Tomorrow (April 22, 2014) is Earth Day. Do you and your family have any plans? At this moment in time my family doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that something won’t pop up.
Earth Day is an annual event that has been held every year on April 22nd since 1970. It’s a day that people demonstrate their support of our environment. There are normally many events held around the country that encourage people to be more “Earth-friendly”.
Earthy Day is celebrated around the world in over 190+ countries.
I have to admit that my family is not 100% “Green”, but we are making an effort to get that way. I would say we’re “light green” – LOL. We recycle. We purchase Earth-friendly cleaners. We don’t waste water or electricity. We don’t let our car idle. We repurpose things. We donate things we no longer need/want or give them to members of Freeshare/Freecycle so they don’t end up in landfills. There are many things that we do.
Whether you are conscious of your actions and how it effects our environment, or someone who is just starting to be aware of the impact their actions have on our environment, I have several movies that you might find interesting.
Greedy Lying Bastards
I reviewed this film a year ago. You can read my full review here – Movie Review: Greedy Lying Bastards.
Greedy Lying Bastards is a film about our climate change and the negative impact it has around the globe – from flooding to severe tornados and from record heat waves to rising sea levels. All of this can be attributed to global warming. However despite scientific proof, many major industries are denying that global warming even exists and that human behavior has nothing to do with it.
The film explores major industry groups, prominent politicians and others who want you to believe that global warming doesn’t exist. That is because they don’t want consumers to believe that THEY are having a negative impact on our environment and they want you to continue buying and using their products and services.
What it all boils down to is making a profit is MORE IMPORTANT than our health and our environment.
For more information about the film visit the official website, www.GreedyLyingBastards.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.
Here is the film’s trailer.
Tapped
I will admit that I still use water bottles. I don’t use them all the time like I used to. My family was guilty of that at one time. Now I only use water bottles on occasion, like if I’m out and about and thirsty. I will stop by a convenient store and grab a bottle of water (I rarely drink soda). I always make sure to recycle the bottle.
After watching Tapped I don’t think I could ever buy another water bottle.
Tapped exposes how big companies are putting our precious water supplies at risk – even our health – just to turn a profit.
Did you know that many bottled waters actually come from a tap? It’s true! Several brands use filtered municipal water – the very same water you get from your own faucet. The water from your faucet costs mere pennies (free if you have your own well) where as these big companies will charge you $1 – $2 for the same thing. They are using YOUR water and then selling it back to you at a massive profit.
When many municipalities are dealing with drought conditions – forcing residents to conserve water (don’t water lawns, don’t wash cars…) the companies that make bottled water are allowed to continue pumping out water to fill bottles to sell to consumers. How unfair is that?
Tap water is more regulated and tested hundreds of times per day where as bottled water is rarely tested and only ONE person in the FDA regulates it. Basically tap water is healthier for you than bottled water in many ways – and it’s either FREE or costs mere pennies. If you don’t like the taste you can always buy a Brita or other filter system. That is what we do with our tap water. I’m not fond of the taste (I grew up with a well) but once it’s gone through the Brita it tastes fine.
The plastic that water bottles are made from are also HARMFUL to our health. They contain substances that can cause cancer, infertility problems, ADHD and more. Not only that the people who live around plants that produce water bottles are getting sicker and sicker by each passing day with a multitude of health problem attributed to being near the plants that product plastic for the bottles. These people are stuck there. They can’t move because no one wants to live near the plant and most people cannot afford to just up and walk away from their home. It’s really a sad situation. There are CHILDREN that live there too.
All these water bottles eventually end up in our ocean and turn into a “plastic soup” which is ingested by the sea life which can eventually end up on your plate. If you enjoy seafood most likely the fish or lobster you are eating has been feeding on toxic plastic “soup” that is floating around the ocean. It makes me want to give up seafood!
Once you watch this film you’ll see bottled water in a new light. You may never pick up a plastic bottle again.
For more information visit www.TappedtheMovie.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.
Here is the films trailer.
Sebastian Copeland is not afraid of putting all he’s got into his work. As an award-winning photographer, explorer, author, and environmental activist, Sebastian truly pours his heart and soul into everything he’s done. He gets his explorer “nature” from his grandfather.
Sebastian has always dreamed of making the trip to the North Pole. It’s an experience not too many are strong enough to attempt. The temperature can drop to -50 below zero not including the wind chills. There are no hotels, restaurants or even first aid stations found on the grueling 400 mile trek from the last sign of civilization to the North Pole. Its just you against the elements (and hopefully no Polar Bears).
