Gray Russell
Environmental Coordinator
Department of Health and Human Services
205 Claremont Avenue
Montclair, N.J. 07042
Tel. #: (973) 509-5721; Fax #: (973) 509-1479
Email: grussell@montclairnjusa.org
The Montclair Green Film Series
2009
1) Wednesday, April 15 – “A Sense of Place”
This is a moving performance of simplicity and power. Rachel Carson was the
mother of the modern environmental movement, a Pulitzer Prize winning author of
beautiful scientific literature even before the publication of her legendary book “Silent
Spring”, which transformed the world’s understanding of the dangers of pesticides, and
shed some of the earliest light on the interconnectedness of the natural world around us.
2) Wednesday, June 3 – “The Future of Food”
“The Future of Food” has been described as a “must-see” documentary which
highlights the many advantages of local food sources such as farmers’ markets and
community-supported agriculture instead of “the unlabeled, genetically engineered foods
that have quietly filled our grocery store shelves” for the past 15 years.
The film coincides with the opening of the Montclair Farmers’ Market.
3) Thursday, July 16 – “Addicted to Plastic”
This month's film, "Addicted to Plastic", is a global journey investigating the
"material of a thousand uses", and why there's so much of it. On the way we will discover
a toxic legacy, and the men and women dedicated to cleaning it up.
The film provides expert interviews on practical and cutting-edge solutions to
recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions which include plastic made from
plants will provide viewers with a new perspective about our future with plastic.
4) Thursday, August 20 – “Flow”
“Flow” is an award-winning documentary with a three-alarm warning. The wideranging film dives into our planet’s most essential resource — and third-largest industry
— to find pollution, scarcity, human suffering and corporate profit. And that’s just in the
United States.
Filmmaker Irena Salina, builds a case against the growing privatization of the
world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution,
human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.
Beyond identifying the problem, “Flow” also gives viewers a look at the people
and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis, and those developing
new technologies which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and
economic turnaround.
5) Wednesday, September 16 – “Fresh”
FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America
who are reinventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they
offer a practical vision of our food and our planet’s future. The film addresses an ethos
that has been sweeping the nation and is the call to action America has been waiting for.
FRESH empowers us to realize that our individual actions in fact do matter.
Throughout the film we encounter the most inspiring people, ideas, and initiatives around
the US. The movie showcases real people, connecting audiences not with facts and
figures or policy analysis, but with personal stories of change.
6) Thursday, October 15 – “Kilowatt Ours” and “Unlimited”
“Kilowatt Ours”: This powerful film brings home the impact of our energy use,
asking the question, “Do you know where your electricity comes from?” The answer is
probably coal, the most environmentally destructive source of energy in use today. This
film offers practical ways that we can each use less electricity and burn less coal,
reducing our carbon footprint significantly.
38 minutes; Written and Directed by Jeff Barrie
http://www.kilowattours.org/
“Unlimited: Renewable Energy in the 21st Century” – features a group of
passionate 6th graders calling on adults to take action by addressing global warming. In
addition, energy experts discuss promising technologies being used right here in New
Jersey, such as solar, wind, tidal power, green transportation, and food as it pertains to
energy consumption.
Unlimited was produced locally, and features Montclair residents as well as a
number of local children. Recently completed, the film-maker is happy to premier
“Unlimited” in Montclair, and he will be on-hand to answer questions. Teachers are
invited and encouraged to consider it for use in the classroom.
7) Thursday, November 19 – “The Power of Community”
This month’s film is “The Power of Community”, illustrating how farmers in
Cuba have transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrialized agricultural system to
one using organic methods of farming and local urban gardens.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's imports of oil were cut by more
than half – and food supplies dropped by 80 percent. The people were desperate, but the
film tells of how they dealt positively with their country’s oil crisis.
The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, which is the point when world oil
production reaches its all-time peak and begins to decline forever.
Cuban farming provides an excellent example of options and hope, being the only
country that has faced the sudden massive reduction of fossil fuels.
8) Wednesday, December 16 – “No Impact Man”
“No Impact Man” depicts the entertaining adventures of a guilty liberal who
attempts to save the planet, and the discoveries he makes about himself and our way of
life in the process.
In the film, Colin Beavan decides to completely eliminate his personal impact on
the environment for the next year. It means eating vegetarian, buying only local food, and
turning off the refrigerator. It also means no elevators or TV, no cars, buses, or airplanes,
no toxic cleaning products, no electricity, no material consumption, and no garbage.
