As promised, I'm going to start writing more reviews and lists of recommended books and movies. To start off, I'm going to list my five favorite movies on the topic I write about most, climate change and clean energy.
1. An Inconvenient Truth
Probably everyone has heard of this by now. See it if you haven't already.
2. The 11th Hour
A new global warming documentary produced and narrated by celebrity environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio. This movie picks up where An Inconvenient Truth left off by taking a more philosophical approach to asking how we created the situation we're in and the change in mindset it will take for our society to solve the problem. It will be released on DVD April 8 and shown at the next Liberty Brew & View April 15. I'll add a link to buy a copy soon.
3. Everything's Cool
While An Inconvenient Truth lays out the scientific case for the need to take action, and The 11th Hour takes a more philosophical approach, Everything's Cool tackles the issue from a political and organizing perspective. Learn about the deceptive propaganda tactics used by the oil and coal industries and their allies, the challenges faced by organizations tackling the problem, and what leading organizers think the environmental movement should be doing differently. This is a fun movie for people like me who have a strong interest in movement organizing and politics.
4. Who Killed the Electric Car?
Automobiles are the second largest source of man-made emissions that cause global warming after coal fire power plants. This entertaining movie will shock, surprise and motivate you. I wrote more after showing the movie in October.
5. Kilowatt Ours
This movie about some of the exciting things being done to promote renewable energy is one of my favorites partly because the movie maker lives in Tennessee and it focuses on innovative things happening in the Southeast. Several people I know and worked with in Knoxville are in the movie. There's a 1/2 hour version and 1 hour version which makes it perfect for any classroom or community group looking for ways to take action. There have been showings at UIS and Jubilee Farm and I would expect more showings around Springfield this year. It must not have a major distributor because the movie website appears to be the only way to order.