Road Trip!

Tomorrow I leave for an epic environmentalist dream road trip with my mom. I'm excited to spend time with my mom and also to visit these awesome places.

We're gong to first travel down to the Shenandoah Valley to visit Joel Salatin's Polyface farm and go hiking. Then we'll come back north and visit an area hit by fracking and some of the farms that produce the food that ends up at the farmers' markets near me.

I'll be reporting all along and am even going to try to make a short documentary about my mom's reaction to discovering fracking - and on the trip all together.

It's been a while since i've written and i'm excited to get going on the blog again!

-Sara

Experts' Opinions on Sustainability - 2010 in Review

With this first post of EOS, we can look back on 2010 and get to know our experts a little better as well. Enjoy! And please leave any comments below.


Question Set #1: 2010 in Review

1. What was the biggest political upset of 2010?

2. What was your favorite book of 2010?

3. What was your favorite documentary of 2010?

Jeffrey Davis - Eco Snobbery Sucks

1. I'm not one of those environmentalists that gets involved in politics...as a matter of fact, I don't even vote. For me, not voting is my vote. I don't really see where one person (or group of people) lording over others has ever worked out so well for any party involved...including the environment. Bare in mind that is simply my personal political paradigm, but that's how I see it for now.

Credit: Amazon.com

I think we'd all be much better off if we'd learn to love and respect each other, and in turn, the environment we live in. It may sound idealistic, but if we can't cling to ideals, what hope do we have to begin with, ya know?

2. I didn't read much in 2010. Well, at least not in the form of books. But of the books that I did get to read, 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need, by my friend Sam Davidson was my favorite...and not because Sam is a good friend. It's truly a great read!

3. I'm not much of a film documentary type person. I LOVE the History and Discovery channels, and watch lots of documentaries (if you want to call them that) there, but don't catch many film documentaries. I have been planning to finally see The Cove.




Brendan DeMelle - DeSmogBlog

1. Russ Feingold's loss to Ron Johnson
2. Merchants of Doubt (Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway)
3. Tie between Gasland and The Cove

http://www.sonyclassics.com/insidejob/

Edward Hall – LightSource

1. The UK "hung parliament", quite a lot of ruckus there!

2. Complexity: A Guided Tour

3. An Inside Job

Jin Kong - The Green Elephant

Credit: Amazon.com

1. I refrain from speaking about politics because I believe this is beyond any one person and beyond politics in general. I believe this Sustainability, or Green movement is about a life style that affects other human beings and other life. I consider it a humanistic question. Although politics is very much part of the issue, but I feel it often clouds the real questions.

2. Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma;

Jonathan Nash’s Environmental Law and Policy; and

Dr. Colin Campbell’s The China Study.

These three books gave me the knowledge base necessary to appreciate the complexity of the Green issue, the immense knowledge gap we have about the Sustainability topic, and the invariable connections between how we see ourselves, how we see the world, and how we see changes, that shapes our Sustainability crisis. Of the three authors, each brings a sense of professional quality to what they can contribute to the overall Green Conversation. I see them as my teachers and their writings the lighted guideposts on my journey to changing my own behaviors. Aside from these books, I want to also mention The Economist’s Special Report on Food, the 9 Billion People Problem. The editors at The Economist really put the problem in perspective and gave the context necessary to frame my own thinks.

3. As for my favorite documentary is ZeitGeist: Moving Forward. Beware, the whole thing is close to three hours long, but even if you just watch the first three minutes of the video, you will be inspired!

www.ZeitgeistMovie.com

Meris Michaels - Toward Better Health

1. The Republicans gaining more seats in Congress and entry of Tea Party members into the government.

2. Poisoned for Profit - How Toxins are Making our Children Chronically Ill by Philip & Alice Shabecoff, revised 2010 edition, describes the devastating effects of toxic chemical substances on children's health and includes advice to parents and consumers on how to advocate for a healthier environment.

3. "Solutions locales pour un désordre global", 2010 French documentary produced by Coline Serreau.  In contrast to the "global disorder" of intensive industrial agriculture, the film presents "local solutions" for a more sustainable agriculture such as direct delivery of locally-grown produce to consumers; setting up seed banks to preserve plant diversity and move away from the expensive patented GMO seed imposed by multinationals;  producing a healthier soil, free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Jessica Reeder - Love and Trash

1. In the United States: The Arizona immigration law. Obviously the issue is contentious, and it's been debated for a long, long time. This law is simply another step on a long path with a pretty clear destination: to hold back immigration to America.

I try not to buy into the political divisions in our country, but rather look at both sides of the issue. Immigration is something that every country struggles with, but over the centuries America has often prided itself on its open borders. I think this move to impede illegal immigration speaks to America's growing maturity as a nation. Personally I don't agree with the law for a number of reasons, but I find it very telling.

