Science Lush

The Lush List: 05.23.11: Zombies, Portal 2 & the Fracking Song

1. PORTAL 2: THE VIDEO GAME THAT MAKES YOU THINK

Confession: I am not into video games. I realize this takes my geek status down a notch, but c'mon, I've got enough other things that should qualify me...like my love of science...which in this case, boomerangs right back into video games with Portal 2. The New York Times' review of the game  describes it as "The achingly brilliant new game from the Valve Corporation that wrings more fun out of physics than all of the shoot-’em-ups in the world."

Reviewer Seth Schiesel says the key to the game is that it helps the player to undersand the beauty of physics without the pesky math that often gets in the way.

...the brain seems to understand this science at a basic level. Gently toss a ball to a dog or a small child, and he or she will catch it without the faintest conscious understanding of acceleration, momentum and gravity. Throw the same ball as hard as you can, and that dog or child will try to defend against it or dodge, instinctively understanding complex calculations of velocity and potential impact.

With Portal 2, it's not a ball but rather a portal ray gun that is the player's toy of choice as (s)he attempts to escape what the game describes as a "funhouse of diabolical science," complete with robots, shifting wall panels and some very cool boots. Intrigued? Here's a look at the TV launch ad; for more videos, check out the official game site. This might just be the game that turns me into a player...

 

 

2. EVOLUTION VIDEO COMPETITION

Here's the scoop on a video contest from the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent). Application deadline is Friday, June 10, 2011.

 Submit your best evolution-themed video for screening at this year’s Evolution meeting!

The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) invites scientists of all stripes — graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty — to enter the first annual Evolution Video Competition. To enter, please submit a video that explains a fun fact, key concept, compelling question, or exciting area of evolution research in three minutes or less. Entries may be related or unrelated to your own research, and should be suitable for use in a classroom (K-12, undergraduate, graduate…your choice). Videos should be both informative and entertaining. (In other words, no taped lectures or narrated Powerpoint presentations!) Animations, music videos, and mini documentaries are all fair game. To enter your video, please complete our online registration form.

[Via @Sheril_]

 

3. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, ZOMBIE STYLE

With natural disasters such as the recent Missouri tornado becoming all too common, everyone should have an emergency kit ready to go, and an agreed upon emergency plan that has been reviewed by all family members. However, when you're not caught in the eye of the storm, taking the time to put these things together often claims a very low position on the priority list.

Enter the Center for Diseases Control's (CDC) Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Guide, a cheeky exploration of how the CDC would handle a Zombie outbreak. Turns out that just as with hurricanes and earthquakes, having an evacuation route and a list of emergency numbers is key when the Zombies show up.

[via Gawker via Instapundit]

 

4. THE FRACKING SONG

At last year's Sundance, I was horrified when I saw Josh Fox's documentary GasLand and learned about the environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Not familiar with the topic? For an intro, check out My Water's on Fire Tonight (The Fracking Song), a project spearheaded by NYU journalism student David Holmes. 

 

For a behind-the-scenes look at how the project came about, check out Mallary Jean Tenore's piece "From Schoolhouse Rock to 'The Fracking Song,' Explainers as 'acts of empathy.' " 

[via @BoraZ]

The Lush List: 6/17/10 - The LA Film Festival Edition

It's a crazy night in Downtown LA - the Lakers won the NBA championship, E3 continues to generate buzz and the Los Angeles Film Festival kicks off it's 16th edition with a screening of Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right. Luckily, I'm far away from the madness...though I have already seen people lighting off fireworks in celebration of the yellow & purple.

Personally, it's the film festival that gets me all revved up, so in honor of the LAFF, here's a special movie edition of the Lush List, highlighting some of the science-related films that will be playing at this year's fest. You may recognize some of the titles from my Sundance round up, and if you're in LA, make sure to check out the post-screening conversation for One Lucky Elephant. Descriptions courtesy of the 2010 LAFF Film Festival Guide.

