SUSTAINABILITY VIDEOS
BUILDING / CONSTRUCTION
Green Builders. Prod. Bob Szuter. PBS, 2009. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TH880 .G44 2008 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/greenbuilders/ [Slideshow, Quiz, Leed Tutorial, Extras]
A quiet green revolution in the building world is evolving, and a first wave of innovative green design projects large and small has already
hit the ground. Green Builders, a one-hour high-definition special, profiles a cast of green-building pioneers who have taken the leap into
making their part of the “built environment” a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly place.
CLIMATE CHANGE / GLOBAL WARMING
An Inconvenient Truth. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Paramount, 2006. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 I53 2006 Video DVD
Climate Crisis website http://www.climatecrisis.net/ [Curriculum Guide]
Former Vice President Al Gore explains the facts of global warming, presents arguments that the dangers of global warning have reached
the level of crisis, and addresses the efforts of certain interests to discredit the anti-global warming cause. Between lecture segments,
Gore discusses his personal commitment to the environment, sharing anecdotes from his experiences.
Dimming the Sun Dir. Duncan Copp. WGBH Video, 2006. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 D56 2006 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sun/ [Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Extras]
"Dimming the Sun" investigates the discovery that the sunlight reaching Earth has been growing dimmer, which may seem surprising
given all the international concern over global warming. At first glance, less sunlight might hardly seem to matter when our planet is
stewing in greenhouse gases. But the discovery of global dimming has led several scientists to revise their models of the climate and how
fast it's changing. According to one recent and highly controversial model, the worst-case warming scenario could be worse than anyone
has predicted. "Dimming the Sun" unravels this baffling climate conundrum and the implications for Earth's future.
Global Warming: The Signs and the Science. Prod. David Kennard. PBS Home Video, 2005. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 G563 2005 Video DVD
Union of Concerned Scientists website http://www.climatehotmap.org/curriculum/ [Curriculum Guide]
This documentary profiles people who are living with the grave consequences of a changing climate, as well as the individuals,
communities and scientists inventing new approaches to safeguard our children's future. Filmed across the U.S., Asia and South America,
this program brings the reality of climate change to life and offers viewers a variety of ways to make a difference in their own
communities.
Hot Planet, Cold Comfort. Dir. John Angier. PBS Home Video, 2005. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 H68 2005 Video DVD
Scientific American Frontiers website http://www.pbs.org/saf/1505/ [Teaching Guide, Transcript, Extras]
Examines the latest warnings from scientists that large-scale changes in the earth's climatic systems are taking place, with potentially
serious consequences. Shows what is already happening to the Alaskan glaciers.
Hot Times in Alaska. Dir. John Angier. PBS Home Video, 2004. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 H673 Video DVD
Scientific American Frontiers website http://www.pbs.org/saf/1404/ [Teaching Guide, Transcript, Extras]
Alaska is warming up. It's now a few degrees warmer than it was a century and a half ago, and the trend seems to be accelerating.
Already the landscape is changing dramatically -- permafrost is thawing, glaciers are melting, forests are succumbing to drought and
insect attack. Alan Alda meets Alaskan scientists who are working to find out if these are the first signs of global warming and what the
future may hold.
Masters of the Arctic Ice. Prod. Birgit Buhleier, Paul Spillenger. Warner Home Video, 2007. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QL105 .M37 2007
NSIDC Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis Website http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/ [Education Resources]
NOAA Arctic theme page Website http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/index.shtml [Education Resources]
Journey to the top of the world to witness firsthand how the planet's changing climate is affecting the creatures that inhabit the icy
Arctic. See how the quickly melting Arctic ice affects the survival skills of ringed seals, polar bears, and narwhals. These Arctic creatures
have become masters at negotiating the perils of this frozen world, but their dependence on the ice is also their greatest vulnerability.
National Geographic's Crittercam technology provides a never-before-seen perspective on this changing world. See how the resourceful
creatures of the Arctic are learning to adapt—from their own point of view.
Warnings from the Ice. Dir. Robert Gardner. WGBH Boston Video, 1998. VHS
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8.G56 W37 1998 Video VHS
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/warnings/ [Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Extras]
Experts probe the Antarctic ice for clues to the mystery of rapid climate change.