Internationally: The Tunisian Revolution. I know its effects were largely felt in 2011, but this revolution's impact was bigger than almost any other event in 2010. It sparked popular uprisings around the globe, something that (to my limited knowledge) has never happened before in such a way and is very much related to Internet accessibility. This is a clear sign that humanity's increased access to knowledge and communication tools will irrevocably change the relationships between governing bodies and their citizens.

2. Temple Grandin's "Animals Make Us Human." I devoured every word. It gave me so many tools for understanding not only the animals I interact with (by keeping, feeding or eating them), but myself and other humans as well. It's incredibly clearly written and has completely changed my mind on some subjects.

3. I don't really keep up with the movies, but I did attend the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in January. I loved Bag It and have recommended it to lots of people. I also got a real kick out of a short called On The Trail With Miss Snail Pail.

Brendan Seale – The Interconnectedness of Things

1. In my opinion, Naheed Nenshi's victory in the mayoral race in Calgary, Alberta ranks as the biggest political upset of 2010. Nenshi trailed in the polls and languished in third place as ballots were being cast. But he ran a very clear, thoughtful, innovative (lots of social media), and sustainability-driven campaign right in the heart of the Canadian oil economy's territory and managed to emerge victorious. He highlighted errors made by previous city councils and made clear how he would address them and create a better future in ways that made sense fiscally, socially, and environmentally. His message certainly struck a chord with Calgarians.

2. My favourite book of 2010 was "Strategy for Sustainability" by Adam Werbach (ok fine, it was released in 2009). Werbach eloquently makes the case that sustainability cannot be thought of as window-dressing, reputation management, or a "nice to have", but is actually about an organization's long-term viability and survival. He provides a great approach for recognizing threats and opportunities, and then highlights the need for transparency, engagement, and networking to make meaningful progress.

3. Gasland ranks as my favourite documentary of 2010. Hydraulic fracking for natural gas is obviously very risky business, and is not being regulated with nearly an appropriate level of caution. The film is an excellent example of our reckless pursuit of a certain type of progress, our extremely short-term view of success and the consequences of the decisions we make, and a failure of governing bodies to put the wellbeing of their people before corporate interests.

Shane Shirley-Smith - Environmental Booty

1. I was just thinking that the answer to the biggest upset should just simply be the approval of Obama Care.  The two advisers I referenced in the post, are no longer a part of Obama’s adviser team. As a registered Democrat who no longer automatically votes along party lines, I am appalled at what President Obama's advisers on health care are planning to do with our lives. Are you? Part of living a green lifestyle is about not only keeping an eye on the future health of our planet, but also looking out for the future health of each and every one of us. Obama's health care plan is certainly turning me green...as in the color you turn before you puke.

You can check out the rest of Shane's blog post on the topic here:  http://shaneshirleysmith.blogspot.com/2010/09/americans-do-you-really-know-what.html

www.FarmerJane.org

2.  Farmer Jane - Women Changing the Way We Eat by Temra Costa

Not only do I love Temra Costa's book because of the 30 stories of inspiring women changing the way we eat, I also love it because it was a transformative read. I asked Temra Costa why she wroteFarmer Jane and she said, "Because women's stories need to be told. Also, I wrote it to educate and inspire action and change in our food system." 

There are so many great tips on how a woman (or a man) can find easy ways to provide her family with healthy, whole, local and sustainable foods, that I came away from reading the book with a feeling that I can and should feed my family better foods through knowing my farmer, protecting my local farmer's way of life and supporting locally sourced food production.

Each of the books chapters focuses on the areas of change that women are leveraging to bring greater sustainability back to our plates. Every chapter features profiles of women and ends with "Recipes for Action" which give actionable steps to help us follow through with the concepts discussed - ideas for how you as a farmer, eater or an owner/employee of a food business can join in.

We can "vote with our fork", as Temra says and truly change the future of not only agriculture, but our future generations as well.

http://shaneshirleysmith.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-latest-green-readfarmer-jane-women.html

www.GarbageDreams.com

3. Garbage Dreams - PBS Independent Lens Series by Mai Iskander
Believe me when I tell you, Garbage Dreams by Mai Iskander, part of the PBS Independent Lens Series, should definitely be a part of your PBS education.