1. Cane Toads: The Conquest

Summer Showcase

(Australia, US, 2010, 85 mins, 3D DCP)

Directed By: Mark Lewis; Executive Producers: Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Clark Bunting; Producer: Mark Lewis; Cinematographers: Toby Oliver, Kathryn Milliss, Paul Nichola; Editor: Robert Demaio

The cane toad was imported to Australia in the 1930s to save its sugar crop from beetles. Big mistake. Not only did the ugly critter utterly fail at its job, some seven decades later it had multiplied from a hundred to an estimated 1.5 billion, overrunning most of northern Australia in its unstoppable migration. Protected by a poison it secretes through its skin, the cane toad has wreaked havoc everywhere it hops, and every effort to stop it has proven futile.

The mischievous maverick Mark Lewis first told this story in his short 1988 classic Cane Toads: An Unnatural History. Now, aided by eye-popping 3D, he updates the horror in his inimitable tongue in cheek style. Documentary and archival footage come together as the toad's victims are interviewed and the elaborate efforts to stomp the interlopers out are demonstrated. But nothing can match Lewis’ recreations. They are in a class by themselves, as Lewis shows us the effects the toad has on any dog who happens to lick it. If you've ever wondered what a canine acid trip looks like, look no further. (David Ansen)

2. Farewell
Documentary Competition
(Netherlands, 2009, 90 mins, DigiBeta (NTSC))
US premiere
Directed By: Ditteke Mensink; Producer: Pieter van Huijstee; Screenwriter: Ditteke Mensink; Editor: Jessica de Koning; Cast: Narrated by Poppy Elliott

In 1929, celebrated journalist Lady Grace Drummond-Hay was invited to take part in the first round-the-world flight of a commercial airship, the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin. Recently widowed from a man 50 years her senior and bored to tears with covering ladies fashion, Lady Grace leaped at the chance to be the only woman onboard one of the media sensations of the decade. At journey’s end she returned to America a star, thanks to her good looks and gutsy charm. But her reports on the ship’s travels for the front pages of the Hearst press empire only told part of the story. In her diary she recorded a far more intimate journey—her struggle to get over her secret affair with shipmate, mentor, and married man Karl von Wiegand.

Combining spectacular archival footage of the journey across New York, Siberia, Tokyo, and the Pacific with narration drawn from Drummond’s articles and her private journals, this sweeping black and white documentary stands as a vision of technological marvels and global hope in that narrow window between world wars when everything seemed possible except true love. (Amy Nicholson)

3. One Lucky Elephant

Documentary Competition

(USA, 2010, 83 mins, HDCam — Frame Rate 29.97)

World Premiere

Directed By: Lisa Leeman; Writers: Cristina Colissimo, Lisa Leeman; Producers: Cristina Colissimo, Jordana Glick-Franzheim; Co-Producer: Miriam Cutler; Executive Producers: Elizabeth Zox Friedman, Greg Little; Cinematographers: Sandra Chandler, Neil Brown, Shana Hagen, Cristina Colissimo; Editors: Kate Amend, Tchavdar Georgiev; Cast: Flora the elephant, David Balding, Carol Buckley, Laura Balding, Willie Theison

What happens to a circus elephant when it’s time to retire? After 16 years in the spotlight, Flora, an African elephant living in St. Louis, must find a new home, and David, the circus owner who has cared for her all these years, must say goodbye to the animal he thinks of as a “daughter.” The road to Flora’s retirement, however, is a difficult and emotional one. While David finds himself drawn into the current debate in the animal rights community over the ethical treatment of elephants, Flora must adjust to living among other elephants for the first time ever.

Ten years in the making, One Lucky Elephant is a remarkable achievement. Eschewing easy sentimentality, the film beautifully captures the delicate love between David and Flora, but it also doesn’t shy away from examining the problems and mysteries posed by keeping wild animals in captivity. It’s a complicated, fascinating issue, and there are no clear answers for anyone involved, least of all David and Flora, two extraordinary individuals you’ll never forget. (Doug Jones)

To note: A post-screening Q&A and extended conversation to explore the timely issues raised by the film will follow the screening on June 19. Moderated by Charles Siebert, acclaimed New York Times journalist and author of An Elephant Crack Up, Angus, and The Wauchula Woods Accord, with guests Ron Kagan (Director, Detroit Zoo), Dr. Toni Frohoff (behavioral and wildlife biologist; TED Global 2010 conference speaker), Laura Balding (Equestrian Advisor and Co-Founder, Therapeutic Horsemanship), and filmmakers Lisa Leeman (director) and Cristina Colissimo (producer and co-founder of Ahali Elephants).  Additional special guests to be announced.

