Grades 10-12, College, Adult
Directed by Lynn Corcoran
Produced by Lynn Corcoran
DVD Purchase $79, Rent $45
US Release Date: 1997
Copyright Date: 1996
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-285-8
VHS ISBN: 1-56029-681-X
Subjects
American Studies
Business Practices
Central America/The Caribbean
Developing World
Environment
Environmental Justice
Globalization
Health
History
Human Rights
Humanities
Immigration
International Trade
Labor and Work Issues
Latin American Studies
Law
Mexico
Science
Technology
Society
Social Justice
Social Psychology
Sociology
Sustainable Development
Toxic Chemicals
US-Mexico Relations
Awards and Festivals
The Other America Film Festival, San Antonio
International Working Class Film & Video Festival
Environmental Matters at the United States-Mexico Border
The environmental impact of the 2,000 factories (maquiladoras) on the US-Mexico border.
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"Recommended for anyone interested in the effects of corporate mobility and NAFTA." Terrence McCormack, SUNY-Buffalo, MC Journal |
BORDERLINE CASES investigates the environmental impact of the nearly 2,000 factories - maquiladoras - that have been built in Mexico at the US-Mexico border by multinational corporations from the US, Asia and Europe.
In the early rush to globalization these factories, whose workers are paid a fraction of US wages, did not need to comply with costly environmental regulations. The result, according to one reporter, is that the border became "a 2,000 mile long open sewer, a vast toxic waste dump."
The public debate over NAFTA brought the border's problems to light. Today environmental issues take an important place in US-Mexico relations.
BORDERLINE CASES, a documentary essay, describes the consequences of 25 years of environmental neglect, the results of five years of earnest activity and promises made for the future.
A diverse mix of people of both countries, from grass-roots groups, government, academia, and industry, are rethinking traditional notions of borders as they engage in the search for solutions.
Reviews
"Corcoran effectively presents the argument that corporate capital flight from the United States is not restricted to the pursuit of a lower cost labor but, also serves as an escape from environmental regulations and enforcement - Recommended for anyone interested in the effects of corporate mobility and NAFTA."
"This excellent film, rich with current information and ideas, focuses on three pairs of border cities seriously affected by pollution from the maquiladoras and/or from the urban sprawl that they attract, sans any new infrastructure."
"To its credit - the film manages to stay even-handed throughout this politically and culturally volatile set of issues - Recommended"