For those of us living in a country such as the United States, you will see firsthand just how really far behind we are in our efforts to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. If you have children, this is a must see as it will solidify in their minds, just how much of a difference young people can really make, and what a significant impact can be made with their knowledge and resulting power.
The movie was filmed over four years in Cairo and follows three teenage boys who are “Zaballeen” which is Arabic for “garbage people”. The Zaballeen have collected Cairo’s garbage for decades in a way that is far ahead of any of our modern green initiatives. They recycle an almost unbelievable 80% of the garbage they collect while lifting themselves out of poverty and creating a solution to one of the world’s most pressing crisis. When the Zaballeen community is suddenly faced with the globalization of its trade, each of the teenage boys is forced to make choices which will impact their future and the survival of the community.

http://shaneshirleysmith.blogspot.com/2010/03/pbs-independent-lens-series-brings-us.html

Bonnie Lane Weber – Grass-Roots Organization

1. Trite at this point but it is the success of the Tea Party because they now have a lot of power. Also, not political, but the fact that Bernie Madoff was the only "banker" that wound up in jail.

Credit: Amazon.com

2. A Better Way of Dying by Fitzpatrick and Fitzpatrick. Population control is a very important environmental issue. Acceptance of dying is an important part of population problem and will help save our resources. We should not be keeping people alive many of whom do not even know they are alive. We must do paperwork to prevent our being kept alive longer than we prefer.

www.GaslandTheMovie.com

3. Gasland not because it is a prize documentary as a film but because it is a prize education tool. It has made many people around the country aware of the dangers of hydrofracking. It is a very important part for NY State being able to get such attention to the issue that maybe it can be stopped or at the very least made safer.




Now it's your turn:
What was the biggest political upset in 2010?
What was your favorite book of 2010?
What was your favorite documentary of 2010?

Wild and Scenic Film Festival

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival took place on Wednesday, March 9 at the LGBT Community Center (208 W. 13th St., NYC) from 6-9 p.m.

The event was put on by the Green Guerillas and sponsored by Sierra Nevada, Patagonia, Osprey, Klean Kantene, Grist, and Clif Bar.

In total, 9 documentaries and short films were shown. The event was flawless. The movies were all fantastic and fit together well. Representatives from ioby, Dissent Magazine, and some other local organizations were also present.

Bike-U-Mentary
This was a well put together documentary by students at UCLA. A nice film, but not a must-see. You can watch it below.

Witness
This is an absolutely stunning documentary about conservation photography. The pictures are beautiful and the interviews are informative. Overall a must-see! Watch the trailer below.

Animals Save the Planet Shorts
Cute and funny animated shorts about animals and the environment. Great for children and a quick reminder that everything we do affects the planet we share.

They did not show the one below, but it includes 5 similar shorts. I think it would be great for showing to younger kids.

Brower Youth Award Shorts
These are on YouTube as well, although I didn't find the specific ones they showed at the film festival. Below is one on Alec Loorz, an incredible young adult from California whom I had the pleasure to hear speak in 2009 at SC3.

Save the Farm
This is the incredibly moving story of a community in California trying to save their 14-acre urban garden. I highly recommend this film - must-see!

Oktapodi
A quick, cute film. You probably won't be able to eat calamari after this one!

The Majestic Plastic Bag
This 4-minute mockumentary is just fabulous.  I even showed it to some non-yet-environmentalists who found it funny :) Also a must-see! The full movie is below:

The Windmill Farmer
I found this one to be just all-right, not great. The animation is clearly very well done, but I wasn't as moved by the story. You can watch it below.

Truck Farm
Ian Cheney brings you another fabulous documentary. This time, quite goofy, but informative and interesting nevertheless. Cheney was at the film festival and answered questions after his movie. If you're not already an Ian Cheney fan, you will be after this film!

You can check out my YouTube channel for more great videos.

Waste Land Documentary Review

 

I give Waste Land 5 stars! This was an incredible movie - a must-see. While it didn't directly address solutions to sustainability issues, it is the type of art we need to help stimulate more discussion world wide.  Waste Land is an Academy Award nominee for best feature documentary. Vik Muniz capture the hope and despair of the pickers. 

Waste Land tells the stories of the "pickers" of Jardim Gramacho [Gramacho Gardins] - where 70% of Rio's garbage ends up, and the largest landfill in the world.

 

2500 pickers search through the landfill for recyclable materials, which independent companies pay them (by weight) to collect.

The pickers make $20-25/day. 

Artist Vik Muniz spends time getting to know the pickers and picks a few of them for his latest art project - portraits made from garbage.

He pays the pickers to collect the materials he will need from the landfill and then to lay out the garbage recreating their portraits. 

Visit the official website here. 

"Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores”—self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz’s initial objective was to “paint” the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives."

-More about the film here. 

Read the New York Times review here. 

Carbon Nation Documentary Review

Peter Byck, creator and producer of Carbon Nation, said his audience for the film is skeptics and people who just don't care - yet. He took the "big tent approach," to quote him directly. He said he didn't want to go down the blaming road, but rather to create an uplifting presentation of the answers to climate change.

