Putting Drinking Water First: Clean Water Action believes that everyone has a right to safe and affordable drinking water. We are making drinking water impacts a primary consideration when developing regulations and other programs involving upstream activities that can impact downstream drinking water sources.
As the home to the headwaters of the Mississippi river, a top state for food production in the country, and corporate agriculture players in our backyard, Minnesota is an important player in re-shaping the state of our current food system dominated by corporate agriculture. The industry has put the majority of beef, poultry, and pork markets in the hands of only a few top corporate processors, all of whom are involved in polluting practices throughout their supply chains.
The long term goal of Clean Water Action Minnesota’s Field to Fork: Sustainable Feed, Sustainable Food is to reshape this industrialized food system, in relation to livestock production, to implement policies that reflect sustainable practices in order to protect our natural resources including soil health, native landscapes, and clean water.
Clean Water Action, in collaboration with partners and interested individuals across the state, will work towards two major changes to achieving sustainable meat:
If you have any questions or would like to get more involved, please fill out our volunteer form!
Flint Michigan isn’t the only place with a drinking water crisis. All across the country, numerous communities face water insecurity due to outdated water infrastructure. There are an estimated 6-10 million lead service lines still in this country, which connect homes to drinking water mains in streets. As water flows through to houses, the lead is slowly eroded, resulting in lead contaminated drinking water. And this isn’t the only source of lead. Lead based paints, common in houses built before 1978, can result in dust and paint chips. If ingested, these can also result in lead poisoning.
Lead exposure is particularly harmful to children and pregnant people. Exposure to lead can cause issues such as damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems. The problem is particularly prominent in lower income households and BIPOC communities that can’t afford the necessary remediation efforts.
Clean Water Action Minnesota is working to advocate for funding and programs to improve lead remediation efforts at all levels. This includes education, advocacy, and community powerbuilding. We are committed to fighting for lead abatement and removal until the problem has been completely eliminated.
Did you know the shampoo, cleaner, or laundry detergent you wash down the drain may be harming your health and the health of our water? Find out how these chemicals are making their way from our products into our bodies and water, discover simple steps you can take to protect your health from toxic chemicals, and see what we're doing to fight for safer chemicals.
Protecting our Great Lakes: The Great Lakes are a national treasure. They contain 20% of the earth’s fresh surface water and are the drinking water source for more than 40 million people. As a leading member of the Healing Our Waters coalition, we are working to protect the Great Lakes we love and clean them up for future generations to enjoy.