No problem – at least for Colin – but he and his family live in Manhattan. So
when his espresso-guzzling, retail-worshipping wife and their two-year-old daughter are
dragged into the fray, the No Impact Project has an unforeseen impact of its own.
Please join us during this historic moment of the UN Climate Change Conference
in Copenhagen (December 7th – 18th), as we bring people together to talk about the
impacts of excessive consumerism on our lives, our world, and our common future.
2010
9) Thurs. Jan. 21, 2010 – “Trashed” and “The Story of Stuff”
This year’s first film, “The Story of Stuff”, is a fast-paced look at the underbelly
of our consumption patterns. “Stuff” exposes the connections between several serious
environmental and social issues, and encourages us all to create a more sustainable world.
It will teach you something as it makes you laugh, and it just may change the way
you look at all the stuff in your life forever.
The second film, “Trashed”, is a provocative investigation of one of the fastest
growing industries in North America: the garbage business. At times humorous, but
deeply poignant, “Trashed” analyzes the causes and effects of the seemingly innocuous
act of “taking out the garbage” while showcasing individuals, activists, corporations and
advocacy groups working to affect change.
What are some of the effects all this waste will have on already strained natural
resources and our global climate? Why is so much of it produced? While every American
creates almost 5 pounds of garbage every day, who does it affect most?
10) Thurs. Feb. 18 –“The Disappearing Male” and “Big River”
“The Disappearing Male” is about one of the most important – and least
publicized – health issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male
reproductive system. The last few decades have seen dramatic increases in the incidence
of boys and young men suffering from a number of problems including low sperm count,
testicular cancer, ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. The male birthrate is steadily decreasing.
“The Disappearing Male” takes a close and disturbing look at what many
doctors and researchers now suspect are responsible for many of these problems: a class
of common chemicals called “endocrine disrupters” that are found in everything from
shampoo, sunglasses, meat and dairy products, to pesticides, carpets, cosmetics and baby
bottles.
The second film, “Big River”, investigates the environmental impact one acre of
corn causes for the people and places downstream. In a journey from the heartland to the
Gulf of Mexico, two farmers trade their combine for a canoe––and set out to see the big
world their little acre of corn has touched.
Their trip flashes back to the pesticides they sprayed, fertilizers they injected, and
the soil they plowed, leading to new questions explored by new experts in new places.
Topsoil is eroding, fertilizer has runoff, and the herbicides they used are blamed for a
cancer cluster that reaches all too close to home.
11) Thursday, March 18 – “NJN’s Green Builders”
A quiet green revolution in the building world is evolving, and a first wave of
innovative green design projects large and small have already hit the ground. NJN’s onehour high definition special Green Builders profiles a cast of green building pioneers who
have taken the leap into making their part of the “built environment” a more energyefficient and environmentally friendly place.
90min.
12) Thursday, April 15 – “A Chemical Reaction”
The film tells the story of a powerful community initiative and a town’s right to
protect its citizens.
When a dermatologist notices connections between her patients’ health and their
exposure to pesticides and herbicides, she warns that chemicals put on lawns pose severe
health risks, and unknown side effects on the environment. This led the town of Hudson,
Quebec to ban the use of pesticides and herbicides, and eventually the case made it to the
Canadian Supreme Court.
It’s an inspiring story of overcoming great odds and demonstrates the power of
people coming together to effect great change in our society.
13) Thursday, May 20 – “Dirt! The Movie”
May is the heart of planting season, and this fascinating new film tells the story of
Earth's most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility: soil – the living skin of our
planet – from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation.
Narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis, the movie brings to life soil’s environmental,
economic, social and political impacts. It shares the stories of experts from around the
world who study the beauty and power of soil, takes you inside the wonders of soil, and
changes our notion of what is going on right beneath our feet.
14) Thursday, June 24 – “Food Matters”
“Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine, And Thy Medicine Be Thy Food.” - Hippocrates
That is the message from the founding father of modern medicine echoed in this
brave new documentary film brought to you by Producer-Directors James Colquhoun and
Laurentine ten Bosch.
“Food Matters” is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health.
Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures we
continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies. Patching up an overtoxic and over-indulgent population with a host of toxic therapies and nutrient sparse
foods is definitely not helping the situation.
