Woolsey Fire Data—Our Environmental Justice Research
/By The Fairewinds Crew
We have great news, and We Need Your Help With Our Scientific Environmental Justice Efforts
First, the great news! As we made everyone aware on Thursday, October 14, 2021, the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity published our California Woolsey Fire Data research!
Fairewinds first began the Woolsey Fire Project while this destructive wildfire was still raging in November 2018. Remember, good science takes time, so the Woolsey Fire Project took longer than expected, certainly more time than a cursory walkthrough. And, no one could have anticipated that the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic would supplant the research time, travel, and philanthropic donations our work is built around!
The Journal article, entitled: Radioactive microparticles related to the Woolsey Fire in Simi Valley, CA, was co-authored by our co-author Dr. Marco Kaltofen, president of Boston Chemical Data, Maggie Gundersen, Fairewinds Founder, and Arnie Gundersen, Fairewinds Chief Engineer. We began by outlining the project with Dr. Kaltofen and then connecting with Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles (PSR–LA). Together we began to train community-volunteer citizen-scientists to collect samples, and our Program was underway. Yet, it took years of analysis and research to complete these peer-reviewed scientific analyses and launch them in the scientific and public domains. Taking time to thoroughly analyze radioactive samples by placing them in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) determined the exact composition of each radioactive isotope. While this technique has been utilized post-Fukushima at other locations worldwide, this is the first time scientists have applied such a highly accurate technique to the Santa Susana Field Lab site.
We highly recommend reading or viewing the NBCLosAngeles expose (video embedded below):
You can read more about the Woolsey Fire project findings:
For Environmental Justice: Please donate to Fairewinds Energy Education.
Your generous donations will help us continue this type of work!
The Woolsey Fire Project was enormous. Marco, Maggie, and Arnie donated their time, as did many other community volunteers, colleagues, graduate students, and citizen-scientists. In addition, this work would never be possible without our donors. Good science is expensive! Each time we used the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) cost us $800, totaling several tens of thousands of dollars that Fairewinds donors provided for this Program.
We appreciate that Fairewinds’ donors, a nonprofit organization, and a family foundation stepped forward to help us pay for some of the necessary and expensive lab time required to accurately identify each type of radioactivity found in the highly radioactive samples. However, the bottom line is Fairewinds is financially tapped out. Without significant funding, we cannot support any of the seven other communities desperately needing a similar program and analysis. Help give other communities the Environmental Justice Support for which they are waiting!
For more donation options, click here!
We know how to help. We know how to set up a similar program to bring environmental oversight and analyses to needy communities. Unfortunately, we must have funding, and there are no remaining funds to tackle such a project.
We do not share our donor information and newsletter mailing list. Instead, for more than 10-years, we have given each of you the most in-depth nuclear videos, podcasts, blog posts, presentations, and scientific research for free.
Now, as we approach the end of 2021, we reach out to each of you for support for Fairewinds Environmental Science Research.
Please help Fairewinds and Dr. Marco Kaltofen to continue creating Environmental Justice by donating at the link below!
We cannot continue this work without your help.
Please donate to Fairewinds Energy Education
Our planet needs more in-depth science on the migration of radioactivity.
Every single state in the nation has contaminated sites.
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What companies, communities, businesses, or foundations
do you know who might also support our work?
Do you know of any grants that would allow us to move energy science forward as we help other communities train their volunteer citizen-scientists!
What is in the air you breathe, the food you eat, and the water you drink?
We will help you find out.
