminated drinking water disproportionately impact these marginalized populations. The book presents research and case studies from Nova Scotian communities including Africville, Shelburne, and Lincolnville. Through interviews and historical analysis, Waldron connects current environmental justice battles to centuries of systemic racism and colonialism in Canada. Drawing on both scholarly sources and first-hand accounts, the work explores the intersection of race, class, and environmental policy. Waldron reveals how government and corporate decision-making has created observable patterns of environmental discrimination. The book stands as an urgent call for environmental justice and demonstrates how racism manifests in seemingly neutral environmental policies. Its examination of environmental racism provides insights into broader social justice issues in Canada and beyond.

Readers value the book's clear documentation of environmental racism in Nova Scotia and its focus on Black and Indigenous communities' experiences. Many note its effectiveness as an academic resource, with detailed research and case studies. Readers liked: - Balance of academic analysis and personal narratives - Strong references and data to support arguments - Clear explanations of complex environmental justice concepts Readers disliked: - Dense academic writing style - Repetitive sections - Limited scope beyond Nova Scotia Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (131 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (31 ratings) Common reader feedback highlights the book's role in education: "This should be required reading for Canadian students" appears in multiple reviews. Several readers mention they discovered the book through the documentary of the same name and found the book provides deeper context. Critics note the writing can be "dry and academic" and "could benefit from more accessible language."

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As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice by Dina Gilio-Whitaker. The book tracks Indigenous resistance movements against environmental destruction and the fight for tribal sovereignty through historical and contemporary cases.

Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States by Carl A. Zimring. This study reveals how racial ideologies shaped waste management and sanitation practices in American cities throughout history.

Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility by Dorceta Taylor. The text investigates how industrial facilities and environmental hazards concentrate in communities of color through housing discrimination and zoning policies.

From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement by Luke W. Cole, Sheila R. Foster. The book chronicles grassroots movements that fought environmental discrimination and shaped the environmental justice framework through case studies and legal battles.

📚 Author Ingrid Waldron spent over six years researching environmental racism in Nova Scotia's Black and Indigenous communities before publishing the book in 2018. 🎬 The book inspired a 2019 Netflix documentary of the same name, co-produced and narrated by actress Ellen Page (now Elliot Page), who is a native of Nova Scotia. 🏆 The term "environmental racism" was coined in 1982 by Dr. Benjamin Chavis during protests against the dumping of toxic waste in Warren County, North Carolina - a predominantly Black community. 🗺️ The book reveals that in Nova Scotia, Black and Indigenous communities are 11 times more likely to be located near hazardous waste sites than other communities. 🌱 Waldron founded and directs the Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health Project (The ENRICH Project), which maps the locations of environmental hazards and their proximity to marginalized communities.