#2. The Human Experiment

The Human Experiment

(Directed by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy)

(Post by Priscilla Velez)

Chemicals are basically everywhere- they line our plastic bottles, children's toys, furniture, and personal care and beauty products. What’s even scarier about the excessive amount of chemicals that surround our lives is the fact that a majority of these chemicals have not yet been tested for safety, but are still placed onto the shelves of stores in which they are of easy access to clueless consumers.

The Human Experiment is a documentary that covers this prominency of chemicals in our everyday lives. The documentary focuses on stories of individuals themselves who have been affected by chemicals in some way and also focuses on the increasingly difficult battle in taking action against the large chemical companies.

Several medical cases influenced by toxic chemicals found in everyday products are shown throughout the film: a couple who experienced trouble in conceiving and carrying a baby to full term, a healthy-as-can-be athlete who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and a young boy who developed autism. Placed together with these medical cases are unbelievable scary facts about recent exponential increases in illnesses and diseases without probable explanation (which is assumed to be due to chemicals):

• Since 1975, cancer rates have gone up 30% in both men and women
• Since 1988, there has been a 49% increase in couples having trouble conceiving and carrying to term
• In 1999, 1 in 500 kids had autism. As of 2013, 1 in 88 kids has autism.
• Other increases include: childhood brain cancer, asthma, leukemia, ADHD, early onset puberty, and life-threatening birth defects.

Throughout the documentary, it is clear and apparent the detrimental effect chemicals have on the health and lives of consumers. Scientists and researchers from highly-respected institutions do not hesitate to admit this occurrence. I however, want to focus on a shameful practice that should be brought to attention; one that emphasizes the greed and criminality of corporations and one that could be viewed as a lesson to be applied to environmental action.

In the United States, there is no official law that requires companies to test the chemicals they use in their products prior to marketing them. This means that companies could use chemicals that are carcinogens and/or affect the human on multiple scales including neurological, hormonal, and reproductive (which often is the case) and not have any obligation whatsoever in disclosing any information about the chemicals to potential consumers. The end result is a mass production of dangerous and potentially lethal products that are readily available to consumers. Consumers, in which, put their trust in companies and assume that these products must be safe since they are allowed to be sold. Even worse, consumers use these products and must unknowingly face the dangerous consequences whilst companies happily count their profit.

Companies love the non-existence of a law that would otherwise require them to test their chemicals and possibly hinder the creation of certain products or force them to find alternatives. In fact, companies love the non-existence of law that requires them to test chemicals so much that they do all they can, especially spending millions, to ensure that such a law is never created. Large billionaire companies have repeatedly shut down efforts to establish chemical-testing laws, most efforts in which are organized by politicians, environmentalists, doctors, and activists.

Not only do these companies shut down efforts, but they also make it a routine practice to constantly misinform the public about the safety of their products using deception, distraction, and strategic marketing.

What made me especially fond and liking of this documentary was not only the fact that it truly helped me realize the large scale in which chemicals are threatening our health, but also the fact that it helped me further realize just how destructing and monstrous companies are. As I have mentioned on my blog before, companies have always only cared about making profit, even if it means at the expense of the environment and health and lives of organisms, including human beings. These companies have consistently disregarded ethics and morals because they have allowed capitalistic thinking and ego to get the worst of them.

The thought of this just disgusts me beyond words. It is important, if not CRUCIAL, that we bring ourselves to a state of conscious awakening, and take serious note of the fact that these companies are our worst enemies. These companies, along with money and economy in general, are largely responsible for almost everything that is wrong with the environment or human health. I just truly hope that people divert away from wanting to contribute to such greedy practices and instead partake in activist efforts.

Call to action: Elect government officials who you are certain will advocate for what’s important and exempt from the corruption and greed of companies. Become educated and informed on issues like the chemical industry and raise awareness. Most importantly, do all you can to make a change.