An ecological and health disaster -- a byproduct of plastic production

Just over a week ago a 50-car Norfolk Southern Railroad train loaded with poisonous vinyl chloride – a known human carcinogen and precursor to the plastic PVC – derailed in East Palestine, OH, unleashing a fire and explosions that rocked the small village. 

Days later, in an attempt to prevent a further catastrophic explosion and the uncontrolled release of killer gasses from the train, authorities ‘vented’ the vinyl chloride from multiple cars and allowed it to burn, sending a giant plume of toxic smoke into the air.

Now, River Valley Organizing and other local groups are mobilizing the community to fight back, get legal representation, empower civic action, and build sustainable autonomy and justice after this disaster. And they need our help.

We’ve pledged $10,000 from our Grassroots Grants Fund to support local groups responding to the crisis and we hope to send more, with your generous support. 

Will you help us double that pledge with a contribution today?

We accept donations via Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal. At this moment, we welcome check donations but strongly prefer online donations. For donations via check, send a check payable to “The Story of Stuff Project,” to:

The Story of Stuff Project
1442 A Walnut Street, #272
Berkeley, CA 94709 USA

If you have questions that are not answered in our Donation FAQs, please email Smruti at smruti@storyofstuff.org