15) Thursday, July 15 – “Crude”
While the environmental impacts of fossil fuel consumption have been
increasingly documented in recent years, and with the tragedy of the Gulf of Mexico oil
gusher disaster still front-page news, Crude focuses on the human cost of our addiction
to oil and the difficult task of holding a major corporation accountable for its past deeds.
This cinéma-vérité feature is the epic story of one of the largest and most
controversial environmental lawsuits on the planet.
The inside story of the infamous “Amazon Chernobyl” case, taking place in the
jungle of Ecuador, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama, set against a backdrop of
the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy,
the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures.
Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints, the film explores a
complicated situation from all angles and brings an important story of environmental
peril and human suffering into focus.
16) Wednesday, August 18 – “The End of the Line”
“The End of the Line” depicts the effects of our global love affair with fish as
food; scientists predict that if we continue fishing as we are now, the world will see the
end of most seafood by 2048.
Filmed across the world – from the Straits of Gibraltar to the coasts of Senegal
and Alaska to the Tokyo fish market – and featuring top scientists, indigenous fishermen
and fisheries enforcement officials, the documentary is a wake-up call to the world.
Over two years in the making, the movie follows an investigative reporter as he
confronts politicians and celebrity restaurateurs who exhibit little regard for the damage
being done to our oceans. It examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, brought on
by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge
overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish.
17) Wednesday, October 20 – “Coal Country”
“Coal Country” is a documentary spotlighting Appalachian coal mining through
the eyes of miners and activists.
We visit the homes of the people most directly affected by mountaintop removal
mining (MTR) and hear about their health problems, dirty water in their wells and
streams, and dust and grime on their floors. We also hear from miners and coal company
officials who are concerned about jobs and the economy and believe they are acting
responsibly in bringing power to the American people.
Are the people fighting against mountaintop removal really protecting the earth,
or do they stand in the way of affordable energy for all Americans? What is behind the
promises of "cheap energy" and "clean coal"? Are they achievable, and at what cost? And
what are the alternatives for our energy future?
After the film, Christine Guhl, a New Jersey field organizer for the Sierra Club's
“Beyond Coal” campaign, will give a presentation about coal, and it's past and future in
New Jersey.
18) Thursday, November 18 – “Food, Inc.”
“Food, Inc.” exposes America's industrialized food system and its effect on our
environment, health, economy, and workers' rights.
Unless we buy at the Montclair Farmers’ Market, a CSA, or grow our own food,
what do we really know about the food we buy at supermarkets and serve to our families?
“Food, Inc.” lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly
mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the
consent of our government's regulatory agencies, the USDA and FDA. Our nation's food
supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of
consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers, and our
own environment.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation),
Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto)
along with some forward-thinking social entrepreneurs, Food, Inc. reveals surprising –
and often shocking – truths about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become
as a nation, and where we are going from here.
2011
19) Thursday, January 27, 2011 – “Gasland”
“Gasland” is an award-winning documentary exploring the risks that gas drilling
poses on human and environmental health.
The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the
United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of “fracking”, or hydraulic
fracturing, has unlocked a “Saudi Arabia of natural gas” just beneath us.
But is fracking safe?
When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a
cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination.
A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light
their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing
revelations of a new country called GASLAND…part vérité travelogue, part exposé, part
mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown.
20) Thursday, February 24 – “The Cove”
Academy Award® Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, “The Cove” follows
an elite team of activists, filmmakers and free-divers as they embark on a covert mission
to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret.
The shocking discoveries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg.
Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras
in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying
microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide.
The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and
arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences
worldwide to action.
21) Thursday, March 17 – “Deep Green”
Utilizing science and compassion, “Deep Green” is an upbeat film about
transforming our use of energy, restoring the natural world to stop man-made global
warming, as well as innovative opportunities and green technologies. The documentary
highlights what is already being done internationally to solve the climate crisis.
Based on intensive research on the solutions to climate change, the film brings
new clarity to an increasingly-urgent situation. The best applications in energy efficiency,
green building, de-carbonizing transportation, smart grids, renewable energy, sustainable
agriculture, and forest restoration are explored.
Some solutions are profoundly personal and practical, some are fascinatingly
complex.
