Sickly Green: A Parable of Carpet and the
EPA
Liza
Grandia Spoke last week, May 5, at the Chemical Entanglements Gender and
Exposure. This series of presentations was put on by UCLA’s ucla center for the
study of women: research that thinks. To be honest, I didn’t know what the main
purpose of the event was. All I knew was that I needed to attend a second
event. I heard a couple presentations, but non of them stood out and left an
impression like Liza Grandia’s did. I am a geography major at UCLA and have
learned about environmental injustices throughout my four years. I think this
small connection is why I found some of Liza’s presentation attractive.
Liza states that “50% of floors in the US are carpeted" and "only 5% of
carpet is recycled." This statement immediately triggered my geography and
environmental science thinking. Part of my didn’t want to believe this negative
impact, but the other half of me didn’t doubt this sad statistic. With the
constant increase in urbanization, it is important for society to create
reusable products.
In addition to carpets not being reusable, Liza’s main argument
and purpose for her presentation focused on the significant amount of people in
the world who suffer from side effects of living with carpeted homes and
buildings. Liza spoke with enthusiasm that came off as humorous at times, but
the overall meaning was much greater. The fact is that people do not understand
that “wall-to-wall carpet” hides bacteria and emits neurotoxins even though
people may see it as soft and cozy.
Liza poked fun at the advertisement methods carpet companies use.
Ironically carpet companies advertise their comfortability and softness by
using babies and families. Often times the child and/or family is seen laying,
play, crawling, sleeping, or congregating around the carpet. Much of these
videos and advertisements show happiness, but the diseases that result from
carpets are not pleasant.
Liza Grandia spoke with great enthusiasm and conviction because
she suffered from the neurotoxins and in the end fell ill by contracting
lymphoma. She had to undergo chemotherapy and now is hypersensitive to carpet,
which limits her ability to walk in the majority of buildings in the US. Even
though Liza is identified as a cultural anthropologist, associate professor in
the department of Native American Studies at the University of
California-Davis, she is laughed upon b the many who view the carpet side
effects as a myth.
(Chancellor - End on right)
Aapolloni. "Meet the Chemical Entanglements
Speakers: Liza Grandia." Center for the Study of Women. N.p.,
03May 2017. Web. 05 May 2017.
Liza Grandia's presentation at the Chemical Entanglements Event at UC Los Angeles
<https://csw.ucla.edu/2017/04/27/meet-chemical-entanglements-speakers-liza-grandia/>.
<http://rigotile.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/10059465_l.jpg
<https://csw.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2017/03/grandia.jpg>.
<https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57633829ff7c507e597e3cac/t/57633fedd1758e9827820a4c/1466122236270/Carpet-cleaning-II.jpg?format=2500w>.
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