Well-known environmental activist and author Erin Brockovich spoke at UCLA on Wednesday about her passion for environmentalism and the award-winning movie based on her life.
Brockovich was interviewed at UCLA on Wednesday as a part of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s weekly seminar series. During the interview, Brockovich shared many of her experiences as an environmental activist, including her role in a water contamination lawsuit in Hinkley, Calif. that was portrayed in the Academy Award-winning film “Erin Brockovich.”
Brought up in Kansas, Brockovich moved to southern California in the 1980s.
Brockovich played a role in a water contamination lawsuit involving the city of Hinkley, Calif. and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
She recalled the moment when she decided to investigate the contamination of the water supply of Hinkley, saying her instincts told her that something had to be done to help the people being affected by the chemically contaminated water.
“I might be from Kansas, but green water and two-headed trout are not the norm, and that’s just not right,” Brockovich said.
The lawsuit ended in a multi-million dollar settlement and grabbed national headlines, leading to the movie starring Julia Roberts in 2000.
Brockovich also spoke about some of her recent environmental work. She recently established a partnership with Google to create a crowd-sourced map that allows people to report issues of environmental and medical malpractice.
“The environment should be a national priority,” she said. “This is everyone’s issue, and the lack of action from people in this world is a letdown to everyone.”
Compiled by Joseph Vescara, Bruin contributor.