Featured are legendary authors Lester Brown and Michael Pollan; renowned
scientists Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Dr. David Suzuki; and the
powerful voices of green energy pioneers from several continents and countries.
Following the film will be a presentation on the exciting new “It’s In Our Power”
campaign to save energy and money, resulting from Montclair’s “Climate Showcase
Community” EPA award.
22) Thursday, April 21 – “Bag It”
In observance of Earth Day 2011, the Montclair Environmental Affairs office and
Community Green present “Bag It”, a powerful look at the huge impacts of plastics on
our society.
Americans use 60,000 plastic bags every five minutes – over 100 billion a year –
disposable bags that we throw away without much thought. But where is “away”? Where
do the bags and other plastics end up, and at what cost to our environment, marine life,
and human health?
In the United States alone, an estimated 12 million barrels of oil are used annually
to make the plastic bags that we consume.
“Bag It” follows an average American who decides to take a closer look at our
cultural love affair with plastics, as he navigates our plastic world. The documentary
starts with simple questions: Are plastic bags really necessary? What are plastic bags
made from? What happens to plastic bags after they are discarded? The answers quickly
lead far beyond plastic bags.
23) Thursday, June 16 – “The Farmer and the Horse”
To celebrate this month’s opening of our local Farmers’ Market, now beginning
its 19th season, the Green Film Series presents a film about low-impact modern farming,
right here in The Garden State. “The Farmer and the Horse” is a story about a landless
farmer, a non-conformist, and an escaped office worker.
Award-winning journalist Jared Flesher brings us a film that digs into difficult
questions about sustainability, self-sufficiency, and why farmers do the work they do.
The film goes beyond the usual platitudes of smiling organic farmers talking about
the good life, and should be seen by everyone who cares about the environment, land use,
and good food.
24) Thursday, July 21 – “How to Boil a Frog”
In conjunction with Montclair’s new “It’s In Our Power” Climate Campaign, the
Green Film Series presents “How to Boil a Frog”, a comedic documentary about
“overshoot”: too many people using up too little planet much too fast.
This upbeat film has taken the kind of material that usually makes people jump
off bridges, put it in a blender, and churned out a Smoothie o’ Fun that gives viewers the
Big Picture of what the heck is going on with our so-called civilization, and tells us what
you and I can do about it that will not only actually make a difference (better than
changing light bulbs!) but also will make our lives better right now.
25) Thursday, August 18 – “Green Fire”
In conjunction with Montclair’s “It’s In Our Power” Climate Campaign, the
Green Film Series presents “Green Fire”, the first full-length documentary film ever
made about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold.
Leopold’s collection of essays, “A Sand County Almanac”, was published in
1949. With over two million copies sold, it is one of the most respected books about the
environment ever published, and Leopold has come to be regarded by many as the most
influential conservation thinker of the twentieth century. His legacy informs and inspires
people everywhere to see the natural world “as a community to which we belong.”
Green Fire describes the formation of Leopold’s insightful idea of a “land ethic”,
exploring how it changed one man, and later permeated through all arenas of
conservation. Drawing on Leopold’s life and experiences, the documentary explores the
deep impact of his influence on conservation projects around the world today.
26) Thursday, September 15 – “Climate Reality”
In conjunction with an international climate event, “Climate Reality” is a video
broadcast in real time from all around the world, in every time zone; the Green Film
Series is showing the finale at the Montclair Fire Headquarters at 7:00pm, featuring
Nobel Laureate Al Gore.
The presentation is a discussion of the overwhelming consensus on the science of
climate change, the steps to prevent its worst threats, and the opportunities now available.
27) Thursday, October 20 – “The Economics of Happiness”
“The Economics of Happiness”, a documentary about “going local” as a
powerful strategy to repair our fractured world, provides a relevant perspective on the
current Occupy Movement. Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the
scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened many of the problems
we face: ethnic conflict and fundamentalism; climate chaos and species extinction;
financial instability and unemployment.
There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet life is
becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face
mounting pressures at work.
The film describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions:
government and big business promote globalization and corporate power, while people
around the world often resist those policies by forging a very different future where
communities are coming together to re-build more ecological economies based on
localization.
We hear from a chorus of voices from six continents tell us that climate change
and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localize, to bring the economy home. The
good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but
also to restore our own sense of well-being. “The Economics of Happiness” restores our
faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.
