2022 Fall Brunch Celebration

This Sunday, Defend Our Health hosted an in-person event ceremony at our 2022 Fall Brunch Celebration! Event attendees enjoyed an outdoor event at Broadturn Farm with live music by Glen Loper and Bethany Waickman, a delicious brunch buffet, and an open bloody mary and mimosa bars while celebrating the victories we have accomplished over the…  Read more »

Maine Hearing: Experts & Impacted Residents Testify for Equity, Justice and Movement on Tackling PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’

On Monday, legislators, impacted citizens, scientists and health advocates urged the Environment and Natural Resources Committee to continue to move the state forward in the fight against toxic PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals that have been linked to negative health impacts, including several types of cancer and decreased immune response to vaccines.  Defend has…  Read more »

Here’s what we’ve won!

Maine’s leading the nation by dumping a cancer-linked toxic chemical. The Maine Legislature passed a law to eliminate toxic PFAS from products we use every day. We’re the first state to get this done! (LD 1503) Maine will also protect our firefighters, whose risk of cancer is elevated by exposure to toxic chemicals. No longer…  Read more »

The cost of inaction: Arsenic in water

In the last blog post on lead in drinking water, we talked about how our drinking water isn’t as safe as it should be to protect children’s brains. The EPA says that 15 parts per billion (ppb) of lead in water is good enough; but science has long known that no amount of lead is…  Read more »

Defend Our Health: A new name and stronger commitment. Join us!

Introducing Defend Our Health – we’re continuing the fight for safe food and drinking water, healthy homes, toxic-free and climate-friendly products. This has been a tumultuous and traumatic year for the world and our country. But one thing has shone through – the grassroots energy and people power to make change and deliver justice. And…  Read more »

Grant Opportunity: Grassroots Work for Safe Food and Water

We’re thrilled to announce that this year, we are able to offer mini grants of up to $2,500 to grassroots leaders and community groups fighting for water and food that is free of toxic chemicals. These mini grants will be awarded to support grassroots organizing, research, testing, or advocacy to help rid our food supply and drinking…  Read more »

What Organizing Looks Like

A little-known issue links communities in Guatemala, where I’m from, to communities in Maine: arsenic contamination of drinking water. I was first convinced of the power of organizing for change when I spent time in a Guatemalan community organizing around water contamination. And it is my work in Maine on this issue that reminds me of…  Read more »