3 SHORT FILMS - How We Impact the Environment

"Ecological Footprint" Humans are the most successful species on the planet. But our growing economy is placing unprecedented demand on the planet's limited ecological resources. In the film, Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, co-creator of the Ecological Footprint introduces the Ecological Footprint, a resource accounting tool that measures human demand on the Earth. In just thirty minutes, the film paints a picture of our current global situation: for the first time, humanity is in "ecological overshoot" with annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year. (30 min, 2005)

"Gone Tomorrow: Hidden Life of Garbage" The film explores the history and politics of garbage, a substance both hidden and omnipresent. In 2003, each American dumped 1,600 pounds of refuse, and our mountains of trash get bigger every year. The documentary excavates the history of garbage handling from the 1800s to the post-WWII golden era of consumption and up through the contradictions of modern day recycling. Using interviews, scenes from massive dumps, and an array of obscure and beautiful archival footage, this film uncovers the links between modern industrial production, consumer culture, and our disposable lifestyle. (19 min, 2004)

"Vanishing Ice" The world's glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate, diminishing the earth's fresh water supply and threatening to kill millions in the next few decades. Stunning images of Alberta's ice fields and interviews with activists sound an urgent call for conservation. (19 min, 2005) This film to be confirmed.