e2 On Harvesting the Wind

A 3 minute trailer from the e2 series on PBS. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this particular video focuses on the story of a wind energy project taking place in southwest Minnesota. The farmers featured in the video have joined with a local developer to set up a wind farm, supplying energy to residents and businesses in their area.

According to Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news agency, United States wind power grew by 45 percent in 2007 and $9 billion was invested. In addition, through their annual year-end report, The American Wind Energy Association noted that wind power accounted for 30 percent of all new power generation in the US. In comparison, 2006 only saw a wind power growth of 20 percent and $4 billion was spent.

US Manufacturing Going Strong

Surprisingly, as US service industries shrank last month, factories expanded. Accounting for approximately 12 percent of the economy, manufacturing held strong in the United States. What does this say about our spending and production? Are consumers buying less as a result of higher prices and a loss in jobs? Bloomberg.com covers this pressing issue but neglects to mention the many eco-minded consumers who are now asking for locally made products, supporting manufacturers in the US while also buying less product in general. For the full article see bloomberg.com.

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.