What’s Up With the Weather? Dir. John Palfreman. WGBH Boston Video, 2008. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QC981.8 .G56 .G45 2007 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/ [Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Extras]
The overwhelming majority of scientists agree: Earth's temperature has risen during the past century. But is it due to man's use of fossil
fuel energy? And if so, how can we prevent the catastrophic results that some scientists predict if global warming continues?
In "What's Up with the Weather?" NOVA and FRONTLINE join forces to investigate the science and politics of one of the most
controversial issues of the 21st century: the truth about global warming.
ENERGY
(fossil fuels: coal, oil; nuclear; alternative energies: biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen fuel, solar, wind, geothermal)
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash. NOW hosted by David Brancaccio. PBS Home Video, 2006. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. HD9560.5 .C88 2006 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/224/index.html [Transcript, Extras]
As oil and gas companies continue to make enormous profits in a time of record-high gas prices, watchdog groups are accusing these
companies of shortchanging American taxpayers on billions of dollars in royalties for drilling rights on public property. NOW investigates
oil royalty manipulation and speaks to a whistleblower who says oversight control was weakened to keep more money in the coffers of
Big Oil.
Car of the Future: Engineering for the Environment. Dir. Joseph Seamans. WGBH Boston Video, 2008. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TL154 .C37 2008
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/car/ [Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Extras]
NOVA follows National Public Radio Car Talk hosts Tom and Ray Magliozzi (Click and Clack) as they travel the world to find out what is
being done now to keep cars running in the future. The program:
visits the Detroit Auto Show to illustrate that, in order to attract buyers, cars have become even bigger and more powerful.
travels to the AltWheels Festival in Boston to look at some of the alternative-energy vehicles currently available.
explains how petroleum is turned into gasoline.
notes that the current U.S. infrastructure supports the delivery of gasoline, making it difficult for an alternative energy source to
take hold.
presents efforts in Iceland to convert to hydrogen vehicles.
illustrates how hydrogen fuel cells work.
explains how Iceland produces hydrogen, which, despite being the most abundant element in the universe, does not exist
naturally in pure form.
reports on efforts to make ethanol a viable alternative fuel source.
looks at research to produce ethanol from cellulosic biomass, the woody structure that supports plants.
details work being done at MIT's Sloan Automotive Laboratory to increase the efficiency of combustion engines.
considers the impact of regulation on fuel economy.
looks at the Hypercar, a vehicle made of lightweight but strong composite carbon fiber.
surveys current energy-efficient cars on the market, including standard hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles that are
powered by energy derived from sources other than petroleum.
considers what needs to happen if alternative vehicles are to become commonplace.
e2 Energy. Dir. Tad Fettig. PBS Home Video, 2007. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TJ820 .E2 2007 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/e2/energy.html [Teacher’s Guide, Projects, Transcripts, Extras]
e² is a critically acclaimed, multipart PBS series about the innovators and pioneers who envision a better quality of life on earth: socially,
culturally, economically and ecologically. Global in scope and comprised of six 30-minute chapters filmed in HD, e² energy features the
engineers, policymakers and innovations that are transforming energy availability and consumption. Each episode covers viable policy
and technology alternatives to the fossil fuel culture. Episodes explore: California as a world leader in emissions control; transportation
and the need for greater efficiencies; ethanol in Brazil and its future in the United States; distributed solar energy as a means to poverty
alleviation in Bangladesh; community wind in Minnesota and its role in regional economic development; and the role of coal and nuclear
power in our future energy mix. Solutions-oriented, the series illustrates the trials and trade-offs that any evolution in our global energy
system will demand. Episode 1. Harvesting the wind; Episode 2. Energy for a developing world; Episode 3. Paving the way; Episode 4.
Growing energy; Episode 5. State of resolve; Episode 6. Coal & nuclear: Problem or solution?
Extreme Oil. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2004. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. HD9560.5 E98 2004
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wnet/extremeoil/ [Lesson Plans, Extras]
Portrays the challenges that face the oil industries and the consumers of the infinite products of oil. "The pipeline" follows the route of a
pipeline linking the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and thus the global market. "The oil curse" contrasts the cases of Ecuador and
western Africa, and looks at how the discovery of oil has affected the local population. "The wilderness" explores the tension between
the world's desire for oil and existing and proposed environmental restraints (Alaska National Wildlife Refuge). v. 1 The pipeline; v. 2 The
oil curse; v. 3 The wilderness.
