#environmental documentaries

Here's a vaguely aesthetic study post for y'all today

This is my Higher English Lit and Lang work, we're currently analysing various environmental documentaries (this one is Extinction: The Facts)

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There are a lot of documentaries that deal with environmental and social issues, specifically about food and agriculture. Here's a list of some of the memorable ones I've watched:

Gasland-This film follows a young man from Pennsylvania whose land will potentially be targeted for hydraulic fracturing to retrieve underground natural gas. In an effort to explain fracking and its effects, he presents the stories of people and of land affected by the fracking process, as well as some of the political pressure behind the drive to secure natural gas. I really enjoyed this documentary when I watched it in a college class and would highly recommend it to those curious or interested in learning more about fracking. It's a good mix of artsy/entertaining film making and real life examples/scientific explanations about fracking.

The Botany of Desire (watched on pbs.com)-This documentary is based on the book with the same name by Michael Pollen and explains the historical explanations behind the familiar apple, potato, tulip, and marijuana crops. The different segments were so interesting and surprising and I enjoyed Michael Pollen's narration. I would highly recommend this purely for entertainment and general curiosity, but especially if you enjoy history, agriculture, or food/nutrition info.

Vegucated-A group of people who eat a standard American diet embark on a journey to adopt healthier eating habits and learn about the shortfalls of the American food system with the help of some food experts. I thought this film was pretty relatable because of the struggles of the characters to adopt radically different diets. But it was also entertaining, inspiring, and informative. Food Inc.-This might be one of the highest rated and best documentaries in terms of providing a broad overview of the environmental, economic, and social problems with the American food system. Sadly, I don't remember much about this film besides one powerful scene where a family is eating fast food, while not being able to afford healthy food or fully address chronic health problems caused by a lifetime of unhealthy eating.  This was a good documentary, but I tend to get all of its info confused with other films that are also about food!

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead-The audience is introduced to one man who turns to juicing to reverse health problems caused by a typical Western diet. Later, an overweight truck driver hooked on unhealthy eating habits uses juicing and exercise to change his life and become closer with his family. I found this film really inspiring because of the health and personal transformation that took place. It made me wanna go out and buy a Nutri-bullet mixer!

Fast Food Nation-I really enjoyed the book because it focused on the growth of Fast Food in America and alerted readers to some of the behind the scenes aspects of our food system, like food science and the meat industry. The documentary was focused primarily on Morgan Spurlock eating fast food and displaying the health consequences, or at least that was the most memorable part for me. It was definitely still captivating and informative though and will make you think twice about eating a McDonald's hamburger!

A Place at the Table-This was a really striking documentary about several families across the country who could not afford enough food. It really helped to explain the complicated problems that arise due to poverty and highlighted the heartbreaking effects of living without enough food, especially in children.

Garbage!-In this film, a Canadian family collects and measures all of their garbage for 6 months? in an effort to highlight just how much waste a typical family generates and how much of it is truly waste, rather than recyclables/compostables. This documentary wasn't so memorable to me, but it was entertaining and relatable to see a real world family showcase all the garbage they collect.

Who Killed the Electric Car?-I watched this for a class and was completely unaware that there was an electric car being sold in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The doc brings the story to life and thoroughly explains why the electric car appeared and then was abruptly taken away, complete with celebrity appearances. I found this to be a very interesting take on a little know story that is relevant today, especially as electric cars become more widespread and popular.

Homo Toxicus-This film provided a great explanation about how the toxic chemicals prevalent in our lives can cause health problems, such as reproductive and infertility issues. I watched this and participated in a discussion about it. Overall, it highlighted some scary and little known health effects, as well as the way industry ignores health consequences for the sake of business.

A Crude Awakening-This documentary, I think, was primarily about the concept of Peak Oil and the political, economic, and military crises created by it. I watched this for a class and I remember the debates being really intense in this movie between oil and political experts. Obviously, the debate surrounding peak oil is really heated (no pun intended) and extremely politicized.

Save the Farm-Again, I watched this film a class about our food system and it was extremely inspiring to see the story of a communal farm in central L.A. and also heartbreaking to see it so unfairly taken away. The story was definitely a unique and captivating scenario to highlight in a documentary.

Celebrate Earth Day this Weekend With Some PBS Films!

Over on PBS.org, we've curated our best videos on the environment.

We've got the most recent and compelling green documentaries, photos, and articles on our Earth Day collection page.

Today's video: Nature's new film, "River of No Return."

watch for free... Here:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/gasland/

"The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States.

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.