4. Space Tourists
International Showcase

(Switzerland, 2009, 98 mins, DigiBeta (NTSC))

In English, Russian, Romanian with English subtitles
Directed By: Christian Frei; Producer: Christian Frei; Cinematographer: Peter Indergand; Editors: Christian Frei, Andreas Winterstein; Cast: Anousheh Ansari, Jonas Bendiksen, Dumitru Popescu, Charles Simonyi

In the not so distant past, media outlets gathered excitedly every time the U.S. or Soviet Union launched a flight into space. Today, space flights only receive secondary coverage, leaving many to wonder what happened to the promise that space travel once held. Christian Frei’s dream-like documentary Space Tourists addresses this question as he transports us to the rarely-glimpsed world of Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome. With its crumbling edifices, abandoned housing projects, and timeworn artworks, the once-great Baikonur is only a shadow of its former self. With the high price tag of space flight, space tourism—priced at $20 million per journey—has become the only way for Russia to fund their space program.

Examining both the idealism and the reality behind space exploration today, Frei’s documentary launches us into space with the first woman space tourist, an Iranian-American Texas millionaire, while on the ground a motley crew of “space junk” collectors make their living off what comes tumbling to earth. (Jennifer Wilson)

5. Gasland
Special Screenings
(USA, 2010, 104 mins, HDCam Frame Rate 23.98)
Directed By: Josh Fox; Executive Producers: Debra Winger, Hunter Gray; Producers: Trish Adlesic, Josh Fox, Molly Gandour; Screenwriter: Josh Fox; Cinematographers: Josh Fox, Matthew Sanchez; Editor: Matthew Sanchez; Cast: Josh Fox, Theo Coburn, Dr. Al Almendariz, John & Kathy Fenton, Mike & Marsha Markhan, Amee & Jesse Ellsworth, Debbie Mae, Pat Farnelli, Renee McClure, Jeff & Rhonda Locker, Lewis Meek, Lisa Bracken, Weston Wilson, Calvin Tilman, Scott Stinger, James Gennaro

We all know about the recent and well-publicized environmental risks of oil, coal, and nuclear energy, but what about natural gas‾ When banjo-picking everyman Josh Fox is offered big bucks to lease his property to a natural gas company, he decides to investigate the industry’s dubious safety claims. Armed with a camcorder, a cellphone, and an inquisitive mind, Fox sets out on a harrowing journey across the heartland, where he uncovers damning evidence of contaminated water, polluted air, and corporate bullying.

In a down-to-earth and unassuming style, Fox explains the complicated and costly process of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” and exposes its environmental impact on our air, soil, water, and livestock. Meanwhile, the citizens of “Gasland” testify to the health hazards posed by the industry, including an unforgettable demonstration of flammable tap water. In this time of energy handwringing and green initiatives, Fox’s extraordinary example of DIY muckraking is a vibrant testament to the vitality of citizen journalism and a must-see for every American who is concerned about the environment. (Matt Cornell)

6. Climate Refugees
Free Screenings
(Bangladesh, Chad, China, Kenya, Tuvalu, USA, 2010, 89 mins, HD - CAM 1080I 59.94)
In English, Bengali, Chinese, Sudanese with English subtitles
Directed By: Michael P. Nash; Executive Producers: Pat McConathy, Stephen Nemeth; Producers: Michael P. Nash, Justin Hogan; Screenwriter: Michael P. Nash; Cinematographer: Michael P. Nash; Editors: Michael P. Nash, Bret Langefels, Nancy Frazen; Cast: Rajendra K Pachauri Ipcc, Dr.Stephen Schneider, Gov. Bill Ritter Jr., Lester R. Brown, Newt Gingrich, Prof. Wangari Maathai, Secretary Ken Salazar, Senator John Kerry, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Tino Cuellar, Yvo De Boer; Music: Michael Mollura

“Climate Refugees” is a term few people outside the U.S. military and U.N. circles were familiar with outside the US military and UN circles…until now. As alarming as it is prescient, Michael Nash’s illuminating documentary examines the facts behind the phrase and exposes what is being called the biggest challenge facing mankind.

