PFAS causing problems
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or forever chemicals, are the silent but deadly cousin to microplastics. PFAS are a group of toxic chemicals that do not break down in the environment. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, overexposure to PFAS causes several types of cancer, developmental issues in children, and a weakened immune system. PFAS, since the 1950s, had grown to be used in over 9,000 different products, which contaminated Minnesota surface water, groundwater, soil, fish, and drinking systems.
The Twin Cities area is especially vulnerable and has one of the largest PFAS plumes because of companies like 3M, that manufactured products containing PFAS and disposed of waste into sites that polluted the groundwater. The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy states, “the Minneapolis chain of lakes (including Bde Maka Ska and Lake Harriet) as well as more than 40 other lakes… have fish consumption advisories due to PFAS contamination.”
Minnesota communities need to be protected from these pollutants because they went unregulated for far too long. Amara’s Law was implemented just this year in Minnesota, banning PFAS in 11 different types of products. Amara was a Minnesotan PFAS activist who passed away in 2023 from cancer caused by her PFAS exposure. While we are seeing more legislation being made, PFAS hasn’t disappeared. Minnesotans should start to make informed purchases, stay updated, and advocate to policymakers. Lastly, an effective and easy method for helping others is to spread awareness, lives can be saved if action and education is encouraged.
Willow Overcash
student/Linden Hills
FOREVER CHEMICALS IN OUR WATER SUPPLY
When Minneapolis residents turn on the tap for a glass of water drawn from the Mississippi River, many assume it’s safe – yet few know that dangerous “forever chemicals” known as PFAS have contaminated soil and water systems, and infiltrated our own bodies. These compounds have accumulated and spread over decades after 3M released them across the metro area, and now can pose potential health concerns.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health and the Pollution Control Agency, PFAS have been associated with certain cancers (although research has had varying results), especially for pregnant women, infants, and communities that fish or hunt locally – these groups face greater risks from potential developmental and immune effects.
University of Minnesota epidemiologist Bruce Alexander notes that while PFAS health risks are still emerging and not as definitive as lead or asbestos, a precautionary approach to reducing exposure is still important, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Minnesota leads with Amara’s Law, banning intentionally added PFAS in products like carpets and cookware as of 2025, plus expanded monitoring now in effect. The 2018 $850 million 3M settlement funds cleanup and restoration in affected areas, including downstream Mississippi River regions.
While residents can take limited steps to reduce personal exposure, the responsibility ultimately lies with Minneapolis. The city can act this year by prioritizing settlement-related resources for advanced PFAS filtration upgrades in our river-sourced treatment and publishing expanded, transparent testing results. These feasible steps will safeguard residents and advance statewide efforts.
Dorian Mataszak
Blake School student, Powderhorn
THe big picture of the Big Beautiful Bill
I have read with much interest of the comments made by conservative writers, on the state of affairs of Minnesota. While they are writing on topics that appear to be seemingly distressing to them and to point them out to us Minnesotans as being unfair or an affront to their values, I need to mention and remind them and us, while this may be true to them of that particular topic, The bigger picture is that for both of us, we are having our values being slowly and systematically taking apart and no one from GOP is talking about this. What is that I am discussing? I have summarize the GOP platform adapted nation wide as the “line in the sand” from the Committee 2025 Agenda Policies in reminding you what they are. Actually the list is much, much bigger than my 200 word limit opinion page will allow. Thus I am only submitting five out of my top 10 list.
I encourage the supporters of GOP to write in response to the top 5 out of 10 list below, and tell us the specific policies in the BIG Beautiful Bill that this is not so… Anyone? Anyone??
5. Keep people from voting (Gerrymandering to keep GOP in power)
4. Keep people distracted and divided (free speech impediments, Somali propaganda, Epstein files, Minnesota fraud area to name a few)
3. Keep people armed with available and easy ways to get guns (Ask every high school kid that wishes to see this changed)
2. Keep people in state of fear, hate and divisiveness (look at conservative news outlets and GOP support on Trump’s latest “Truth Sayings” with GOP support,” “he does not mean that.” It is refreshing that he is frank and honest towards the “Left” comments or even the latest ICE presences )
1. Create policies for the rich to get richer - (It contains a $23 trillion tax cut for the rich! really?!? )
We can discuss characters of current leaders that are distracting to us. We can talk about one federal policy change issue to distract us. We can fight amongst each other on state policies and federal changes to distract us. We are like the frog in boiling water, adjusting our pending big freedoms and values down to little things. We wake up every morning adjusting our sense of common sense and decency from the on-slaught of policies being pushed down on us. Just actually what is our options? Anyone? Anyone?? Otherwise the listed items above are being pushed on us all at once (and there is much more) will be the new norm that we will have to live with for years to come ...
Jack Bethke
Kingfield
A Poem to Invite us Home
Another night awake sensing the ancient ache
of violence stirring around and within me.
I lament the losses in this reality
and I wonder what it will take for us to wake.
Is there intense agony in every party?
How is it for a refugee in this country
having just fled from violence and poverty
to find steady work feeding folks who are hungry?
How is it to be labeled as an enemy,
hunted down and deported back or forced to flee
to a country caught in war and calamity?
Is there terror with a longing for empathy?
What is it like to be severed from family?
Is there a searing wound that seems unbearable?
Will life ever again feel good or livable?
Who will hold all this anguish with tender mercy?
And how does it feel to be an ICE employee
fulfilling job duties to feed the family,
chasing, arresting, and deporting folks daily?
How does this occupation impact the psyche?
What if there is violence in one’s history?
What if the child one used to be is still screaming
and kneeling with belt buckles or crow bars falling
on a vulnerable, unprotected body?
Are we doing them a deep disservice today
suggesting that they may protect society
by passing on violence that they could not flee?
What if this is a loss only love can repay?
What is it like to protest this reality,
to risk your safety and that of your family
to try to restore some safety and dignity
to folks facing immense vulnerability?
Is there terror, frustration, or indignity?
Is there nourishing compassion and empathy?
Is there deep exhaustion from running on empty?
Is there longing for a tender reality?
And what is it like to remain home in safety,
to be asked by illness, age, or propensity
to engage this moment with creativity?
Is there heartbreak, trust, acceptance, or agony?
What if there is violence in one’s history?
Is there longing to intervene protectively
and deep desire to stop pushing the body
into severe sickness and reactivity?
What is the truest yearning in every party?
Do we all want nourishment and community?
Do we all want kindness and reciprocity?
Can we unite to seek and share this remedy?
Shall we draw ideas from life’s fecundity,
from flower and bee who keep each other healthy,
from mycelium and tree who both grow wealthy
heeding the hunger to nurture that sets us free?
Bernadette Miller
Linden Hills
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