Wednesday, April 20, 2011

This Friday, April 22, is Earth Day, which will be celebrated all over the world.  It was started in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in. Since then Earth Day has grown under the guidance of Denis Hayes, who was selected by then-Senator Nelson’s staff to organize the first Earth Day, which has now become the world’s most widely observed secular holiday.

Lester Brown & his giant zucchini circa 1979

This year, Earth Day's theme is A Billion Acts of Green: their people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before Rio +20.

The Earth Day Network now circles the earth with its tens of thousands of NGO partners in some 200 countries. Check out their website for events and activities near your location.

For us at the Earth Policy Institute, every day is Earth Day. Stewardship of our Earth and all of its inhabitants is our focus, along with the plan we have developed—Plan B—for saving civilization. Responsible management of this Earth and its many resources is not a luxury; it is a necessity if we want to thrive. 

Sincerely,

Reah Janise Kauffman
Vice President

P.S. Don't forget ... through the end of April you can watch a streaming edition of the film Plan B on the PBS website.

Friday, April 01, 2011

For the month of April only, you can watch a streaming edition of the film Plan B on the PBS website.

So if you missed the initial release for whatever reason, here is your opportunity to watch it at your leisure. 

Based on Lester Brown’s Plan B book series, this 90-minute film, by the award-winning film producers Marilyn and Hal Weiner, follows Lester as he speaks in Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, New Delhi, Rome, Istanbul, Ankara, and Washington, DC, and visits with world leaders to discuss ways to respond to the challenges of climate change.

The film begins with a dramatic portrayal of a world where there is a mounting tide of public concern about melting glaciers and sea level rise and a growing sense that we need to change course in how we react to emerging economic and social pressures. The film also spotlights a world where ocean resources are becoming scarce, croplands are eroding, and harvests are shrinking.

But what makes Plan B significant and timely is that it provides hopeful solutions—a road map that will help eradicate poverty, stabilize population, and protect and restore our planet’s fisheries, forests, aquifers, soil, grasslands, and biological diversity.

Along with Lester Brown, you will hear from notable scholars and scientists including Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, and former Governor and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt.

Narrated by Matt Damon, well-known for his work raising environmental awareness.

NOTE: Because the Earth Policy Institute did not produce this film, it is not a distributor and is unable to offer discounted copies. However, you can order them online at http:/ETVstore.org, or call (US) +803.737.3200, or write to SCETV Marketing, 1101 George Rogers Blvd., Columbia, SC 29201 USA (email [email protected]). The DVD costs $29.95 plus shipping and handling.

Sincerely,

Reah Janise Kauffman
Vice President

P.S. Educators and conference organizers should order performance copies of the film, which also includes a discussion guide.