Neither of Us are Buffalo is a light-hearted look at the life of two animals: the American bison, and the filmmaker. Traveling in and out of each other’s lives over 25 years, this film provides a context to explore differences, and surprisingly, similarities between the two characters.
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Ashley Funk is an 18-year old from western Pennsylvania. Ashley is many things. She is an identical twin, the founder of Pollution Patrol, a volunteer at the local care home, and she loves to sing with her friends around campfires. Ashley is asking our leaders to recognize that environmental destruction is the destruction of human health and in turn, realize that we have the potential for change. Ashley has done extensive research in preparation for a career as an environmental engineer and policy maker and she knows that we are not stuck in a society where we must rely on destructive fossil fuels to power our energy needs. We have the technology to move beyond this. Ashley is asking the government to come up with a climate recovery plan that does not destroy our single most essential resource…the atmosphere.
What does it take to pass down a family sheep ranching operation today? What roles do generational relationships and sentiment play in that decision making process? This short explores these questions across three generations actively involved in the ranch across the spring lambing season and introduces visions of this ranch’s future within the family.
In this episode of the TRUST series, meet Glori Dei Filippone, a 13-year-old girl from Des Moines, Iowa. If we think about it, we can all remember a moment when we realized something was fundamentally wrong with our environment. For Glori Dei Filippone, her eyes were opened early to the environmental costs of meat production. Not only does Glori recognize the harm it causes to the animals, she also understands the harm it causes to the atmosphere. The magnitude of the atmospheric problem is summed up by a 2006 finding by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations that estimates the carbon emissions associated with the livestock industry to be 18% of global emissions. Her knowledge leads to wisdom. Glori has been working at the Des Moines Farmer’s Market since she was eight years old. One day, a blind lady walked up to the stand and picked up an apple. She asked Glori, “Is this an apple?” Glori answered that it was. She then asked if it were red and Glori responded, “Yes.” The blind lady then shared, “It feels very beautiful, I’ll take a bushel.” It really hit home with Glori how this woman didn’t need to see something to believe it was there. Glori equates this with climate change understanding that we can’t just deny all the evidence that climate change is there just because we can’t see it all the time. Her wisdom leads to action. Glori has also learned to never give up. A lesson that is very valuable in her fight to stop human-induced climate change. In honor of Mother’s Day last year, she filed a petition at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources asking the agency to adopt and implement a Climate Recovery Plan. This plan, based on the best available science, would establish peak global carbon dioxide emissions by 2012, reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by at least 6 percent every year, and commit to widespread reforestation. The petition was denied so she brought her case to court. The district court judge dismissed the case so she is now heading to the Iowa Supreme Court on appeal. For more information about the lawsuits and other TRUST youth, please visit: www.ourchildrenstrust.org
The environmental non-profit sector has always had a difficult time securing financial support, often relying on the generosity of volunteerism. However, the recent economic downturn has put this sector in an even more dire situation, and the young workers are feeling the pressure. Follow filmmaker Taylor Johnson as he covers the streets, forests, and beaches of Oregon to hear the stories from those who give so much for so little in the name of environmental stewardship. In DisSOLVE, experience the trials and tribulations of the Portland environmental non-profit sector like never before… from their point of view!
In this episode of the TRUST series, meet Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, an 11-year-old boy from Boulder, Colorado. Xiuhtezcatl shares why he joined youth from across the country asking the courts to hear their lawsuit (Alec L., et al., v. Lisa P. Jackson, et al.), which is based on one of the most fundamental principles of civilized society: TRUST. Xiuhtezcatl asks that our atmosphere be protected, because he loves playing in Colorado’s mountains, forests, lakes, and streams and fears that the resources he most enjoys will not be there for his generation if we continue emitting carbon dioxide at current rates. Xiuhtezcatl shares, “The proof of climate change is everywhere I look. In my lifetime, the amount of forest killed by pine beetles has expanded. The number of acres burned has intensified. My generation is losing our forests. We are losing our homes. It’s not too late to ensure my generation has a livable future. But we need to listen to the science and act now.” Over a century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that our federal government has an absolute legal duty to protect our essential common natural resources – such as our air and our water – for present and future generations. Our youth are simply asking our third branch of government to compel the legislative and executive branches to do their jobs. For more information about the lawsuits and other TRUST youth, please visit: www.ourchildrenstrust.org and www.witness.org
For more than a century the wool house in Sweet Grass County has provided a place for wool growers to store and package wool for shipment as part of a growing cooperative. As competitive global markets have emerged, domestic demand has withered. And as ranching interest in younger generations declines, the wool house faces an uncertain future. This short film explores the meaning of the wool house to this community and its role in the formation of an unique regional identity.
The island of Rota contains the last viable population of Flying Foxes in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. This paradisiacal setting is also home to Rotanese Chamorros who have proud traditions stretching back many centuries. The Chamorro word for Fruit Bat is Fanihi and these beautiful and fascinating creatures hold a special place within the culture as a coveted delicacy. However, in recent decades bat populations have declined to critical levels because of the widespread use of guns and a heavy commercial demand for the increasingly rare delicacy. Specifically targeted to Rotanese Chamorros, this film is currently part of community based outreach efforts to increase awareness of the plight of the Fanihi on Rota.
In this episode of the TRUST Series, meet Jaime Lynn Butler, an 11-year-old Navajo artist, who recognizes the extreme difficulty this administration faces dealing with the current political climate crisis. On January 24, 2012, during the State of the Union address, President Obama recognized that, “The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change.” However, Jaime also recognizes the guaranteed consequences of climate change if America fails to do more than what is politically feasible. According to leading climate scientists, the Earth is in “imminent peril.” Should we fail to make a massive assault on CO2 pollution, the entire life-support system of our civilization and our species will begin to unravel. Because Jaime knows that human-induced climate change is a matter of carbon math, not carbon politics, Jaime is not only writing to President Obama and asking for assistance, she is also sharing her story with others so that we can visualize the urgent and unstoppable nature of human-induced climate change.
Bending Widgets takes a personal perspective into answering questions about the human urge to create and the origins of that urge. Three unrelated people from vastly different backgrounds help to shed some light on these questions.
