From Environmental Ill To Environmental Health By Shirley Thompson

Women and the Environment: Fighting for Halifax

The case study “From Environmental Ill to Environmental Health” by Shirley Thompson highlights the unique role women play when dealing with environmental issues. In Halifax, Nova Scotia, women used grass root activism to turn the city into one of Canada’s leading cities in environmental health. When many people working at the Camp Hill medical center were becoming ill due to chemical exposure and poor air ventilation women took action to change the use of pesticides and ensure other institutes such as schools were safe for their children. The case study showcases two women, Donna and Rhonda, who went forth and pushed for change on these issues. By raising awareness and advocating for change, they

The dualism that connects women and nature allows them to best speak on behalf of nature and they are privileged with feminine traits to best solve environmental crisis (Hawkins, 2017). The feminine principle explains how women bring a diverse view of nature based on their inter-connectedness with nature (Shiva, 1989). This is shown in the case when Donna is able to lead the Real Alternatives to Toxins in the Environment group and receive support by targeting what could happen to children due to chemical exposure from pesticides, such as getting cancers (Thompson, 2004, p. 41). As a woman, Donna understands the impact the pesticide use issues can have on children. She can connect these ideas and create the solution to reduce medical problems for children by reducing pesticide use. The Cartesian concept views nature as a resource and is separate from humans, which has led to the view that nature is to be exploited and dominated by man (Shiva, 1989, p.). The case study highlights how pesticides are used to “achieve a perfect green lawn” which is valued over the dangers of pesticide use. The culture of a perfect lawn is dominating over the impact on the environment and the women, as they are more susceptible to fertility and pregnancy abnormalities with overuse of pesticides (Thompson, 2004, p. 41). This shows how Ecofeminism can be used to

Ecofeminism focuses on the connection between women and nature and how men and culture are dominating both. This is a strength of the theory as it demonstrates the interconnectedness of women and nature. The theory argues that understanding this relationship and working on ending the domination of women could lead to ending the domination of nature. Additionally, this theory highlights the unique perspective women bring to speaking on behalf of nature to solve environmental issues. For example, Donna has been directly impacted by pesticides and is able to speak out about the damaging effect they have on children and has made drastic changes in pesticide use around schools or parks. However, this theory lacks other perspectives and lumps women together as a unitary category (Hawkins, 2017). The case study points out that not only women were victims of Camp Hill (Thompson, 2004, p. 40). On the other hand, Feminist Political Ecology does a great job bringing in multiple points of view, such as the gendered, institutional and global context of an issue. These factors work well together to give a holistic approach to the environmental issue, which is a strength of this theory. For example, Cynthia’s case of getting breast cancer due to environmental illness was discussed in the local context of Camp Hill and the as a North American problem (Thompson, 2004, 40). Additionally,