Erin Brockovich

President of Brockovich Research & Consulting, Environmental Advocate

Erin Brockovich is President of the consulting firm Brockovich Research & Consulting and was the Director of Environmental Research at Masry and Vititoe law firm until 2008. She is credited for spearheading the 1996 environmental lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Company on behalf of 600 members of the Hinkley, California community. Her tireless efforts resulted in a $333 million compensation package, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit. Erin’s Healthy Child Healthy World message advocating for children’s health appeared on over 22 million Organic Valley milk cartons in 2003.

"To bring about change, the most important thing is information. The Freedom of Information Act gives you access to records. I know it sounds like a lot, but there’s always one angry mom in the group who’s willing to do the research. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with public agencies, Congress, neighbors: If you go into a tirade without facts, it will fall on deaf ears. (If you don’t like to speak publicly, work with someone who can; none of us is ever a lone warrior.) But when you have documents, when you can say, This is poison being sprayed…Look at how often they’re spraying…people are masters at making connections. Oh, my god, my daughter has been acting like that, too. As soon as it hits home, as soon as it’s about parent and child and neighborhood, people spring into action."

From HEALTHY CHILD HEALTHY WORLD. Reprinted by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright (c) 2009 by Healthy Child Healthy World.

To read more from Erin and many others, pick up your copy of our book, Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, today.