Take a photo of a barcode or cover
cllecr 's review for:
Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats
by Kristen Iversen
2022 Book 18
Full Body Burden
"Full body burden is the total and measurable amount of toxic chemicals and pollutants that have accumulated in the body of a human being since birth."
This book is an autobiographical account and well researched documentary of growing up downwind from Rocky Flats Nuclear plant outside of Denver, CO during the cold war era. What happened behind the scenes in this and other atomic age facilities was largely kept secret in the name of national security. We knew little about the long term dangers of plutonium and radioactivity in those days.... workers and the local populations were exposed to more than they imagined and the safety of many areas is still in question.
The historical perspectives revisited in this account range from global alarm to an intimate look at the lives of families depending on the jobs this nuclear plant provided. I was particularly struck by the innocence of the children who played in the watershed streams, drank the water and breathed the dust contaminated by its proximity.
I listened to this book and questioned the claims of government coverups with skepticism... how could they shrug off public safety concerns?! But the author's meticulous descriptions including details about research methods and comparisons to other locations convinced me that short cuts were taken, accidents minimized and risks understated behind the veil of national security concerns.
Questions still remain about opening Rocky Flats for public recreational activities. Before we compound the mistakes made, perhaps we need to resolve the discrepancies and err on the side of caution for a change.
A thought provoking look at history and a look to the future - focusing on our own back yard. This exposė, coupled with personal stories of families growing up nearby reminds us of the very real consequences of our actions. Let's hope the lessons learned are not repeated.
Full Body Burden
"Full body burden is the total and measurable amount of toxic chemicals and pollutants that have accumulated in the body of a human being since birth."
This book is an autobiographical account and well researched documentary of growing up downwind from Rocky Flats Nuclear plant outside of Denver, CO during the cold war era. What happened behind the scenes in this and other atomic age facilities was largely kept secret in the name of national security. We knew little about the long term dangers of plutonium and radioactivity in those days.... workers and the local populations were exposed to more than they imagined and the safety of many areas is still in question.
The historical perspectives revisited in this account range from global alarm to an intimate look at the lives of families depending on the jobs this nuclear plant provided. I was particularly struck by the innocence of the children who played in the watershed streams, drank the water and breathed the dust contaminated by its proximity.
I listened to this book and questioned the claims of government coverups with skepticism... how could they shrug off public safety concerns?! But the author's meticulous descriptions including details about research methods and comparisons to other locations convinced me that short cuts were taken, accidents minimized and risks understated behind the veil of national security concerns.
Questions still remain about opening Rocky Flats for public recreational activities. Before we compound the mistakes made, perhaps we need to resolve the discrepancies and err on the side of caution for a change.
A thought provoking look at history and a look to the future - focusing on our own back yard. This exposė, coupled with personal stories of families growing up nearby reminds us of the very real consequences of our actions. Let's hope the lessons learned are not repeated.