How to tackle environmental justice at a local level

Erin Brockovich, Environmental Activist & 'Superman's Not Coming' author, joins Yahoo Finance’s Kristin Myers and Alexis Christoforous to discuss clean water and Biden’s plan for climate change.

Video transcript

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- Welcome back. President Biden has invited no less than 40 world leaders to participate in this week's climate summit. He's hoping to reach deals with the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters. President Biden is also expected to unveil a new emissions reduction target this week for the Paris Climate Accord. Joining us to talk about his efforts on climate is Erin Brockovich, environmental activist and author of the book "Superman's Not Coming."

Erin, it's good to see you again. I know that, of course, most of your life work has been advocating for clean water. So I want to start there and get your thoughts on President Biden's promise to commit $45 billion to replacing all the lead pipes that currently supply water to especially our older communities in this country. Do you think it's actually going to make a dent in, you know, the water that we're all drinking?

ERIN BROCKOVICH: It's a start. And so I'm just glad to see the entire conversation happening again from climate change, which by the way is going to be water events and water and making investments in our infrastructure. I've been out there for 25 years on the ground. And I can tell you and see it where a lot of the issues are. And it is failing, aging, antiquated infrastructure.

So it's a good beginning, especially on the lead issues. And we have a fair way to go. Because for decades, we've let these issues not be attended to, gone unnoticed. Whatever has happened has happened. So it's a good start, especially on replacing aging, antiquated infrastructure. And we'll have to go from there. It's not going to be an overnight fix.

- You know, Erin, I think so many communities are dealing right now with the impact and the effects of climate change, are dealing with the impact of having unclean water. Flint is just one community that comes to mind.

I want to go back to the title of your book. It says "Superman's Not Coming," what we the people can do about that. So I want to ask you that question. What can we the people do about it? What can we do on a more local level without waiting for the federal government to tackle these issues of climate change, of environmental justice, of clean water?

ERIN BROCKOVICH: I'm so glad you brought that up because the title "Superman's Not Coming" might make some people nervous. But it shouldn't be because we are here. The conversation has happened. And I can assure you in every community I've been in, even Flint, it begins with one mom or a group of moms. And if they get up in arms, I promise you you're going to move aside because they're going to push through.

And I've seen it happen in Hannibal, Missouri, and New York and all over the United States and Flint. You don't necessarily have to wait for some federal oversight to come down and rescue you. That's not going to happen.

We are going to have to push to have a seat at the table. We have a voice. We've got the courage. We have the ability to work with your community, start a conversation, and just show up. Show up at your city council. So much can happen at a very local level. Start there, and then you can work your way up and build yourself out.

And I don't know if we've been comfortable or complacent or just thought that something or someone would have all of this taken care of. And we're all waking up and learning that isn't happening. It didn't happen, and we have to get involved.

And don't be afraid to use your voice. Get involved with your community. Ask those questions. Don't be afraid not to ask a question. And so what if you're wrong? Keep asking. Stay involved. And absolutely get involved at a local level. So much happens right there. And a lot of change can begin right there.

- I'm so glad you bring that up because there is so much power in our local communities, right? And oftentimes, that-- that's where we can effect most change is at the local level. And you're right. There are no-- the federal laws are sort of falling short here.

And I know in Buffalo, they did something recently where they sort of took matters into their own hands to help their own water situation there. Who in your opinion is doing it right right now? Where might other cities look to them as a blueprint?

ERIN BROCKOVICH: Well, we point out quite a few in the book "Superman's Not Coming and What We the People Can do About It." And I don't want us to forget about we the people. We have a huge voice.

And in response to your question, what comes to mind is at a very local level in Poughkeepsie, New York, right at the municipality where you had a municipal operator paying attention to when he was turning on an ammonia feed that all the consumers were calling and that they were experiencing problems-- itchy skin, rashes, change of smell. What's going on? One of the first things that can happen at that very local level is at the municipality and listening to what the consumer is telling you that they are seeing and experiencing in a change in their water and responding to it.

So, ultimately, what they did in upstate Poughkeepsie, New York, and this water operator listening to the customer or the consumer, they stopped using the ammonia feed, which they later learned was creating a corrosive system within the distribution system. And they got to work, stopped using the ammonia, fixed the distribution system, replaced it, and they're now delivering water, safe water free of ammonia that doesn't cause lead outbreaks or Legionnaire problems to the community.

That's just one municipality. There's 60,000-plus. Imagine if every one across America did that. They could make change at a very local level and across the board make a difference for everybody in our drinking water. Now, that's one issue and one chemical, but we do have to broaden from there and look at our overall aging infrastructures and how we deal with that.

- Erin, I want to quickly ask you on that broadening point about communities of color that we have seen so impacted by climate change, so impacted by the water crisis that we currently have. How can we make sure that we center those communities going forward, at least on broad federal policy?

ERIN BROCKOVICH: Again, back at a very local level. And they oftentimes are absolutely overlooked. They're not listened to. The-- I don't know. Someone thinks that they're just going to go away. Getting involved down on the ground, this is something I've said. There's such a disconnect between federal and federal agencies and what's happening in a particular state and then a further disconnect from the state to that community.

And it's getting-- working with the community and being on ground with them and supporting them in their voice. They suffer, and they're not heard. And I desperately want to say and get to all of these communities, you can be heard.

And I need you to get collective and be together and not be-- don't get pushed back or away at the first time that you try to approach a subject, and someone doesn't want to hear it. Come back to your community. Get more. Get another. Get a hundred. Get 200. Get 500. Don't go away.

But we in my opinion, at a federal level and a state level and at a local level, you need to get out on the ground, and be with these people, and see what they are living and experiencing, and be support to them, and start from there. There's such a disconnect from these agencies and what's happening to the people on the ground.

So I want to say to all of them on the ground-- and I'm down there with you-- we will come in and support you. We will give you the tools you need so your community can be heard. But speak up. And if you don't, we can't always see you and get to you. But it's very frustrating. And I feel their frustration because they're oftentimes overlooked.

- Erin, before we let you go, I know you've got that new ABC series "Rebel" that was, I guess, inspired by you and your life story, Katey Sagal playing sort of Erin Brockovich 2.0. I know it just launched, but your thoughts on being part of that after all these years.

ERIN BROCKOVICH: You know, can you-- I can't even think that 10, 15 years ago, television would have had a female of age protagonist playing on something. But I'm really proud of "Rebel." And it's been fun and great to be a part of it. There's a huge message there.

And "Rebel" is that person down on the ground. And you know what? "Rebel" is all of us. And I hope it inspires you to find that voice within and not to be afraid to speak up and be a part of such a huge message that's impacting all of us. So I'm inspired by "Rebel." I watch it, and I'm like go, girl. So it's a lot of fun

- [INAUDIBLE] Yeah. Erin Brockovich.

ERIN BROCKOVICH: Absolutely.

- Environmental-- yeah. Thanks so much. Environmental activist and the name of the book-- "Superman's Not Coming."