Jennifer Sass's Blog
About
- Bio:
I grew up in the Canadian prairies where I learned to love open spaces, wild places, big skies, long summer nights, cozy cold winters, and the comfort of good friends. I came to the US as a post-doctoral student of toxicology and environmental health. After about a dozen successful years as a bench scientist conducting basic medical research, I wanted to transition into policy work. I joined NRDC in 2001 to work towards strengthening the regulation of toxic chemicals. When not in the office I like to hike, bike white water kayak, and walk my dog.
- Roots in:
- Canadian Prairies
- Favorite place:
- wild spaces, wild water, woods, rivers in the moonlight, my tent and a cozy sleeping bag, snow fall.
- Why "environmentalism" matters:
- I come to environmentalism from a history of social justice. My grandparents, parents, and siblings have all devoted their working lives to advocating for the rights and health of disempowered people. When I was a little girl my dad used to take me with him to inspect workplaces, and I remember clearly the smell and taste of slaughterhouse kill floors, the heat and dust of mining and processing plants, the noise of the steel foundry. My dad would blow his nose after our tour and only black dust would come out, and he would tell me that management showed him monitoring data as evidence that noise and dust levels were ‘legal’ and therefore ‘safe’. He taught me to listen to people, not devices and equipment, because they know what makes them sick. As an environmental scientist with NRDC, I advocate for disclosure of information, regard for scientific inquiry and facts, justice for disempowered people, honesty by government, and corporate accountability.
Recent Blog Posts
- Better living with better chemical policies (July 4, 2008)
- Supreme Court says No to Exxon-Science (July 2, 2008)
- Endosulfan manufacturer promotes its toxic products, while the chemical shipment on a capsized ferry prevents rescue attempts (June 30, 2008)
- The bees need us to make a buzz for them! (June 27, 2008)
- European Trade Union says Precaution needed for Nanomaterials (June 26, 2008)
- The next asbestos: Carbon nanotubes linked with mesothelioma in rodent study (May 20, 2008)
- USDA cuts budget to its pesticide use data program: no budget, no data, no public information about agriculture chemical use (May 20, 2008)
- Endosulfan: workers hate it too (May 20, 2008)
- Prominent scientists support NRDC petition to ban Endosulfan (May 15, 2008)
- NRDC and EDF blast White House interference in EPA chemical assessment program called IRIS (April 29, 2008)
Read more in Jennifer Sass's Archives→