Climate refugees are populations who are being displaced by the effects of extreme climate change, both natural and manmade. Through intimate interviews, expert testimony, and unforgettable images, Nash and his dedicated team convey the disastrous political, social, and ecological effects this migration could cause. While Congressional and U.N. leaders attest on-screen that the situation is critical, the fact remains that there is no contingency plan or multi-national accord addressing the issue.

Capturing a world that is distressingly unaware of this aspect of the global warming crisis, Nash’s film is an urgent call for action. To sustain life as we know it, and to guarantee a future for the next generation, we must mobilize to find solutions now. (Christine Davila)

The Lush List: 4/30/10 - Cape Wind, BP Oil Spill, Iron Man Science and Music for the Lab

1. CAPE WIND
After nine years of regulatory review, the federal government has finally approved the nation's first offshore wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod. According to an article in The New York Times, the approval is just the first step in launching the the project, dubbed Cape Wind, which has been the subject of great debate. Those supporting it include the Sierra Club, Greenpeace and Governor Deval Patrick. Benefits cited include the creation of a renewable source of clean energy, as well as the jobs the project would bring to the area.

Those on the other side include Senator Scott Brown (R), environmental groups such as the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound and the coastal Wampanoag tribe, which requires unobstructed views of the sunrise for sacred ceremonies. Reasons for opposition include increased energy costs to consumers, possible violations of current environmental regulations and concerns about how the farm will affect the beauty of the area and the tourism market. Others are not thrilled that the a private developer, Cape Wind Associates, is in charge of the project.

If you like your story told in images, for more background on the endeavor from a pro-farm p.o.v., take a look at "Cape Wind Project: Everything You Need to Know," on The Huffington Post. If you're a text fan, read the NY Times editorial supporting the project. For a look back at some of the history of the opposition to Cape Wind, read this piece from GRIST, which focuses on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s problems with the project.

2. EARTH DAY OIL SPILL
While the benefits for Cape Wind have stirred debate, no one can argue that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulting from the explosion on a BP offshore oil rig last week is a tragedy. The estimated rate of spill was originally estimated at 1,000 barrels a day, but has now been upgraded to 5,000 barrels (more than 200,000 gallons). Here's an update from Democracy NOW! on the situation. One of the saddest lines from the report: "The clean ocean has become a thing of the past in that region for the future."

3. SCIENCE OF IRON MAN
We could really use a superhero right about now to help with the situation in the Gulf, but I'm guessing that's not going to happen. Perhaps the closest we can get at the moment is heading to the multi-plex to catch IRON MAN 2, the latest installment of the Marvel franchise. For a look at the science behind the suit, check out Marvel.com's piece by Ryan Haupt, who holds two Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Geology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and co-hosts the podcast "Science...sort of."

Shameless plug: I also did some looking into the story of Iron Man, though my exploration was decided less scientific. I had the verrry fun job of hosting Marvel's Red Carpet coverage of the Hollywood premiere of the film. You can check out my interviews with Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, ScarJo, Don Cheadle and more here.  

4. 10 SONGS FOR SCIENCE NERDS
This week for your listening pleasure, Flavorwire has compiled a virtual mixtape for, in their words, "those of you who maybe spent a little too much time in the chem lab, who cheered for Weird Science’s Anthony Michael Hall as if he were one of your own, and who still might have a poster of the periodic table on your bedroom walls." The collection is a mix of usual suspects such as "She Blinded Me With Science" (Thomas Dolby) and "Weird Science" (Oingo Boingo), as well as more obscure choices like performance artist Laurie Anderson's "O Superman (For Massenet)."

