Find these dvds about the "human factor" in the environment in our non-fiction collection:
Edward Burtynsky Manufactured Landscapes
Alberta photographer made famous by his striking colour photographs of open pit mines and industrial sites is featured in this fascinating dvd. The opening scenes of an enormous factory in China alone are worth a look. When the film crew runs into a hesitant coal mine executive, a translator insists that through Burtynsky's eye, "it will look beautiful"...and it does. Burtynsky's large scale photos appear to be abstract paintings, then draw the viewer in to discover the waste and desbris that the images document. He avoids commentary and leaves the viewer to intrepret, but you won't be able to avoid debate when you view the town responsible for e-cycling--the breaking down of our old phones, tvs, and computers. That the first "r" is reduce is never more clear.
Aftermath: Population zeroand Life After People
These similar films examine what life on earth would be like if all humans were gone. Both assume that people disappear all over the world simultaneously. The digital imaging of cityscapes taken over by plants and wildlife is convincing because actual footage of abandoned areas appears. Life After People shows building and fields reclaimed by vegetation after Chernobyl. Aftermath gives more information about effects of chemical plant explosions and long terms effects. Strangely hopeful, both films inspire us to consider what we're doing now and what effects it has on living things around us. However, some frightening concepts may make these inappropriate for very young viewers.
Carts of Darkness
Bottle pickers in North Vancouver, British Columbia have taken to riding shopping carts down the steep roads of the North shore. Some make the descent part of their route, ahead of the city recycling trucks. Others have perfected carting as a sport that blows out running shoes on a single run. Director Murray Siple is a former snowboarder who identifies with the mostly homeless men's search for speed and excitement. Even so, the film is more moving than "gonzo," and it gives insight into a group of individuals who are living by means of bottle depot refunds