Growing Up With Power Plants
Personal memory by Jillyn Phillips
2007 • Lake Charles, LA, USA
I lived in Lake Charles for a few years as a kid, and I remember making jokes with my parents about the "eternal Christmas lights" of the refineries that surrounded the city. I remember having headaches almost everyday for the few years I lived there, but I thought nothing of it at the time. Looking back, I realize the smog from the power plants and refineries are what caused my problems. I also remember my mom telling me we weren't allowed to swim in the lake (which the city is named after) because it was too dangerous and full of toxins and dead fish.
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