Sebastian wanted to make this trip to the North Pole in honor of Admiral Peary who reached the North Pole back in 1909. Admiral Perry and his men made their way to the North Pole without modern conveniences and high tech equipment. At least Sebastian and his partner Keith Heger had GPS, smartphone and plenty of pre-packaged food to assist them on their journey. Plus once they made it to the pole they were able to fly back via a helicopter and not have to make the long journey back by foot.
The reason why Sebastian was determined to reach the North Pole is because in the future there won’t be a North Pole anymore. Of course the magnetic pole will remain, but ice is rapidly melting due to global climate changes. One day it will impossible to journey to the North Pole because the polar ice cap would have melted away. That is a very surreal thought when you think about it. A sad and scary thought too.
This documentary starts off prior to Sebastian leaving on his trip to the North Pole and show all the preparations he made to get there (including A LOT of physical training – most of which the average person would have a hard time with).
Follow Sebastian and Keith as they make their way to the farthest outpost and then travel by foot across ice and snow (including falling through the ice into the bone shattering freezing water!).
This is an amazing documentary. A journey like this is not something that the average person will ever have the chance to accomplish. I was especially excited for Sebastian when it stood on the most northern spot on the Earth where the GPS read all zeros. As he walked in a circle he was actually walking through every time zone on Earth. I thought that was pretty cool.
To learn more about Sebastian and this film visit www.IntotheCold.org. There you can learn how to take action to help protect the North Pole as well as more information. The film is also found on Facebook (I could not find a Twitter handle).
Journey of the Universe
Ask acclaimed author and evolutionary philosopher Brian Thomas Swimme about our role as humans in this awe-inspiring universe, and his insights will light up the night skies. As our host, co-writer, and fellow traveler, he shares his infectious curiosity about life’s biggest questions in the epic Journey of the Universe. It was the winner of the 2012 Northern California Emmy ©Award for best documentary.
Using his skills as a masterful storyteller, Swimme connects such big picture issues as the birth of the cosmos 14 billion years ago – to the invisible frontiers of the human genome – as well as to our current impact on Earth’s evolutionary dynamics. Through his engaging and thoughtful observations audiences everywhere will discover the profound role we play in this intricate web of life
From the Big Bang to the epic impact humans have on the planet today, this film is designed to inspire anew and closer relationship with Earth in a period of growing environmental and social crisis.
Beautifully filmed in HD, our story begins on the historically rich Greek island of Samos, birthplace of mathematician Pythagoras. Disembarking on the island at dawn, Swimme expertly guides us on an exhilarating trek through time and space, sharing a wondrous view of cosmic evolution as a process based on immense creativity, connection, and interdependence. After the toll of midnight, he sets sail into the star-lit waters of the Aegean Sea, leaving audiences with a sense of wonder at the mystery, complexity and connectivity that permeates the Earth and universe from the very beginning.
Big science, big history, big story, this one-of-a-kind film was co-written by Swimme and Yale University historian of religions Mary Evelyn Tucker. They weave a tapestry that draws together scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology, biology, ecology, and biodiversity with humanistic insights concerning the nature of the universe. Created by a renowned team of scientists, scholars, and award-winning filmmakers.
This is an interesting documentary. I honestly thought that it would be hard to comprehend with a lot of big words and hard to understand concepts. It was actually easy to follow along with. The man who narrates the film (and stars in it) reminds me of a cool science teacher. He also uses various props to help provide easy to understand visuals for viewers.
Even though the film does a wonderful job of explaining how the universe came to be (think “Big Bang”), it has amazing visuals. The film features images from all around the world. You could easily enjoy this even with the volume turned off. I truly enjoyed watching this film as much as I found what Swimme had to say about our universe and planet.
This was like attending the coolest science class ever. 🙂
To learn more about this film visit www.JourneyoftheUniverse.org. You can also find the film on Facebook.
Vanishing of the Bees
It’s spring time. A time for trees to bud, grass to get greener and flowers to make their long awaited appearance. With the warmer weather also comes birds and bees (the literal kind – not the kind you have “the talk” about – ha ha).
It’s fun to watch honeybees buzzing around from flower to flower. I enjoy watching honeybees. They are fascinating to watch. It’s the hornets and wasps that I don’t care much for.
It’s hard to believe that an itty bitty honeybee with legs covered in yellow dust (pollen) can be responsible for a huge chunk of the world’s food. Honeybees are responsible for pollenating most of the foods that we enjoy – cherries, apples, onions, watermelon a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Without the honeybees doing their “job” our food supply would cease to exist the way we know it.