28) Thursday, November 17 – “Flu Factories: Origins of Swine Flu”
Factory farming practices such as crowding pigs into massive feed-lots possibly
led to the emergence of the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. So far, millions of people around
the world have been infected with swine flu, and thousands have died. In “Flu Factories:
Tracing the Origins of the Swine Flu Pandemic”, we will learn the inside story on the
origins of swine flu and ways we can help prevent flu pandemics in the future.
The price of factory-farmed meat doesn't reflect its true cost: this pandemic may
be part of the price we're all paying for products from industrial pig factories. Unsafe
conditions can provide a breeding ground for diseases that are able to spread to people.
Flu shots and frequent hand washing can help protect you this flu season, but the
best way to reduce the risk of future outbreaks may be to follow the advice of the
American Public Health Association and declare "no more factory farms."
29) Thursday, December 15 – “The Age of Stupid”
“The Age of Stupid” depicts a man living in the devastated future world of 2055,
looking back at old footage from our time and asking: “Why didn't we stop climate
change when we had the chance?” The film connects directly with Montclair’s
designation as a Climate Showcase Community, and the corresponding “It’s In Our
Power” Campaign.
The film’s director and its producer spent four years following the lives of seven
real people, and weaved their stories around their fictional character: an Indian
entrepreneur struggling to start a new low-cost airline; a Shell employee in New Orleans
who rescued more than 100 people during Hurricane Katrina; an 82-year-old French
mountain guide watching his beloved glaciers melt; two Iraqi refugee children searching
for their elder brother; a young woman living in desperate poverty in Nigeria's richest oil
area; and, a windfarm developer in Britain battling NIMBYs who don’t want turbines to
spoil their view.
“The Age of Stupid” led to the formation of the 10:10 carbon reduction
campaign which now operates in 45 countries (www.1010global.org).
2012
30) Thursday, January 26 – “carbon nation”
Tired of talking about the world’s problems? Why not hear about smart solutions?
Montclair’s “It’s In Our Power” campaign, the township’s Environmental Affairs office,
and Community Green present a “climate change solutions” movie event that doesn't
even care if you know about climate change.
Immediately after the film, a brief special presentation by a home energy expert
will offer simple solutions for saving energy and money, followed by an open public
discussion.
“carbon nation” is an optimistic, solutions-based film that demonstrates how
tackling climate change can boost our economy, increase national and energy security,
promote health, and protect a clean environment. The film highlights a range of clean
energy technologies that are taking root in the U.S., including wind, solar, geothermal,
bioenergy, combined heat and power, new generation electric vehicles, as well as a range
of cost-effective energy efficiency measures.
There is already a good consensus, among a large and varied group of Americans,
that using less energy and developing renewable energy sources are great ideas. We are
not nearly as divided on climate and clean energy issues as many media accounts would
have us believe, particularly when the focus of discussion is on finding innovative
solutions to the growing energy demands of our country and the world.
Montclair was designated a “Climate Showcase Community” by the U.S. EPA;
the “It's In Our Power” campaign helps residents take easy steps to use less energy, save
money, and consequently reduce our emissions that contribute to climate change.
For years, “Eco” Ed Schwartz of Green Living Solutions has advised people on
home energy efficiency and sustainable improvements, so homeowners save money and
energy, make their living space more comfortable and healthy, and lower their carbon
footprint. His presentation after the film will provide solutions, and answer any questions.
31) Thursday, February 16 – “I AM”
“I AM” is a non-fiction film that poses two practical and provocative questions:
what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better?
Hit movie-maker Tom Shadyac steps in front of the camera to recount what
happened to him after a cycling accident. He emerged with a new sense of purpose,
determined to share his own awakening, and to investigate how we could improve the
way we live and walk in the world.
Meeting with a variety of remarkable men and women from the worlds of science,
philosophy, academia, and faith, the result is a fresh, energetic, and life-affirming film
that challenges our preconceptions about human behavior while simultaneously
celebrating the indomitable human spirit that has been largely ignored in today's society.
32) Thursday, March 15 – “Queen of the Sun”
“Queen of the Sun” is a beautiful, engaging film that brings us closer to a species
that is integral to our own survival: the honey bee. A profound, alternative look at the
global bee crisis, the film takes us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of
honey bees, and the mysterious world of the beehive.
This engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story
of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the
world, including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk, and Vandana Shiva. “Queen of the Sun”
reveals both the problems and the solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature.
