How to go greener in the winter
An animated wombat, a backward hamburger and the true story of a nation whose oil supply was suddenly cut in half are all part of a local group's effort to increase environmental awareness and responsibility.
Friends of the Fox River will present the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival Tour, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at McHenry County College Conference Center, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake, and from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2 at the ATC Auditorium at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive in Elgin.
Each venue will present a series of films ranging in length from one minute to about 45 minutes. The films include animated shorts and mini-documentaries; all carry a message of environmental stewardship.
Since different films will be shown at each location, guests may want to attend both days. Advance tickets are $10 and available by calling (847) 426-1322. Tickets will be sold at the door for $15.
Gary Swick, a Friends of the Fox River board member and an environmental science teacher at Dundee-Crown High School, said the films address a range of environmental topics.
"We wanted to present a diversity of issues, such as peak oil, global climate chaos, overpopulation and mass extinction," he said.
"Peak oil" refers to the idea that the world has already peaked in oil production, while demand continues to grow.
A documentary, "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil," tells about how Cuba adapted to a severely reduced oil supply after the fall of the former Soviet Union in 1990.
That film and "The Backward Hamburger" both address the issue of sustainable agriculture. "It shows a guy at a fast-food drive-through, and then the film goes backward to show what it took to bring you this burger," said Swick.
"This a fun event and the films are fun, but the message is a very serious one. The reality is that we need to take responsibility for the environment," he said.
The festival originated in California, and Swick attended showings in Oregon while participating in a river rally. The festival's sponsor, Patagonia, made the tour available to local environmental groups.
"The films are very effective for grass-roots organizing," Swick said.
In part, the festival is a membership event for Friends of the Fox River, which was organized around 1990 and has about 300 members. The group is dedicated to protecting the Fox River watershed by keeping the river banks clean, planting water willows to stabilize the banks, and organizing adults and students to monitor water quality and provide data to local and regional decision-makers. Group members will be on hand to answer questions and assist prospective members.
"Our efforts serve over 300,000 people," Swick said.
But the group also hopes the films raise awareness of environmental issues and motivate people to make changes in their lives. Swick said the disconnection that many people feel from nature gets in the way of efforts to care for the environment.
"When you're living off the land, you appreciate it and want to protect it. But we've become so disconnected, we no longer see nature as something that sustains us; instead it's something we have to conquer.
"As one of the leading users of the world's energy supply, even our small steps can have a far-reaching impact and sets an example for others," Swick said.
"When we drive a little less, it has a big impact on everybody else. When we're less bad, it does a lot of good."
For details on the films, visit www.friendsofthefoxriver.org
If you're concerned about the environment, here are more film screenings that may be of interest.
"The Great Warming": The Slow Global Warming group of Elgin will host a special screening of the 2006 documentary "The Great Warming" at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Epworth United Methodist Church, 37W040 Highland Ave. in Elgin. Come at 5:30 p.m. to this free evening and enjoy a home-cooked meal by church members.
In addition, the Zion Green Team will host a second showing at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Zion Lutheran Church, 330 Griswold St., Elgin.
There is no admission fee; attendees will get a free compact florescent light (CFL) bulb, compliments of the city of Elgin while supplies last. There will be handouts of the "Green Sheet" along with other informational handouts. The film will start at 6:45 p.m. Discussion and refreshments will follow. For details, call (847) 741-7375 or e-mail slowglobalwarming@gmail.com.
Green Film Festival: The Green Sanctuary Committee of the Congregational Unitarian Church will host "A Green Film Festival" from 1 to 10 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Stage Left Cafe, next to the Woodstock Opera House.
Films include the feature documentaries "Who Killed the Electric Car"; Robert Kennedy Jr.'s "Who Owns Nature"; and "The Real Dirt on Farmer John." In addition, a number of short films will be shown including "The Story of Stuff"; "Owls"; "Kilowatt Ours"; "Integrated and Sustainable Home Building in a Midwestern Climate"; "Future Mighty Oaks of McHenry County"; and "The True Cost of Food."
There will be time for discussion of the films as well. Admission is free. Beverages and snacks will be available from the Stage Left Cafe. For details, call (815) 338-0731 or visit www.cucw.org.