Erin Brockovich, the brash legal clerk turned environmental powerhouse, kicked off the 31st annual Featured Speakers Series at Â鶹´«Ă˝ at Stark in September.
Brockovich met with students in the campus’ Environmental Studies program and spoke about her experiences building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. involving groundwater contamination in the small town of Hinkley, California, back in the 1990s. She also talked to students about the present-day water quality issues that span the world — from Flint, Michigan, to Camp Lejeune to Australia and beyond.
“I thought this was a one-time thing with Hinkley,” Brockovich said. “I had no idea how big this really is. Contamination of our water supply is still a major issue and it’s up to us to educate ourselves and stand up for our communities.”
Brockovich and her team have established the website, Community Healthbook at , to enable everyday people to report and share information about water, air and land issues happening in their backyards.
Brockovich, president of Brockovich Research & Consulting, is currently involved in numerous environmental projects worldwide. She also assists with groundwater contamination complaints in every state, as well as overseas. A bestselling author, her most recent book is “Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It.”
And while it’s been over 20 years since Julia Roberts starred in the Oscar-winning film, “Erin Brockovich”, it turned this unknown legal researcher into a 20th century icon by showcasing how her dogged persistence was the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history.