The Lush List: 4/23/10 - Earth Day, DNA Day and Fireballs

1. Thursday, April 22nd was the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, with celebrations of Mother Nature around the globe. The Earth Day 2010 Action Center, a project of the Earth Day Network, has a variety of resources including sections for campaigns, events, petitions, action pledges and organizing tools. 

On Sunday, April 25th, the Earth Day Climate Rally will take place in Washington, DC, on the National Mall from 11am - 7pm, with the goal of urging the government to enact comprehensive climate legislation. If you can't make it to DC, the event will be streamed live on EarthDay.org. The line up looks pretty dang impressive, as well as entertaining. According to the Earth Day Network:

The Climate Rally will include notable speakers Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director James Cameron, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Olympic gold medalist Billy Demong, producer Trudie Styler, author Margaret Atwood, NFL player and television personality Dhani Jones, environmental photographer Sebastian Copeland and many more.

The rally will also feature live music from Sting, John Legend, The Roots, Jimmy Cliff, Passion Pit and Joss Stone, among others.

Need some inspiration? In a piece at The Huffington Post, Gene Karpinski, President, League of Conservation Voters, urges the public to look at Earth Day as more than just a yearly opportunity to install energy efficient light bulbs.

We can let ourselves once again be inspired to act boldly and think big. We can rally for new laws to ensure that all Americans can enjoy the clean air and water we asked for forty years ago. We can demand legislation that curbs global warming pollution and creates the jobs of the future. Perhaps most importantly, we can tell our legislators that the time for action is now. Since January 1st, over one million Americans have contacted their senators urging them to pass a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill this year.

2. Friday, April 23rd was National DNA Day. As described by the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health:

National DNA Day is a unique day when students, teachers and the public can learn more about genetics and genomics! The day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, and the discovery of DNA's double helix.

A moderated chat was held from 8am - 6pm during which NHGRI Director Eric Green, M.D., Ph.D. and genomics experts from across the institute and around the nation took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy. My favorite li'l tip: when a 9th grader asked the easiest way to remember the complementary base pairs, Sarah Harding, M.P.H. responded: 

I'm sure people have different ways to remember, but one option is to remember that G and C are both curvy letters, so they go together. That leaves A to pair with T.

3. For a little piece of outer space you can touch, head out to southwestern Wisconsin. If you're lucky, perhaps you can find a bit of debris from the that fireball streaked across the sky on the night of Wednesday, April 14th. As described by Space.com:

A camera mounted to a campus building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison caught the Wisconsin meteor's explosive demise. The meteor's sonic boom and explosion were also seen and heard by numerous witnesses, and sparked frantic 911 emergency calls across six different states, according to the Near-Earth Object Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif.

The Lush List: January 13, 2010 - The Sundance Edition

Right now I'm consumed with all things film, as I get ready for the Sundance Film Fest. So here's a special movie edition of the Lush List, highlighting some of the science-related films that will be playing at this year's fest (descriptions courtesy of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Guide).

1. Splice
The classic monster film gets a deliciously sadistic twist in Vincenzo Natali's contemporary dissection of the genetic-engineering dilemma. Clive and Elsa are young, brilliant, and ambitious. The new animal species they engineered has made them rebel superstars of the scientific world. In secret, they introduce human DNA into the experiment. The result is something that is greater than the sum of its parts: a female animal/human hybrid that may be a step up on the evolutionary ladder. They think they may have created the perfect organism—until she makes a final, shocking metamorphosis that could destroy them—and the rest of humanity.

In an age where creating life is a near-scientific possibility, the terrifying premise of Splice takes on hauntingly powerful implications. Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody deliver nuanced performances, and Natali's lurid special effects and dazzling visual design create a modern-day horror film that will make you scream, squirm, and think.

