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Toxic Tropics

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An in-depth piece of comics journalism exploring the persistent use of the deadly chemical Chlordecone to support the banana crops in Martinique and Guadeloupe.  In 1975, pesticide producer LifeSci...
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  • 28 January 2025
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An in-depth piece of comics journalism exploring the persistent use of the deadly chemical Chlordecone to support the banana crops in Martinique and Guadeloupe. 

In 1975, pesticide producer LifeSciences closed their plant that produced the chemical chlordecone, after numerous employees had toxic chemical poisoning, and the local river had been polluted. But in the French Antilles, farmers continued to use the pesticide. Even after it was banned in 1993, planters continued to illegally import and use it. Chlordecone use became so widespread that it was in almost everything people on the islands ate and drank. 

Today, 95% of the inhabitants of Guadeloupe and 92% of the inhabitants of Martinique are contaminated by the chemical, and the islands have one of the highest cancer rates in the world. 

In this richly illustrated work, the author brings her personal experience and connection to the story as she interviews scores of local people as well as scientists and government officials to uncover the true story behind the decision to continue poisoning the water and the soil for the sake of global commerce. We, as global citizens, are urged to consider the decisions we are making through our consumer choices and how they affect the health of the planet and the survival of communities throughout the world.

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Price: $23.99
Pages: 204
Publisher: Street Noise Books
Imprint: Street Noise Books
Publication Date: 28 January 2025
Trim Size: 9.00 X 6.25 in
ISBN: 9781951491345
Format: Paperback
BISACs: COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS / Nonfiction / Science & Nature, COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS / Nonfiction / General, COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS / Nonfiction / Journalism
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“Environmental justice is fundamentally about people, and this beautifully rendered graphic novel captures the human relationships and communities involved in a chemical catastrophe that spans generations. At a time when we too often take food security and safety for granted, this novel weaves together the true story of dangerous chemical residues from insecticides with colorful graphic panels, reminding us to ask questions and fight for global environmental justice.” —Dr. Jessica L. Ware, Curator and Division Chair of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History