Fuel Cells. (NOVA scienceNOW, original broadcast: July 26, 2005) Online Video
Online video http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3210/01.html
[Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Interactive, Extras]
Researchers explain how hydrogen fuel cells work. They consider the challenges of using hydrogen as a fuel source and discuss where
hydrogen might work best as a fuel. This NOVA scienceNOW segment:
defines a fuel cell as a kind of battery that uses hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity, producing water as a byproduct.
describes how fuel cells work—hydrogen and oxygen are on opposite sides of a membrane. When hydrogen crosses the
membrane to bond with the oxygen, the membrane strips off its electron. These electrons travel through a circuit, producing an
electrical current.
examines several ways of obtaining hydrogen gas, such as using photosynthesis and lasers, and notes that, on Earth, hydrogen is
found chemically bonded with other atoms; thus an energy-intensive step is required for splitting off the hydrogen.
observes that hydrogen production requires large, technically advanced facilities and that producing large amounts of hydrogen
on-site, such as in a factory or apartment complex, may be the most feasible and cost-effective way of using fuel cells on a
widespread basis.
showcases a fuel-cell car and examines the growing interest in such vehicles.
discusses the challenge of making hydrogen a convenient fuel for cars—it will require a complex infrastructure to produce,
transport, and distribute hydrogen efficiently and to dispense it to individual cars safely and conveniently.
concludes with the assertion that it will take at least 20 years to learn how to utilize hydrogen as a widespread fuel source.
Future Car. Dir. Graham Chedd. PBS Home Video, 2004. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TL154 .F88 2004
Scientific American Frontiers website http://www.pbs.org/saf/1403/ [Teaching Guide, Transcript, Extras]
Alan Alda visits the research labs and testing tracks of the Big Three — GM, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford — to
learn how automakers are developing cars that conserve oil and reduce pollution.
Life after Oil: The New Energy Alternatives. Dir. Ron Meyer. Ambrose Video, 2008. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TJ808 .L54 2008 Video DVD
[Educational Science DVD Extras: Printable Graphics, Teachers Guide and Lesson Plan]
This program illustrates ways we can solve our dependence on fossil fuels through the use of alternative energy sources including wind
power, fuel cells, hydrogen fuel, ethanol, biomass and solar power. The challenge for our future is to make use of alternative sources of
energy to replace our dependence on fossil fuels: oil and coal. Right now, such sources are right before us. All we need to do is to scale
up what already exists in the laboratory. This program shows how we can do this through technological innovation and will power.
Prize, The: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power. Public Media Video, 1992. VHS
SJDC Library Call No. HD9560.5 .P74 Video VHS
Charlie Rose website http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/9151 [View online: A Conversation with Daniel
Yergin, 6/27/2008]
This PBS miniseries tells the epic history of oil... how it has dominated global politics, shaken the world economy, and transformed our
century. This exciting and entertaining eight-part series, based on Daniel Yergin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, captures the panoramic
history of the biggest industry in the world. Shot on location in Azerbaijan, Egypt, England, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Russia,
Scotland, Turkey, and the United States, the series features fascinating characters, archival footage, and interviews with the people who
shaped the oil industry. Yergin appears on camera throughout the series to discuss oil's impact on politics, economics, and the
environment.
Renewable Energy. Prod. H. Henderson, E. Lonergan. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2007. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TJ808 .R46 2007 Video DVD
This program examines the urgent need--not only in the U.S. but across the world--for sustainable energy; it also illustrates how new
power production methods are becoming a reality. Alternative energy trendsetters are featured, including Time magazine "Hero for the
Planet" Geoffrey Ballard, who explains his hydrogen fuel cell innovations. Evergreen Solar vice president Mark Farber describes his
company's advanced solar cell production methods and its mission to provide access to energy in the developing world--a goal shared by
the Solar Electric Light Fund, says executive director Bob Freling. In addition, Rocky Mountain Institute founder Amory Lovins promotes
the benefits of small solar power plants, and economist Hazel Henderson explores the potential of wind energy.