2. Climate Refugees
If global warming is our planet’s most pressing issue, large-scale population displacement is the human consequence. Massive continental migration is already under way, and diminished natural resources continue to threaten the lives of millions. The quickly submerging islands of Tuvalu in the South Pacific, drought-affected regions of Sudan, storm-susceptible coastlines of Bangladesh, and rapidly expanding deserts in China are forcing millions to relocate beyond their borders. Who will accept these refugees, and how will they impact their adopted homeland?

Filmmaker Michael Nash spent two years traversing the globe, visiting these and other hot spots where rising sea levels are threatening millions of people’s survival. Strong visuals and potent testimony from the victims of climate change, politicians, scientists, relief organizations, and authors help sound the alarm for instituting new policies and working together to create solutions to cope with this imminent crisis. Climate Refugees fervently captures the human fallout of climate change.

3. Space Tourists
Anousheh Ansari has dreamt of going into outer space since she was a child. A number of years and $20 million later, with the help of the Russian space program, her dream is realized—Ansari becomes the first female space tourist. In recent years, a number of private citizens like Ansari have been willing to endure rigorous training in Star City, Kazakhstan, and part with significant funds to spend time aboard the International Space Station.

Director Christian Frei (The Giant Buddhas, Sundance Film Festival 2006) explores the impact of space tourism in the heavens and on Earth by adeptly weaving together multiple strands: Ansari’s joyous experience in orbit; the efforts of local villagers to claim black-market rocket debris; the observations of photographer Jonas Bendiksen; and the training of the next space tourist in line. Space Tourists examines the intersections of human enterprise and commerce in the final frontier.

4. Cane Toads: The Conquest
The cane toads are ba-a-a-ck! But this time those pesky varmints are coming at you in glorious 3-D. In 1988, filmmaker Mark Lewis had tongues wagging when he unleashed his celebrated documentary Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, exposing a bizarre biological blunder. Here, Lewis takes a giant leap forward as he revs up the technology, once again tracking the unstoppable march of the cane toad across the Australian continent. Reviled by many, adored by a few, the toad has gripped Australia's consciousness, achieving both cult and criminal status. Imported to save the sugar cane crop, the toad’s spread is considered one of Australia’s greatest environmental catastrophes. Yet for a world awakening to the daunting prospect that we have forever altered our ecosystem, this is a story of global implication. With its tongue not so firmly in its cheek, Cane Toads: The Conquest is a comic, yet provocative, journey of a species that has already invaded planet Earth.

5. And one final piece of film news that's not Sundance related...Leonardo DiCaprio Gets Spacey

Leonardo DiCaprio will narrate Hubble 3-D, a new Imax film set to be released in theaters on March 19th. According to Variety, the film includes spacewalks by astronauts required to service the telescope. The project brings back the Space Station 3D filmmaking team, led by producer/director Toni Myers; James Neihouse is director of photography and the astronaut crew trainer.

[Source: Variety.com]

 

The Lush List: 10/19/09 - Eye Candy

Over the past several days, I've stumbled across several fantastic vids and pics, some old, some new. I'll let the images speak for themselves.

1)Symphony of Science: "We Are All Connected"

From melodysheep's YouTube note (full lyrics avail there):

"We Are All Connected" was made from sampling Carl Sagan's Cosmos, The History Channel's Universe series, Richard Feynman's 1983 interviews, Neil deGrasse Tyson's cosmic sermon, and Bill Nye's Eyes of Nye Series, plus added visuals from The Elegant Universe (NOVA), Stephen Hawking's Universe, Cosmos, the Powers of 10, and more. It is a tribute to great minds of science, intended to spread scientific knowledge and philosophy through the medium of music.

[found my way to this via Andrew Baron on Magma, who found it via Sam Lehman]

2)Gorgeous pics of Antarctic icebergs

Inhabitat.com has some incredible images of icebergs featuring stripes and beautiful blues taken by Norwegian sailor Oyvind Tangen on a research ship 660 miles north of the Antarctic. Apparently, the pics made the rounds via email, which skipped my in-box, so glad to have a chance to see them featured here.

3)A Picture is Worth 1000 Words...