33) Thursday, April 19 - “Ingredients”
“Ingredients” is a film depicting farmers and chefs collaborating to create a more
sustainable food system, resulting in great tasting food and an explosion of consumer
awareness about the benefits of eating local. American food is in a state of crisis, but a
movement to put good food back on the table is emerging.
What began 30 years ago with chefs demanding better flavor has inspired
consumers to seek relationships with nearby farmers. This is truly local food.
The local food movement comes at a time when the failings of our current
industrialized food system are becoming clear. For the first time in history, our children's
generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than our own.
“Ingredients” illustrates how people around the country are working to revitalize
that connection. The film takes us across the U.S., from the diversified farms of the
Hudson River and Willamette Valleys to the urban food deserts of Harlem and to the
kitchens of celebrated chefs Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman and Greg Higgins.
34) Thurs., May 17 - “YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip”
“YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip)” is about three friends, called to
action by a planet in peril, traveling across America in search of extraordinary innovators
and courageous citizens who are tackling humanity's greatest environmental crises. They
hit the road with hope and humor to explore the good, the bad, and the weird in every
state.
The catch? The team turn the camera on their own lifestyles and set their own
road rules, vowing to create less than one shoebox of garbage each month, including
recyclables; not using incandescent lights (except car lights); and using only 25 gallons of
water per person per day.
50 states; 1 year; zero garbage? As the YERT team layers outlandish ecochallenges onto their year-long quest, an unexpected turn of events throws the project for
a loop in this award-winning docu-comedy.
Featuring Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Will Allen, Janine Benyus, Joel Salatin,
and David Orr. For further information, go to www.yert.com.
35) Thursday, June 21 - “Good Food”
In observance of the opening of the Montclair Farmers’ Market’s 20th season this
month, we are pleased to present “Good Food”, a documentary which visits farmers’
markets, food producers and distributors, stores, restaurants and public officials who are
developing a more sustainable food system for all.
Something remarkable is happening in the fields and orchards of the Pacific
Northwest: small family farmers are making a comeback. They're growing much
healthier food, and much more food per acre, while using less energy and water than
factory farms.
For decades Northwest agriculture was focused on a few big crops for export. But
to respond to climate change and the end of cheap energy, each region needs to produce
more of its own food and to grow food more sustainably.
36) Thursday, July 19 - “FIRST EARTH”
“FIRST EARTH” is a documentary about building healthy houses the old way –
out of the very earth itself – and living together as in the old days – by recreating villages.
This sprawling film was shot on location from the West Coast to West Africa, and
makes the case that earthen homes are the healthiest housing in the world – a new North
American dream.
“FIRST EARTH” is not a how-to film; rather, it's a why-to film, establishing the
appropriateness of earthen building in every cultural context: under all conditions, from
third-world communities to first-world country-sides, and from Arabian deserts to
American urban jungles.
The film suggests we begin to think differently about house and home, for both
material and for spiritual reasons, and both the personal and the political.
37) Thursday, August 16 - “Ethos”
“Ethos” is a documentary about taking responsibility: learning the facts about
what is really happening in our world, and then acting accordingly.
The film’s theme is that we are all responsible for everything that is wrong with
our system and our planet: when we consume resources recklessly it is you and I that
cause the pollution and the waste and destruction of our planet. Many people vote every
few years and then expect elected officials to take care of us, ‘opting out’ of the process
of improving our society, and letting abuses creep in.
But although each and every one of us shares the blame, our behavior that has
caused this mess can also fix it.
Hosted by twice-Oscar-nominated actor and activist Woody Harrelson, “Ethos”
lifts the lid on a Pandora's Box of systemic issues that guarantee failure in every aspect of
our lives, from the environment to our democracy and our own personal liberty.
We can’t change our system until we know how it works. “Ethos”, with
interviews from some of today's leading thinkers, will reveal how to make meaningful
and sustainable change so that we can live in peace and justice in a clean environment.
38) Thursday, September 20 - “Genetic Roulette”
Are you and your family on the wrong side of a bet?
“Genetic Roulette”, a new documentary, provides compelling evidence to help
explain the deteriorating health of Americans – especially among children – and offers a
recipe for protecting ourselves and our future.
When the US government ignored repeated warnings by its own scientists and
allowed untested genetically modified crops into our environment and food supply, it was
a gamble of unprecedented proportions. The health of all living things and all future
generations were put at risk by an infant technology.