Something is happening to the honeybees. They are rapidly disappearing, not only here in the United States but also around the globe.
Why? How can it be? Where are they going? Are they dying off?
The culprit is known a “Colony Collapse Disorder” (CCD). No one really understands the reason why this happens. Some possible theories include pesticides, infections, pathogens, loss of habitat, genetics and theories (or a combination of these factors).
Vanishing of the Bees touches upon CCD as well as follows two bee keepers, David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes, as they travel around the U.S., Europe and Asia to find out what could be happening to the bees. They also go to Capital Hill in order to help protect one of Earth’s most precious and valuable resources – the honeybee.
This is an eye opening documentary about how valuable the honeybee is to our environment. We NEED the honeybees. Our food resources would be vastly different without them. It’s also scary that there is not one logical explanation for why the colonies are disappearing.
You will never look at a little yellow honeybee the same way again after watching this film.
To learn more visit www.VanishingoftheBees.com. The film is also on Facebook and Twitter.
Are you a meat eater? Or would you consider yourself a vegetarian or vegan? If you are a “meat eater” you might want to checkout PlanEAT.
The film explores the many reasons why we should limit our consumption of meat. Meat consumption has been linked to many health issues including cancer and cholesterol.
I honestly thought you needed to eat meat for the protein. Personally I’m not a big beef eater but I do enjoy chicken, pork and fish.
The film touched upon something I already knew about – that our planets need for beef is reaping havoc on our environment. In order to keep up with the beef demand trees need to be knocked down and forests cleared out in order for their to be a place for the cattle to graze. We NEED the trees to help provide us with clean air – the very air that we breath.
In addition to destroying trees, having more cattle affects the ozone because cows give off a lot of carbon dioxide (think cow “farts”). These have a negative impact on our atmosphere, the same way driving around in cars and trucks do.
Have you heard of “Meatless Mondays”. I don’t think they necessarily came about because of this film, but the theory behind the film is probably the reason why the “Meatless Mondays” came to be.
As I mentioned, I don’t eat much beef. Nor does my family. If anything we eat a lot of chicken. After seeing this film I am going to think twice before I order steak at a restaurant or flop a burger on a barbeque.
The film is not telling you NOT to eat beef but rather be aware of the ramifications of our dependency on beef in our diets.
For information and even a lot of yummy recipes, visit the official PlanEAT website. You can also check it out on Facebook and Twitter.
Have you seen any of these films? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I have a special Earth Day giveaway for a lucky reader. One winner will be able to pick TWO of the movies reviewed (above).
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on May 1, 2014 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using the random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and has three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please comment on this post and tell me which two films (from the ones listed above) that you would like to have if you were the lucky winner.
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the additional entries won’t qualify (I do check). Extra entries are optional.
Kimberly
*I received free screener copies in order to do these reviews. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Katie Amanda says
I’d like Tapped and Into the Cold. Thanks!
Debra Hall says
Vanishing of the Bees and Into the Cold: A Journey of the Soul
Debra Hall says
i follow on bloglovin
Cynthia P says
Great choices! I think I would choose PLANEAT and TAPPED for the 2 I’d most like to watch.
Deborah Wellenstein says
I would like “Into the Cold”, and “Journey of the Universe”. Thanks!
Ken Ohl says
Planeat and tapped. thankyou, ken
Kristi Price says
I would choose Tapped and Vanishing of the bees. They all sound interesting, I love documentaries. Thank you! 🙂
Catie says
I would pick Into the Cold and Vanishing of the Bees!
Jackie says
I would choose Into the Cold and Journey of the Universe.
Kelly D says
I would like Greedy Lying Bastards and Planeat.
Marysa says
Vanishing of the Bees and Tapped!
Daniel M says
Journey of the Universe and Greedy Lying Bastards
kelly willis says
trapped and into the cold
Lisa V. says
I would pick Journey of the Universe and Into the Cold.
Renee G says
These all sound good but I would pick Planeat and Journey of the Universe.
Becca says
Tapped and Planeat both sound good!
Stephanie Galbraith says
Tapped and Journey of the Universe.
debbie says
vanishing bees and greedy lying bastards.
Erica C. says
Journey of the Universe, PlanEAT
Brutus Duffy says
I want to see Vanishing Bees and Tapped.
susan smoaks says
i would choose planeat and vanishing bees
Karen Drake says
I would like Vanishing of the Bees and Into the Cold.