Chris Bathurst is a mentor, trainer, supervisor and motivator at Clean Water Action. He earned his undergraduate degree in forestry and has been active in environmental politics ever since. His drive stems from an appreciation for both the environment and for political power struggles.

Clean Water Action was started by executive director, David Zwick after he examined water issues with Ralph Nader. He began an organization called Clean Water Action Fisherman's Project, recruiting fishermen as people who were actively concerned about water contamination issues.

Zwick was a major contributor to Clean Water legislation. CWA has grown to a nationwide level, and their agenda has expanded to include air quality, environmentally safe jobs and businesses, safe and available water, and nuclear waste storage.

They offer organizing expertise to other grassroots organizations and local community groups, as Chris told us: "bringing legs to the movement." CWA is currently working on three major projects: toughening standards on emissions from Connecticut's "Sooty Six" power plants, targeting supermarkets to remove genetically engineered ingredients from store brand products, and educating people about the presence of mercury and other toxins in their environment and how they may connect to learning disabilities and behavioral disorders in children.

Prior to our meeting with Chris, we had always considered the environmental movement to be anything but cohesive. After inquiring more into how CWA interacts with other environmental organizations, we learned that many different environmental groups often join forces for specific campaigns.

Chris would encourage members of the college community to realize that organizations like CWA make major changes and appreciate their victories, and that the most important thing to remember is that there is hope.

For further information, please visit:
http://www.cleanwateraction.org

or write to:
nohocwa@cleanwater.org