The EE Sampler - Jefferson County Public Schools

Sarah Payne
Environmental Hazards Monologue
Scene: Addison, a student at the University of Louisville, has been called to sit at a table at the front of
the room. The room is mid-sized and seats 150 people in the audience. Facing her are seven members of
the Jefferson County Public School Board Members. She has three minutes to convince the board why
environmental awareness is important to develop in schools.
“I could sit up here and regal you with numbers and statistics that show how harmful environmental
hazards can be. For instance, Rubbertown plants release over three million pounds of air toxins per year,
and no stream in Jefferson County meets primary body contact standards. However, these are just
numbers and facts, and while they are disturbing, it is the true stories of people in Louisville that reach the
heart of the matter.”
Addison reaches behind her and presents to the board a picture of a child proudly holding up a fishing
pole with a fish hooked on the line.
Addison: “This is Kenny, a six year old boy whose favorite hobby is fishing. Kenny was admitted to the
hospital because he reported feeling pins and needles in his hands and feet, as well as skin rashes and
occasional memory loss. He spent several weeks in the hospital before the link was made between
Kenny’s fishing and his sickness. Most often, after Kenny would go fishing at various Kentucky waters,
his family would eat the fish for supper. They did not realize that only one Kentucky fish should be eaten
per month due to mercury content in the fish. Kenny’s developing body was being poisoned by the
mercury in the fish he was eating. He was a very sick boy for quite some time until the toxin could be
purged from his system.”
Addison pulls out another picture of a couple standing in front of a house.
Addison: “This is Roger and Mary who lived in the part of Louisville known as Rubbertown. Roger had
worked at one of the Rubbertown plants since 1950 and the couple had lived there throughout their entire
married life. Plants in this area of Louisville release millions of pounds of air toxics annually, posing
potential health risks. Roger died of cancer at the relatively young age of fifty-five, leaving Mary a
widow in their Rubbertown house. Mary is convinced that the pollution of Rubbertown was the cause of
her husband’s cancer. She has made her yard available for air monitoring equipment in order to aid in
gathering more information on the air pollution around the plants.
These are just a few tragic stories of real people living in your own community. People need to be made
aware of the environmental hazards of the county that they live in and how it can affect their own lives.
Awareness can start in JCPS schools. Teach your students to be environmentally friendly and to fight for
their right to a clean and healthy world. Thank you for your time.”
With her closing statement, Addison gathers her material, rises and exits the room through the back door.
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