DC 2013 Environmental Film Festival is here

by Gary Berg-Cross


We celebrate lots of things in March. We've already had Women’s Day - March 08  and today (March 12)  is  Brazilian Librarian’s Day. The US  sent American Library Association (ALA) President Molly Raphael to  Brazil speak on two of her presidential initiatives: advocacy for libraries, and diversity in leadership.


Coming up we have St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and the longer March 12-24, 2013) and always wonderful DC Environmental Film Festival. The Festival scheduled is online although some cancellations do happen.

This year it features 190 documentary, feature, animated, archival, experimental and children's films from around the world. It started off with the very timely:

SPOIL

Heavy crude oil extraction from the northern Alberta tar sands is arguably one of the world’s most environmentally devastating industries... 

There are more than 75 venues around Washington, DC, which besides our regular theatrics  gives neat value added trips to museums, embassies, libraries, & universities. Some screenings are free to the public and it is wonderful when they include discussion with filmmakers or scientists.

As with last year you can watch some past Festival films on EFF's channel at SnagFilms.com for FREE!

A special focus this year is very appropriate to our Potomac and Chesapeake locals - the critical role of rivers and watersheds.
 

Battle of Earth Hours and Saving the Planet

by Gary Berg-Cross

Earth Hour 2012 is March 31, at 8:30 pm local time. It promises to be a very secular and humanistic hour, but I notice that like Darwin Day some conservative forces feel left out . Or perhaps that they can't let this type of progressive statement go un-co-opted. So the Competitive Enterprise Institute has jumped into the hour with Let there be light: 'Human Achievement Hour'. It coincides with Earth Hour but is probably not the same set of beliefs about protecting and saving the planet, our only home, that you see in WWF plea: Dare the World to Save the Planet.

"I Will If You Will" is a simple promise and a challenge. Dare anyone (your Facebook friends, co-workers, celebrity crushes) to accept your challenge and help protect the Earth or accept the challenge of someone else.

Visit "I Will If You Will" to see all the challenges and create your own.