Eco-Grief and Ecofeminism | Heidi Hutner | TEDxSBU

Summary

The speaker shares a deeply personal journey after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at 35, amidst a family history of cancer. She explores the environmental links to cancer, including the impact of chemicals and radiation, and her own struggle with chemotherapy. Despite the odds, she becomes a mother and later discovers her mother's involvement in the Women's Strike for Peace, which led to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This revelation inspires her to embrace ecofeminism, highlighting the power of collective action in addressing environmental and health crises.

Takeaways

• 😷 The speaker was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at 35, following her parents' deaths from different types of cancer.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A family history of cancer sparked a deep personal connection and concern for environmental factors contributing to the disease.
• 🌱 The speaker's chemotherapy reduced her chances of having children by 50%, highlighting the harsh realities of cancer treatment.
• 📚 She researched environmental links to cancer, discovering works by Rachel Carson, Theo Colburn, and Alice Stewart, which emphasize the impact of synthetic chemicals and radiation.
• 📈 Shocking statistics: one in four men and one in five women will develop cancer in their lifetimes, with childhood cancers increasing since the 1950s.
• 🤰 Despite a careful and organic lifestyle, the speaker realized the impossibility of shielding her unborn child from environmental toxins.
• 🌎 The concept of 'eco grief' is introduced, reflecting the emotional toll of environmental degradation and its effects on mental health.
• 💪 Historical examples of women leading environmental movements, such as Rachel Carson and Lois Gibbs, inspire the speaker to action.
• 📚 The speaker teaches 'eco feminism', integrating stories of environmental activists to empower and educate.
• 👵 A personal revelation about the speaker's mother's involvement in the Women's Strike for Peace movement leads to a profound sense of connection and empowerment.
• 🌏 The Fukushima nuclear disaster and its personal impacts on families further emphasize the global reach and importance of environmental activism.

Q & A

At what age was the speaker diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease?

The speaker was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at the age of 35.

What types of cancer affected the speaker's family members?

The speaker's mother died from lymphoma, her father from a brain cancer which was a metastasis from melanoma.

How did the speaker's chemotherapy treatments impact her chances of having children?

The chemotherapy treatments reduced the speaker's chances of having children by 50%.

What environmental factors did the speaker research in relation to cancer?

The speaker researched the connections between synthetic chemicals, radiation, and cancer.

Which historical study did the speaker reference regarding the impact of X-rays on unborn children?

The speaker referenced a study by Alice Stewart from the 1950s, which found that one single X-ray to the womb doubled the child's chances of developing cancer.

What was the speaker's reaction upon learning about the prevalence of childhood cancers post-1950s?

The speaker was shocked to learn that childhood cancers spiked after the 1950s when synthetic chemicals, radiation, and environmental pollution became more prevalent.

What personal achievement did the speaker celebrate after her chemotherapy treatments?

The speaker celebrated getting pregnant and becoming a mother after her chemotherapy treatments.

What book did the speaker read while pregnant that deeply affected her?

The speaker read 'A Civil Action' by Jonathan Harr while pregnant, which is a story about a childhood leukemia cluster in Woburn, Massachusetts.

What is 'Eco grief' as mentioned in the script?

'Eco grief' refers to the profound sadness and grief people feel in response to environmental loss and the impact on all living beings.

What historical event did the speaker's mother participate in that the speaker was previously unaware of?

The speaker's mother participated in the 'Women's Strike for Peace', a movement that led to the partial nuclear test ban treaty in 1963.

What was the speaker's call to action at the end of the script?

The speaker encouraged the audience to feel the eco grief, to be called to action, and to join the efforts to fix environmental issues.