Buffalo, NY - In what appears to be a typical classroom presentation, Canisius University students recently delivered something extraordinary—an in-depth analysis of a pressing local environmental concern.
Under the guidance of Sue Margulis, PhD, professor of biology, and animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC), students in her integral ecology course examined ecological issues affecting Western New York communities.
"People are part of the environment. We're not separate from it," explains Margulis. "The course focuses on both sustainability and justice."
One group of students - Jemini Szabad, Troy Brown, Jimmy Sweeney and Jeb Braunscheidel— investigated the Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant in Niagara Falls, where ortho-toluidine, a chemical linked to bladder cancer, has been released into the air. For Szabad, a North Tonawanda native, the project became personal.
"Being at that spot was emotional," she says. "We went there and the smell, just getting out of our cars was insane. This is bigger than Niagara Falls - this is a Niagara County-level issue."
The group tackled the problem from various angles. Szabad examined community health impacts, Brown studied effects on migratory birds, while others assessed risks to plant workers.
"It was hard to learn that workers had no idea how dangerous the chemical was," Braunscheidel notes. "There was a real lack of protective equipment."
The project culminated in a presentation and short film designed to raise awareness about the situation.
"Always do your own research on the chemicals being released into your environment," advises Braunscheidel. "As many people should know about this as possible," adds Szabad. "Because it could happen to any of us."