After two decades, physicians and scientists have uncovered a grave trend. The
same serious health problems found in lab animals, livestock, and pets that have been fed
GM foods are now on the rise in the US population. And, when people and animals stop
eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their health improves.
39) Thursday, October 18 - “Forks Over Knives”
In observance of Food Day, (www.foodday.org), a national day of celebration on
October 24 and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food, “Forks Over
Knives” examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases
that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and
processed foods.
Two out of every three Americans are overweight, and cases of diabetes are
exploding. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug; major medical
operations have become routine. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three
leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to “battle” these very
conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.
Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so
comprehensive, but so straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t
taken it seriously? In “Forks Over Knives” the idea of food as medicine is put to the test.
The film traces the personal journeys of two pioneering but under-appreciated
researchers: Dr. Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University; and Dr. Esselstyn,
a top surgeon and head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the world-renowned Cleveland
Clinic. We will travel with Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn on their separate but similar
paths, from their childhood farms where they both produced “nature’s perfect food”, to
China and Cleveland, where they explore ideas that challenged the established thinking
and shook their own core beliefs.
Their research led them to a startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be
prevented – and in many cases reversed – by adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet.
Despite the profound implications of their findings, their work has remained
relatively unknown to the public.
40) Thursday, December 20 - “The Clean Bin Project”
In observance of keeping rampant consumption out of the holidays, the Montclair
Environmental Affairs office and Community Green present “The Clean Bin Project”
exploring a couple's attempt to live completely waste free for a year.
In this multi-award-winning film, partners Jen and Grant compete head-to-head to
see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least garbage. Their light-hearted
competition is set against a darker examination of the waste problem in America.
Even as the couple starts to garner interest in their project, they struggle to find
meaning in their minuscule impacts on our “throw-away society”. “The Clean Bin
Project” drills deeper into the issues, and offers captivating interviews with renowned
artist Chris Jordan and TED Lecturer Captain Charles Moore.
Described as “An Inconvenient Truth” meets “Super Size Me”, the documentary
features laugh out loud moments, stop motion animations, and unforgettable imagery,
making this film a fun, inspiring call to individual action, speaking to crowds of all ages.
2013
41) Thursday, January 17 - “Call of Life”
“Call of Life” tells the story of a crisis not only in nature, but also in human
nature, a crisis more threatening than anything human beings have ever faced before.
All over the world, species are becoming extinct at an astonishing rate, from
1,000 to 10,000 times faster than normal. This loss of biodiversity has become so severe
that scientists are calling it a mass extinction event, on par with circumstances leading to
the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Except this event is man-made.
“Call of Life” is the first feature documentary to investigate the growing threat to
Earth’s life support systems from this unprecedented loss of biodiversity.
Through interviews with leading scientists, psychologists, anthropologists,
philosophers, and indigenous and religious leaders, the film explores the causes, the
scope, and the potential effects of the mass extinction, but also looks beyond the
immediate causes of the crisis to consider how our cultural and economic systems, along
with deep-seated psychological and behavioral patterns, have allowed this situation to
develop, continue to reinforce it, and even determine our response to it.
42) Thursday, February 21 - “Renewal”
“Renewal” is the first feature-length documentary film to capture the vitality and
diversity of today’s religious-environmental activists.
From within their Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim traditions, Americans
are becoming caretakers of the Earth. With great courage, these women, men and
children are re-examining what it means to be human and how we live on this planet.
Offering a profound message of hope, “Renewal” captures individuals and
communities driven by the deepest source of inspiration – their spiritual commitment – to
become stewards of our planet. Their stories of combating global warming and the
devastation of mountaintop removal, of promoting food security, environmental justice,
recycling, land preservation, and of teaching love and respect for life on Earth are the
heart of the documentary.
“Renewal” is a powerful tool for everyone concerned about addressing the
current environmental crisis. While painting an honest picture of how much work will be
needed to stem the tide of environmental devastation, the film’s compelling characters
and stories inspire the vision and commitment required to address these challenges.
43) Thursday, March 21 - “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion”
In observance of Women’s History Month, “Mother: Caring for 7 Billion”
breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing
environmental, humanitarian and social crises: population growth.
