Finding Solutions

Finding Solutions from Mark Dworkin on Vimeo.

Since 1987, Moving Images Video Project has produced and distributed television documentaries that encourage peace, justice, and environmental preservation. This video is a preview for a series of documentaries about real solutions to environmental and social sustainability. In a time when sustainability is a catchphrase, some people really are discovering more earth-friendly ways to live, grow food, and do business for example while being more respectful of our environment and improving lives.

Finding Solutions is a a documentary series on sustainability. It’s a presentation of stories about people and societies, highlighting individuals who have found better, greener and more improved ways to live. Covered in the segment are case studies including Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil considered to be one of the most sustainable cities in the world. Kerala, a state in India known for its high standard for health and society. Farmers markets in North America, where farmers are rediscovering that organic methods are actually better all around. Sophisticated industrial cooperatives in Italy are creating serious competition for big international corporations while providing good employment and offering the highest standard of living in the country.

Moving Images Video Project is a non-profit corporation based in Washington state.

China, From Red to Green

China, From Red to Green from Free More News on Vimeo.

This amazing PBS show is called e². It’s a documentary-style television series produced by Kontent Real and sponsored by Autodesk. The ongoing series is focused on the economies of being environmentally conscious. Shot completely in HD, the e² documents efforts on a global level to solve issues of energy, waste, health, policies, and sustainable communities to name a few topics. The focus is on innovators who are actively reducing the negative impacts that humans have had on the environment. Through interviews with experts, policy-makers and pioneers from all different disciplines, the show offers extremely important insight into the issues that are facing us and the amazing solutions we are realizing as elements of sustainability are beginning to come to fruition.

For more information, visit the PBS e² Website.

Green Technology Conference: Joel Makower Keynote

Covered by Cutter Hutton of Kaiju Studios.

Yesterday in Providence, Rhode Island the Brown Forum For Enterprise held its Green Technology Conference where a wide range of “green” related presentations were made. Kicking off the event was Joel Makower’s excellent keynote, Business, the Environment and the Bottom Line. For those unable to attend, his presentation was a diverse discussion of sustainability in the business world, a few of the key points being:

- Industries that were traditionally unrelated are finding themselves in the energy business as sustainability becomes a driver. Automotive firms will need to focus on the nation’s electrical infrastructure to implement plug-in cars, while Tyson chicken is attempting to use its 2.3 billion lbs of chicken fat waste as bio-fuel.

- Surprising savings can be had when a company begins to measure where its environmental impacts and inefficiencies lie and addressing those issues with innovation solutions. By replacing traditional wood pallets in its manufacturing plants with cardboard versions, GM was able to save $100,000 a day in costs, and switch from a non-recycleable waste product to a recyclable alternative which is purchased after use by outside firms, saving an added $50,000 a day.

- Many companies are silent on the environmental improvements they are making out of fear of enlightening consumer’s to a problem they were unaware of, and that this would lead to demands of more improvements or face a consumer backlash.

- Joel uses 3 questions to determine if a company is “good enough” in improving their green impact.

1- what do you know? You have to know your impacts to solve it.

2- what are you doing about it? There has to be tangible action to improve those impacts.

3- what are you saying about your improvements? How are you telling the public about what you are doing.

Joel’s talk was an informative and entertaining opening to get the audience primed for the other presentations at the conference. He also provided the take-away line of the day: “Sustainability is like teenage sex; everyone says they do it, few actually are, and those that are doing it don’t do it well.” Find out more at Joel’s site, where you can read his fantastic blog Two Steps Forward.

For more information about the Brown Forum For Enterprise click here.

South Korea Opens Global Warming Center

The first environmental group not tied to government in South Korea is being formed under the name “Korea Green Foundation”, or KGF. Their goal is to attack issues of global warming in and outside of South Korea. They will soon be opening the Global Warming Center at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul. Their committee is comprised of local and international scholars, business leaders, and civic activists who are working collectively to combat global warming. Through ongoing support, the KGF will continue to define and act on long-term plans to solve the issue of global warming. Their first actions will come in the form of campaigns to stop environmental damage. They have already been backed by Seoul National University and world-famous anthropologist and activist Jane Goodall.

Architects For a Better World

Screening this winter and spring throughout Europe is Architects for a better world by Jacques Allard. It was filmed in 12 locations around the globe and brings many diverse perspectives on the sustainability in Architecture. The movie was filmed in High Definition and will be released in 8 languages. “This film is about people who care about our future, and who want to make a difference.” For more information visit lastcallforplanetearth.eu.

Take a break for Green Drinks

If you don’t know about the international phenomenon Green Drinks, you’re missing out. The equation above from the Chattanooga chapter sums it up. For all those who need the really technical breakdown we’ve cited greendrinks.org.

“Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network. These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity.”

Can’t find one near you? Get tips on making a Green Drinks happen in your city by emailing edwin@greendrinks.org

Wal-Mart Talks About Doing the Sustainability Thing

Released this past July, Wal-Mart offers some high standards to hold them to. We are looking forward to the positive changes and impacts that they will have in the coming years. Their push towards environmentally friendly products and energy efficiency is encouraging. We also hope they inject local economic and social sustainability into communities around the world that they affect.

Green Art?

Austin based sculptor, George Sabra is taking the lead (no pun intended), making many of his pieces from reclaimed computer components and driftwood. His motivation is to warn people about the hazards of electronic waste. One of his recent showings was at Austin Earth Day, a large green living festival put on by Austin Green Art.

For more info about George Sabra here.