The Department of Energy honored 10 of this year’s best scientific visualizations with its annual SciDAC Vis Night awards, at the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing conference (SciDAC) in June, and Wired.com has showcased them for our viewing pleasure. Warning: If you live in Southern Cali, you might not want to watch the simulation of  a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas fault...

Margins X-Post: Earth Day Docs Online

As most of you know, I'm the founder of a grassroots environmental campaign called Change The Margins. Occasionally, I post stuff on the Margins site that's of interest here. And yes, I could just copy over the whole post to Science Lush, but why do extra work when I don't have to?

Here's the skinny: Cinetic Rights Management is putting five docs online in celebration of Earth Day on 4/22. They're available on a variety of platforms, both for streaming and download. Titles include:

THE GREEN CHAIN (loggers vs environmentalists)
GREASY RIDER (greasecar drivers)
THE UNFORESEEN (real estate development vs. preservation)
BLIND SPOT (oil and energy crisis)
GARBAGE! THE REVOLUTION STARTS AT HOME (how much garbage does one family produce?)

For full descriptions & more details about where to find the films, read the Margins post:
http://sciencelush.typepad.com/change_the_margins/2009/04/5-docs-online-for-earth-day-.html

 

Eco-Spot Contest Announced

The Alliance for Climate Protection, Al Gore's environmental group, is sponsoring a contest to create ads explaining global warming and urging taking action. A panel of activists, scientists & celebs including Cameron Diaz, George Clooney and Orlando Bloom will judge the "eco-spots," which are due by September 12th. Definitely one of the hotter judging panels around...

For contest rules: www.current.tv/ecospot. The first place winner gets a Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

For an example of the kind of spot they love, check out Black Balloons, a 45-second Aussie spot that shows how normal household activities like brewing coffee or refrigeration contribute to global warming because they are powered by the burning of fossil fuels.

S'lush Fave

As "Going Green" becomes ever more trendy, there are a variety of sites out there that proffer tips to help us all make it just a bit easier. Recently stumbled across Ideal Bite. Their tagline is "A Sassier Shade of Green," and it's basically like Daily Candy or Flavorpill for the environment. The site succinctly delivers useful, easy tips that don't cost a lot of dough.  And on top of it, the founders seem to have a sense of humor...which is a nice change from the doom n' gloom usually associated with the current planetary condition.

I've just started scrolling through their archive...I think I'm actually going to finally start using those cloth napkins my mom keeps giving me everytime she cleans out her linen closet.

Shamed by Wal Mart

I have been shamed by Wal Mart.

I have been promising to refit my house with energy efficient light bulbs ever since I saw AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH this summer. And I promised again when I saw WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? several months later. Yet somehow, 40 foot high visions of our world undergoing environmental disaster couldn't quite motivate my butt down to the hardware store.

Wal Mart may now accomplish what these two lovely documentaries could not. In an article in today's New York Times, the mega retailer revealed its plans to push compact flourescent bulbs to the American public.

It is the environmental movement’s dream: America’s biggest company, legendary for its salesmanship and influence with suppliers, encouraging 200 million shoppers to save energy.

If it succeeds in selling 100 million compact fluorescent bulbs a year by 2008, total sales of the bulbs in the United States would increase by 50 percent, saving Americans $3 billion in electricity costs and avoiding the need to build additional power plants for the equivalent of 450,000 new homes.

The bulbs have been around the US since 1979, but only 6% of households today use them. They cost more and the light ain't as pretty. And of course, there's that laziness factor for people like me.

I have always been one of those who simultaneously despised and made fun of Wal Mart. Huge cookie cutter stores coming in and displacing the mom-n-pop shops, unfair labor practices, a contributor to the genericizing (is that a word?) of America.

But just this once, I have to respect their mission. They've got the power to reach the masses, and right now, we need the masses to embrace changing their habits. So if Wal Mart can accomplish that, I'm all for it.

Which is part of the reason that they are getting behind the light bulb movement...so that people like me who normally express disdain and contempt for the retailer will sing a new tune. **Interesting note: the article in the NYT was in the Business section, NOT the Science section.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH made me angry. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? left me very very sad. WAL MART brings out the shame.

Shame wins.