This digital story recording was created in conjunction with the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program and its Stories from Main Street student documentary initiative, called "Stories: Yes." The project encourages students and their mentors to research and record stories about small-towns and rural neighborhoods, waterways, personal memories, cultural traditions, work histories, as well as thoughts about American democracy. These documentaries are then shared on Smithsonian websites and social media.
In collaboration with Congaree National Park and Friends of Congaree Swamp, students at Lower Richland High School in Hopkins, South Carolina, prepared stories about water as part of the region's presentation of "Water/Ways," an exhibition from the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program.
Chynna Williams (00:00): Pollution. Something that is introduced into the environment that is dirty, unclean or has a harmful effect. You have air pollution, light pollution, even thermal pollution, but what about water pollution? Water pollution occurs when harmful substances, often chemicals or microorganisms contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, or other body of water, degrading its quality to the environment and to humans. For centuries, humans have unknowingly contaminated sources of drinking water with raw sewage, which led to disease. Water pollution intensified with that event of the industrial revolution, when factories began releasing pollutants directly into rivers and streams. Along with an estimated 14 billion pounds of trash, most of it being plastic, is dumped into the world's oceans every year.
Chynna Williams (01:03): Bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases like typhoid, Cholera, and hepatitis, as well as skin infections and gastrointestinal are spreading through polluted water. It is recommended to examine the water quality on a regular basis to avoid its destructive effects on human health. Plastic kills fish, birds, marine mammals, and sea turtles. It destroys habitats and can even wipe out species. The World Health Organization, or WHO, estimated that contaminated drinking water causes around 485,000 deaths each year by 2025, half of the world population will be living in water-stressed areas, as of a recent study that showed this in 2019.
Chynna Williams (01:54): Now, you may be wondering how does all of this affect us here in South Carolina? Well, let me tell you, more than 1,000 waterways here in South Carolina are considered "impaired", too polluted to meet water quality standards according to Carolina Clear. Not to mention, in an article you can find on the website, [dstate.com 00:02:17], explains that lead has been found in creeks, rivers and lakes across South Carolina, perplexing state regulations. Even though that this is a whole world problem, the change can start with us. We can help by not littering, reducing the use of plastic, recycling properly, as well as supporting organizations that address plastic pollution, and most importantly, spread the word to our friends and neighbors to help stop the spread of pollution.
Asset ID: 2022.15.03
