Realfoodology Podcast Summary

Episode: The Chemical Crisis in Our Food & Water – And What I’m Doing About It | Solo
Host: Courtney Swan
Release Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this solo episode, Courtney Swan confronts the escalating chemical crisis affecting America’s food and water systems. She dissects government inaction—across both political parties—around toxic substances, clarifies misconceptions about recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy changes, and calls for unified, nonpartisan action against corporate influence in public health. Swan offers context, factual corrections, and impassioned critique, giving listeners both a history lesson and a grassroots roadmap.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Concern & Frustration with EPA Action

• Courtney opens with her ongoing concern regarding chemicals in food and water and recent controversy over EPA regulatory rollbacks ([00:00]).
• She criticizes the politicization of the issue:

  “I'm not happy with a lot of what's going on right now… There's a lot of chatter online about this right now, which I just want to call out.” ([00:08])

2. PFAS/Far-Reaching Chemical Exposure

• Definition & Sources: Explains what PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are and how widespread they are in cookware, clothes, and food packaging.

  “Anything that has that nonstick lining potentially has PFAS… Food packaging is notoriously full of PFAS.” ([01:24])

• Recent Controversy: Addresses misinformation about policy, specifically rumors that all PFAS regulations are being rolled back.
• Clarification:

  “Biden’s EPA made rules for six different PFAS chemicals, and Trump’s EPA is keeping the rules for two of them. …They’re not rolling those back. …but they’re dropping or delaying the other four.” ([03:06])

• Systemic Flaw: Notes that restricting PFAS in water is only a partial solution; the source must be regulated.

  “If we are not going to the source of where these forever chemicals are actually coming from... what are we really doing here?” ([05:00])

3. Political History of Chemical (In)Action

• Outlines decades of governmental inaction, regardless of party ([05:57]):
  • PFAS unregulated despite scientific knowledge since the 1990s.
  • Glyphosate (“probable human carcinogen” since 2015) ignored by all administrations.
  • BPA: acknowledged as risky, discussed but never banned ([07:58]).
• Quotes:

  “We have a problem in America with corporate capture, with industry caring more about their profits than human health. And this is a problem across the aisle. This is a Republican problem and this is a Democrat problem.” ([07:04])

4. The Flint Water Crisis as a Case Study

• Details on the EPA’s failed, slow response in Flint, Michigan:
  • Internal warnings ignored; emergency action delayed ([07:52]).
  • Emphasizes that failures pre-date recent administrations.

5. Critique of Current Discourse & Influencers

• Expresses exasperation with sudden alarmist posts from once-skeptical voices ([09:20]).
• Acknowledges feeling alienated by left-right blame games:

  “Your fellow humans, your fellow Americans are not your enemy here. Stop turning this into a left and right division… We all need to band together.” ([09:59])

6. New Developments: TSCA Rule Rewrite

• Highlights a quietly proposed change to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which could enable more hazardous chemicals to enter consumer products with minimal safety data ([11:06]).
• Quotes:

  “The EPA could open the gate for more hazardous substances to enter our everyday products while making it easier to keep dangerous chemicals on the market with minimal safety data.” ([11:19])

• Stresses that these issues are not recent; Americans have “been getting duped for a very long time.” ([12:05])

7. Call to Action: Collective Nonpartisan Pressure

• Urges listeners to focus on unity and direct action, not partisan squabbles:

  “Whether you're left, you're right, you're libertarian, you're in the middle, you're politically homeless… We all are affected by this… we all need to come together and demand, we the people, that we stop allowing corporations to poison us...” ([12:32])

• Cites widespread public concern:

  “Over 90% of Americans care about these issues across the aisle…” ([13:27])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Political Inaction:

  “No president has ever done anything about glyphosate. They have barely touched the surface about PFAS.” ([06:30])

• On Divisiveness:

  “Your fellow humans, your fellow Americans are not your enemy here. Stop turning this into a left and right division.” ([09:59])

• On Corporate Capture:

  “If you think that Big Pharma is corrupted, you have no idea how corrupt big agrochemical companies are and how deep their tentacles go into our government.” ([10:28])

• On Personal Commitment:

  “I have promised you guys from the very beginning that I will not just blindly take sides… I’m being very vocal about the things that I’m not happy about.” ([11:01])

• On the Need for Collective Action:

  “We all need to come together and demand, we the people, that we stop allowing corporations to poison us because we’re done. We’re fed up. We don’t want this.” ([12:51])

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |----------------|----------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 – 02:30 | Courtney’s introduction, scope of chemical crisis | | 02:30 – 06:30 | PFAS regulation history & current policy debate | | 06:30 – 09:00 | Persistent inaction of past administrations | | 09:00 – 11:01 | Calling out divisiveness & influencer behavior | | 11:01 – 12:32 | TSCA rule rewrite & corporate capture | | 12:32 – 14:45 | Call for collective nonpartisan action & unity |

Tone & Language

Courtney speaks urgently and passionately, but maintains a clear, accessible approach. She avoids jargon, uses direct examples, and frequently addresses the listener as a peer or ally. There are moments of frustration, but always with a constructive push toward shared action.

Summary Takeaways

• The true problem is systemic corporate capture, not partisan politics.
• Chemical threats (PFAS, glyphosate, BPA) remain largely unregulated; small policy moves have not addressed root causes.
• Recent confusion about EPA rollbacks is partly fueled by influencer misinformation and online tribalism.
• Americans should band together, making their voices heard beyond party lines, to push for real change.

Share this episode with anyone frustrated with the safety of our food and water—regardless of their politics. As Courtney says, the path forward requires all of us working together.