Solar Energy: Saved by the Sun. Dir. Steven Latham. WGBH Boston Video, 2008. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TJ810 .S284 2008 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/solar/ [Download Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Extras]
NOVA explores what it would take for solar energy to become a real player in the energy game. The program:
looks at the use of photovoltaic panels in homes and describes how they work and how some people are benefiting financially
by using solar power.
notes that increased energy demands, dwindling global fossil fuel resources, and heightened public concern for global warming
all contribute to the need for alternative energy sources like solar energy.
presents the challenges of maintaining power during the summer in Los Angeles and explains that cities currently rely on fossil
fuel power plants to survive.
profiles the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave Desert, the largest solar thermal power plant in the
world.
examines how solar power became a mainstream energy source in Germany.
explores innovative business models that are supplying solar energy to companies like Whole Foods.
reports on solar research being conducted at the National Research Energy Laboratory in Colorado, including multi-junction
solar cells that were used on the Mars rovers.
introduces research that draws on nanotechnology to make solar power more affordable.
concludes by noting that while most of the promising solar energy options will take years to come to the market, decisions need
to be made now regarding future energy options.
Who Killed the Electric Car? NOW hosted by David Brancaccio. PBS Home Video, 2006. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. TL220 .N69 2006 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/223/index.html [Transcript, Extras]
A new documentary by filmmaker Chris Paine charts the promising life and untimely death of the electric car, and lays blame at the door
of some powerful suspects. NOW sits down with Paine to look under the hood of America's automotive and oil industries and uncover
who really pulled the plug on electric cars, and why.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION / POLICY / TOXIC WASTE
A Civil Action. Dir. Steve Zaillian. Touchstone Home Video; Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 1999. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. PN1995.9.T75 C58 1998
Website Science in the Courtroom-The Woburn Toxic Trial http://serc.carleton.edu/woburn/index.html
[Instructor Materials, Learning Modules, Extras]
The film is based on a true story of environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s. The real case
and movie revolve around the issue of trichloroethylene, an industrial solvent, and its contamination of a local aquifer. A lawsuit was
filed as commercial operations appeared to have caused fatal cases of leukemia and cancer, as well as a wide variety of other health
problems, among the citizens of the town. The case involved is Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et al.. The first reported
decision in the case is at 96 F.R.D. 431 (denial of defendants' motion to dismiss).
Journey to Planet Earth. Prod. Marilyn Weiner. PBS Home Video, 1999-2003. VHS
SJDC Library Call No. GE140 .J69 1999
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth/ [Episode Summaries, Educational Resources, Transcripts,
Extras]
Discusses achieving a balance between the needs of people and the needs of the environment, focusing on loss of farmland, river
pollution, inadequate housing and water resources, environmental pressures, grasslands and the link between environmental change
and human health. v. 1. Rivers of destiny; v. 2. The Urban explosion; v. 3. Land of plenty, land of want; v. 4. On the brink; v. 5. Seas of
grass; v. 6. Hot zones; v. 7. The state of the planet; v. 8. Future conditional.
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Prod. Peace River Films. WGBH Boston Video, 2008. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. QH545 .P4 R234 2008 Video DVD
PBS website “Fooling With Nature” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/nature/ [Special Reports, Extras]
Witness the life of passionate biologist and environmentalist, Rachel Carson, and how she exposed the effects of the unregulated use of
pesticides and herbicides by the federal government, and sparked a revolution in environmental policy. Her 1963 warnings about the
effects of pesticides and herbicides - especially DDT - sparked a revolution in environmental policy and created a new ecological
consciousness.
POPULATION GROWTH
World in the Balance. Prod. Linda Harrar. WGBH Boston, 2004. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. HB849.4 .W67 2004 Video DVD
PBS website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worldbalance/ [Teacher’s Guide, Transcript, Interactives, Extras]
NOVA examines recent trends in population worldwide and explores the environmental implications of countries undergoing
industrialization. Two hour-long programs: The People Paradox, China Revs Up.
