Cultural Writing. Photography. CRUDE REFLECTIONS/CRUDE REALIDAD chronicles the human and environmental impact of oil drilling in the Ecuadoran Amazon, where the pollution is so extensive that medical experts currently predict thousands of deaths from cancer and the disappearance of five indigenous rainforest communities. Community leaders and doctors already report elevated rates of cancer in the region, as well as birth defects. Photographers Lou Dematteis and Kayana Szymczak have documented the physical and emotional reality of those affected by this toxic contamination, roughly 30 times greater than the more widely reported Exxon Valdez spill. The book also documents an uplifting campaign for justice, culminating in a landmark legal case now being adjudicated in Ecuador. While focusing on one geographic region, CRUDE REFLECTIONS makes a statement about the need for safe environmental practices and the importance of preservation throughout the world. Text accompanying photos is in Spanish and English.

Author City: San Francisco, CA USA