The first topic that seems necessary to cover after watching “There’s something in the water” is the problem of environmental racism. This phrase is used by documentary filmmakers to describe Canada’s social and environmental crisis (YouTube, 2020). The problem lies in the policy under which the Canadian government will settle members of the economic and racial minority in the most polluted areas of the country. Moreover, racism also manifests itself with the choice of new pollution disposal sites located in close proximity to low-income or racially diverse residential areas. This issue highlights the close relationship between politics and environmental concerns. The corporate nature of the Canadian government ignores the protests and is guided by cynical principles of environmental regulation. Environmental racism not only hurts the natural image of landscapes and negatively affects the atmosphere but also literally reduces the quality and duration of life for minorities.
Another problem that it would be important to consider in the framework of the interaction between man and the environment is the principle of processing materials. The film clearly demonstrates how some clean zones become kilometers-long dumps for a wide variety of waste. Recycling and the minimum production of harmful substances into the atmosphere are at the top of the ecological agenda. The third important aspect of the interaction between man and the environment is attention to indigenous peoples. Living by their cultural codes, they are in a natural habitat that must be respected. The situation with systemic racism in Canada demonstrates that the problem of the oppression of indigenous peoples remains unresolved. However, it is directly related to the well-being of the environment since the reservation often means the preservation of the land as a nature reserve.
Reference
theressomethinginthewater. (2020). There’s something in the water official trailer. [Video]. YouTube.