The People Paradox
reveals that birthrates are declining in many parts of the world, particularly in industrialized nations.
conveys that populations are still rapidly growing in developing countries, where demand for food and water is higher than
supply.
examines how population growth or decline will affect different countries.
profiles the population challenges of India, Kenya, and Japan.
relates how women in India do not have access to birth control or adequate medical care and often die in childbirth.
shows how orphans in sub-Saharan Africa struggle to survive after their parents die from AIDS.
describes the development of a microbicide that may give women the ability to protect themselves from sexually transmitted
diseases such as HIV.
explores the problems Japan will encounter in the future when its labor force shrinks and there are no longer women at home
to care for the elderly.
China Revs Up
describes China as a country encompassing a quarter of the world's population.
highlights the fact that many people in China will be changing from an agrarian to an urban lifestyle in the next few decades.
reports that China burns more coal than any other nation, a source of pollutants and a greenhouse gas.
explores what might happen when more cars are purchased in China.
recounts the government policy enacted in 1979 prohibiting Chinese couples from having more than one child.
examines how population growth, affluence, and technology may affect global warming.
discusses how improvements in technology can reduce carbon emissions.
WATER
Blue Gold: World Water Wars. Prod. Purple Turtle Films. PBS Home Video, 2009. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. HD1691 .B58 2009 Video DVD
Website http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/ [Action Plan, Water News, lots of extras]
Wars of the future will be fought over water, as they are today over oil, as the source of all life enters the global marketplace and
political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling fresh water supply,
prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor
water management. Will ours too?
Cosumnes: A River’s Song. Prod. Jerry Blair. University of California, Davis; 2003, 2006. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. GB991.C2 C67 2006 Video DVD
New Valley Episode 108: Refuge or Ruin? website http://www.newvalley.org/episodes/108/108.htm [Transcript,
Stories, Interviews]
Cosumnes: A River's Song, a 60-minute documentary co-produced by public television KVIE Channel 6 and the University of California,
Davis, examines the Cosumnes River and its impact on the Central Valley. This program documents the findings of U.C. Davis geologist
Jeff Mount and his team as they poke and probe the Cosumnes River searching for answers that could lead to a better understanding of
how a river can better serve its community and its ecology. Documents the history and ecology of the last free-flowing link between the
Sierra Nevada and Pacific Ocean.
The Endless Voyage. Intelecom Intelligent Telecommunications, 2003. DVD
SJDC Library Call No. GC11.2 .E53 2003 Video DVD
26 half-hour episodes focus on the marine environment as a unique and important part of life on earth; selected episodes with
sustainability elements are outlined below.
v. 17. Due west. The impact of human activity on coastal areas is examined through studies of four areas along the California coast.
Using these studies, harbor and beach creation and maintenance, erosion, water pollution, and wetlands preservation are investigated.
v. 24. Treasure trove. This episode surveys the major physical, biological, energy, and nonextractive resources of the oceans and details
their economic worth, means of extraction, distribution, abundance, present status, and future prospects. Physical resources (petroleum
and natural gas, minerals and other deposits, fresh water). Biological resources (animals and plants used for food and pharmaceutical
purposes, fishery management, aquaculture). Energy resources (waves and currents, thermal gradient). Nonextractive resources
(transportation, recreation).
v. 25. Dirty water. In excessive amounts, even natural materials can be problematic, and sometimes cleanup can be more damaging
than the polluting event. This episode examines pollution and pollutants on both a local and global level.
Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature. Dir. Jon Else. Home Vision Select, 1997. VHS
SJDC Library Call No. HD1739.A17 .C3 1997 Video VHS
Website http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~martins/hydro/case_studies/cadillac_desert.htm [Episode Summaries]
Website Who Owns Water? http://www.ecologycenter.org/tfs/lesson.php?id=13475 [download document]
Relates the story of the quest for water and the role it played in the transformation of the American West. The first three episodes are
based on Marc Reisner's book, Cadillac Desert (1986), that delves into the history of water use and misuse in the American West. It
explores the triumph and disaster, heroism and intrigue, and the rivalries and bedfellows that dominate this little-known chapter of
American history. The final episode is drawn from Sandra Postel's book, Last Oasis, (1992) which examines the global impact of the
technologies and policies that came out of America's manipulation of water, demonstrating how they have created the need for
conservation methods that will protect Earth's water for the next century.