Posts filed under ‘GreenTV’
Eyeopener: Greenista’s Video Pick of the Week
Check out Heal the Bay‘s “The Majestic Plastic Bag” mokumentary for an entertaining but sobering look at the effects of our overreliance on plastic.
How To Homestead
For a slice of the homemade life, check out the short documentary films on How to Homestead – a rural-cum-urban project run by Melinda Stone, co-founder of StoneLake Farm and associate professor in the media studies department at the University of San Francisco. Offering a series of how-to-videos ranging from the intriguing, such as concocting the Elixir of Life (honey and yeast added to apple cider for fermentation), to the squeamish (composting your own excrement), the activities help wanna-be homesteaders cultivate self-sufficiency whether home is a tiny studio apartment or 50-acre ranch.
You can start off small by making calendula tea or jump right in and slaughter your own chicken for dinner. The simple videos are meant to inspire both beginners and those more experienced in the art of homesteading to dabble in whatever piques their interest.
For city folk looking to meet like-minded individuals, How to Homestead holds various get-togethers throughout San Francisco, complete with food from homegrown businesses, a raffle and local entertainment from groups such as the Sk8 Sisters.
I was able to attend the Hayes Valley Farm fundraising event a few months back sponsored by How to Homestead. For $13, I scored an entry ticket, popcorn (covered in homemade maple bacon or chocolate-spiked butter), cup of authentic lemonade (you could detect hints of the rind, if you know what I mean) and chair seating for the night’s movie showing of “Dirt!” Those who opted out of chair seating spread picnic blankets on the paved parking lot ground.
The evening had a folksy, free-spirit vibe reminiscent of an impromptu community get-together – no pretentiousness and no rigid schedule. How to Homestead is currently on hiatus for the summer, but I’m regularly checking their schedule of events to get a glimpse of the fall lineup. Until then, I plan to ease into my novice homesteading skills with a simple herb garden and homemade strawberry jam.
**Check out this quirky video on making your own Elixir of Life and start brewing!
Greenista’s Take: “Battle For Terra” Movie Review
Produced by Roadside Attraction, “Battle for Terra” is an animated film about a war in space over one of the last hospitable planets in the universe. Humans have destroyed Earth, and the survivors are living in an aging spacecraft that is running out of oxygen supply. The military unit EarthForce is itching to attack the peaceful alien land Terra, even though the ruling Civilian Government questions whether resorting to violence is the only way to save mankind.
When a coup ensues, destruction is unleashed and the survival of both species looks grim…until an unlikely friendship between a young Terrian named Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) and EarthForce pilot Lt. Jim Stanton (Luke Wilson) changes everything.
With an all-star cast, including Dennis Quaid, Luke Wilson, Justin Long, Chris Evans and Rachel Evan Wood, it’s a surprise the film didn’t have a larger publicity budget – it was certainly worth it. Directed by Aristomenis ‘Meni’ Tsirbas (read his interview at Mother Nature Network), it poignantly foreshadows mankind’s future if we do not act now and begin investing in a sustainable way of life. In the words of the Terrian Elder, “I believe that in our darkest hour, the very qualities that made us great will make us strong” – powerful words that should be applied to the current environmental hardships and fears we are facing. It’s a shame that this movie has mainly made the rounds around the environmental community, when really its impact should be felt among the mainstream movie audience.
Even though the film isn’t quite the same caliber as WALL-E – in terms of flashy graphics and story / character development – it was entertaining and delivered a strong environmental message: We need to open our eyes and see that it is not in our best interest to travel to the ends of the universe to avoid fixing the problems we have created here on Earth. Such a journey will be futile. When total destruction without consideration of another species becomes our only option, we will be staring at the demise of humankind straight in the face, for we will have become alien to ourselves.
Give Your Mom Some Green This Mother’s Day-Bouquet Idea From DVGreen
After waiting patiently for a few weeks, party planner Danielle from Mother Nature Network is finally back with a great video on making a Mother’s Day bouquet! I love her videos because they are simple and offer easy ways to incorporate green style into soirees and everyday meals. Check it out!!
P.S. She’s inspired me to turn my friend’s Bridal Shower in July into a green affair, so stay tuned for my video and tips!
