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Countdown to Copenhagen

In December 2009, leaders from across the world will meet in Copenhagen to establish a new climate protocol to succeed the famous Kyoto protocol (which the U.S. never signed). The outcome of this meeting will likely define the international stance on climate change and global warming for the coming decades. Not to get ahead of ourselves this year . . . but we at TERRA think this is the most important approaching environmental milestone of 2009 and the foundation for earnest change is already beginning. So, with this global spirit in mind, let's kick off the new year with some great environmental films and a newly-announced collaboration with the United Nations to continue bringing you fresh content from around the world. Don't change that dial! We've got an amazing slate of films for you in 2009 . . . a year that will be remembered for new beginnings based on sustainable values.

-- ELB

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TERRA 234: Forbidden Fruit - The Absinthe Drinker

7:34mins | 2006-09-20 | Produced by: Harrison, Henry
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Screenshot 1:TERRA 234: Forbidden Fruit - The Absinthe Drinker
Screenshot 1:TERRA 234: Forbidden Fruit - The Absinthe Drinker Screenshot 2:TERRA 234: Forbidden Fruit - The Absinthe Drinker Screenshot 3:TERRA 234: Forbidden Fruit - The Absinthe Drinker
Absinthe was banned in the U.S. and many other parts of the world in the early 20th century after a faulty scientific study determined it was likely to provoke hallucinations, seizures, and violence. Ninety years later, absinthe has re-emerged on the international marketplace because it has been determined, by all accounts, to be safe for consumption. Why was it banned in the first place? David Cook, a retired Neurosurgeon and occasional absinthe drinker, helps unlock the neurological mysteries of "the green fairy" and testifies about how science, ritual, and history often converge in unusual ways. The ultimate cause of the absinthe ban was political, due to the influence of winemakers and temperance advocates, not scientific. This case reveals yet another example of how "bad science" is oftentimes utilized to manipulate public opinion. Unfortunately, this is just as true today as it was 100 years ago. Though peer-reviewed sources consistently acknowledge the problems of climate change, strategic misinformation still often wins the day with the press, the public, and our legislators.
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