In 2011 the world population reached 7 billion, a startling seven-fold increase
since the first billion occurred 200 years ago. Just since the 1960s, world population has
doubled. At the same time, talking openly about population has become increasingly
difficult, due to the political and social sensitivity of the issues surrounding the topic:
religion, economics, family planning and gender inequality. Yet this is an issue we cannot
afford to ignore – more people equal more problems.
“Mother” illustrates overconsumption and inequities in the world’s food
distribution, both thorny complexities of the population issue. The film strives not to
blame but to educate, and to discover a different path for humanity. Overpopulation is a
symptom of larger problems, and this film demonstrates how we can change our mindset
into a nurturing one.
44) Thurs, April 18 - “A Fierce Green Fire: Battle for a Living Planet”
In observance of Earth Day, “A Fierce Green Fire: The Battle for a Living
Planet” is the first big-picture exploration of the entire environmental movement –
grassroots and global activism, spanning fifty years, from conservation to climate change.
Narrated by Robert Redford, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, Isabel Allende and Meryl
Streep, the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2012. It has won great acclaim at
festivals around the world, and is now beginning its theatrical release and use by
grassroots environmental activists.
The film chronicles the largest movement of the 20th century, and one of the keys
to the 21st. It brings together all the major facets of environmentalism, and connects them,
focusing on activism and people fighting to save their homes, their lives, the future – and
succeeding against all odds.
The film unfolds in five acts, each with a central story and character:
1 David Brower and Sierra Club’s battles to halt the Grand Canyon dams;
2 Lois Gibbs and Love Canal residents’ struggle against toxic chemicals;
3 Paul Watson and Greenpeace’s campaigns to save whales and baby harp seals;
4 Chico Mendes and Brazilian rubbertappers’ fight to save the Amazon rainforest;
5 Bill McKibben and the 25-year effort on the biggest issue of all: climate change.
Surrounding these main stories are strands like environmental justice, going back
to the land, and movements of the global south such as Chipko in India and Wangari
Maathai in Kenya.
Vivid archival film brings it all back and insightful interviews shed light on the events
and what they mean. The film offers a deeper view of environmentalism as civilizational
change, bringing industrial society in sustainable balance with nature.
45) Thursday, May 16 - “Waking the Green Tiger”
“Waking the Green Tiger” follows an extraordinary grassroots campaign which
successfully stopped a huge dam project on the upper Yangtze River in southwestern
China, as seen through the eyes of activists, farmers, and journalists.
Featuring astonishing archival footage never seen outside China, the documentary
also tells the story of Chairman Mao’s determination to conquer nature in the name of
progress. Millions of people were mobilized in campaigns that reshaped China’s
landscape, destroyed lakes, forests and grasslands, unleashed dust storms, and stifled
science.
For fifty years the idea was instilled in succeeding generations that nature must
serve the people. Critics of this approach were silenced for years.
An environmental movement arose when a new law was passed which, for the
first time in China’s history, gave ordinary citizens the democratic right to speak out and
take part in government decisions. The activists set out to test their freedom and save a
river.
The film includes footage shot by one of China’s first environmental filmmakers.
Her revealing film about the fate of a farming community that was moved to make way
for a dam was used by farmers to organize resistance to another massive dam project that
would have displaced 100,000 people.
Other participants in the film include China’s former director of Environmental
Protection, who gives us a candid, no-holds-barred look at the state of the environment in
China, as well as other leading activists. Judith Shapiro, author of Mao's War Against
Nature was a consultant on the project.
46) Thursday, June 20 – “Sourlands”
In observance of the summer solstice, and the opening of the Montclair Farmers’
Market’s 21st season, the Office of Sustainability and Community Green present
“Sourlands”, a provocative tale of ecology, energy, and agriculture in New Jersey, as
seen through the eyes of activists, farmers, and journalists.
In the Sourlands of the Garden State, a rampaging deer herd, invasive plants, and
wholesale habitat destruction threaten the local ecosystem. Farmers in the surrounding
valley battle against high land prices, high property taxes, and increasingly erratic
weather patterns. A group of local engineers searches for new ways to save energy and
stop global warming. If you pay close attention, the challenges facing this community
look a lot like the challenges facing ecosystems, farmers, and energy visionaries
everywhere.
The message of cautious hope presented in the film is just as universal: To start
solving complicated environmental problems, we need to forgo quick fixes and start
restoring the natural world – and people's connection to it – from the forest floor up.