I think the biggest problem with this movie is that Peter Byck is a filmmaker who decided to make a documentary about the environment, rather than an environmentalist or expert on a particular sustainability issue choosing to make a documentary.  [Side anecdote: At the end of the screening there was a Q+A with him and two representatives from the organization 350. I asked if they had any upcoming events, if there might be one on 11.11.11 (since there was a huge event on 10.10.10) and Byck thought this was just genius! He was amazed by it for a good few minutes…]

I would not recommend this movie to any fellow bloggers or people who have studied the environment for any significant amount of time. The movie really is for beginners, for all others it's simply frustrating.  Its oversimplification can been uplifting and hopeful, but causes many inaccurate statements. Its broad range of topics prevents the movie from delving into any single topic significantly and only allows time for a statement of the most obvious facts. Throughout the movie there were interviews from poorly described "experts," who I assumed could have very well been executives at companies whose products they were advocating.  If you know anything about environmentalism this movie will probably not teach you anything.


Overall rating: thumbs down
oversimplified, inaccurate, naïve

NYPost gave it 1 star and said "Wind power plus solar power equals hot air in the propaganda piece "Carbon Nation," a documentary so disconnected from reality it could have been produced by President Obama's speechwriters.  
Read more


New York Times said "all we need to do is enact some kind of carbon tax, and our problems will be solved. That may be true, but it sure is naïve. This film seems blissfully unaware that political obstructionists are paralyzing the legislative process; that deep-pocketed influence peddlers have a vested interest in maintaining the fossil fuel culture; that, in general, people resist change."
Read more

Must See Movies

I haven't seen these documentaries yet, but they are definitely on my must see list.

And here is part 1 of Flow: For the Love of Water

Also, the series Big Ideas for a Small Planet by Sundance Channel looks great!

 There are just so many great documentaries out there! Leave a comment with any suggestions :)

Gasland Documentary Review

Gasland wins 5 stars! It is an incredible documentary that highlights the horrible issue of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) and makes you want to do something about it. Fracking uses over 596 chemicals to extract oil from the ground and pollutes millions of gallons of water. 

Although the overall tone of the movie was ominous, with the director Josh Fox's voice narrating slightly monotonously, there were some good laughs as well. And, as I found out in the Q and A session afterward, Fox is really a charismatic public speaker. 

The video above shows the overall tone of the movie.

This next video gives you some more of the facts.

Some of the main facts:

• 1-7 million gallons of water are needed to frack each well each time.
• Each well can be fracked up to 18 times.
• It takes 1,150 truck trips for each frack job.
• Fracking is now being considered in the Delaware River Basin, which provides water to over 20 million people (including NYC)
• There is currently a moritorium on fracking in the DRB, but it expires July 1. 
• Dick Cheney was the CEO of Haliburton (a huge oil company) before he was VP.
• Haliburton Loop Hole: Exempts fracking from the law and was conveniently passed during the Bush administration.
• As Al Appleton said in the Q+A after the screening, normal PR advice for the natural gas companies would be to stay mum and not react at all to Gasland. However, as you can see from this video below, they aren't doing that. Why? They feel threatened because Fox did such a good job showing the human face of this issue.

What we can all do to help fight fracking:

• United for Action Mission Statement: 

  We are a group of volunteers who shape public policy decisions by organizing and mobilizing groups of like minded citizens. Our current focus is to stop the process of hydraulic fracturing of gas wells in the Midatlantic States and Nationally. We are working to raise public awareness of the unacceptable risks posed by this process to our water, air, and mother earth, thus endangering our health and our lives. We seek to empower people to organize, unite and take actions towards a safer, healthier future.

• Sierra Club
• Call the DRBC (Delaware River Basin Commission) and demand that a public hearing be held on fracking in NYC
• DRBC Exec. Director: Carol Collier (609) 883-9500, ext. 200
• New York: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (518) 474-8390
• New Jersey: Gov. Chris Christie (609) 292-6000
• Delaware: Gov. Jack Markell (302) 744-4101
• Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Corbett (717) 787-2500

What the FRACK is going on???

Plastic Planet Documentary Trailer

Gasland Screening Tonight

Tonight there will be a screening of the documentary Gasland at the Dalton School in Manhattan, NYC.
I will be at the event and look forward to writing a blog post about it afterward.

Gasland Screening

There will be a screening of the documentary Gasland at the Dalton School (108 E. 89th St.) on February 9th (next Wednesday) from 6:30-9:00 p.m.

I will be there, and will be writing a blog post on it!
Here is a link to a website that published that the event was taking place (Our Town).

Here is the Gasland Official Website. 

Waste Land Documentary

Wow! This documentary looks incredible! A definite must-see

Waste Land

Here's the official website.