Archive for Green Videos
The 82nd Academy Awards, even Oscar is greener
Posted by: | CommentsSo did you watch the 82nd Academy Awards last night? Did you notice (when you weren’t grinning at images of George Clooney or Keira Knightley) that a number of the nominated films had an eco-theme to them? You probably spotted at least one as it was nominated for almost everything (9 nominations in all) including best picture but there were four films in total that had a semblance of green or environmental messages contained within.
Hollywood gathers every March to honour the most creative and talented movie-makers in the industry but last night marked the first Oscars ceremony that so many films which asked their respective audiences to consider matters green were all nominated. In years past the closest we tended to get to films with a global message about sustainability were typically apocalyptic in nature but last nights nominations asked questions both large and small about the way in which we live. So before I get started can you think of the four films that went before the Academy for consideration?
I’ll start with the most obvious, that being James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar. The film that has now broken all global box office records didn’t win the biggest prizes on offer for Best Picture or Director but in terms of influence you have to acknowledge the audience worldwide. In just 12 weeks the film has grossed some $2.6 billion and remarkably more than 70% of that is from markets outside the US making the film a record breaker in all markets. Has the green message of the film been lost on those who were captivated by the special effects? Research suggests no and that it was impossible to disregard the message in relation to the future of our planet - Cameron suggests the film was to be ‘motivational and ‘a cautionary tale’.
The second film you may have seen, as it received just the one nomination (best documentary feature) and also won it. The Cove was more than a film, it serves as a call to activism which you can certainly support via their website. I won’t give away everything as it’s a film that should be explored on a personal basis but the synopsis is as accurate as can be:
Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.
Our third green Oscar nominated film was a documentary that I reviewed on the blog back in November, and like ‘The Cove’ I heartily recommend that you take the time to rent or download a copy of ‘Food Inc’. It’s a film that at best will change the way you consume food or at worst will make you suggest others watch the film. We have to review the way we gather, raise and process our food. It really is as simple as that.
Finally something a little lighter but no less pertinent. I’ll even give you a clue that it was created from the book by the wonderful (and marginally subversive) Roald Dahl. Dahl had an uncanny knack of combining children’s stories with messages that reflected just how much the adults have taken us away from our goals as a society. If that seems a lofty goal for a kid’s film its because you’ve yet to see the ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ which manages to combine both. The film, nominated for best animated feature film and best original score features Mr Fox leading a campaign against a collection of evil farmers. You need to see it!
So if you are hoping to see the Oscar nominated films one wet weekend, why not start with these four?
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The height of Eco-Friendly - World’s tallest buildings face new contender
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London's Post Office Tower
It all started with the church in the village where I grew up , it’s stone spire could be seen from a few miles away as it was the tallest building in our little town. As a youngster I was ridiculously impressed by tall and grand buildings, as a little kid when visiting London I was amazed at the twin spires of Westminster Abbey (69 M 225 FT) and the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral (112 M 366 FT), before then being transfixed by the tallest tower (at the time) in London - The Post Office Tower (now named the BT Tower standing at 188 M 617 FT). As a small boy that building seemed impossibly tall and so it remained until the first time I visited Paris on a school trip when I was about eight. It was there that I first saw the Eiffel Tower - not so much a building as a steel observation deck but certainly enough to thrill me and the tallest yet (not to mention very metric exactly 300.0M or 984 feet).
burj-khalifa in Dubai
My dad used to travel to the US and Canada on business a lot and when I was ten we were taken on a family trip which was really masquerading as a business trip but my tall building buzz saw new highs. We flew into JFK and I was lucky enough to visit and go to the top of the Empire State Building (381M) and The World Trade Centre (417M 1368 FT). At more than double the height of the Post Office Tower plus the incredible vastness of the building I remember just looking up in awe - and of course there were two of them! It seemed to my 10 year old brain that the trip was designed around my tall building hobby (it wasn’t) as we also visited Chicago which of course features the Sears Tower, the tallest in the world at the time (442M 1451 FT). My holy grail was visited and I had the photos to prove it.
As I grew older my interest in tall buildings waned, and although I ended up living in one and working in one for a short time I found other interests that replaced my early passion. I’ve paid marginal attention as the Sears Tower was trumped by new skyscrapers in Asia and wept (for reasons beyond the obvious) when the twin towers in New York came crashing down on that dark day in 2001. My interest was rekindled by the recent construction and opening of the new top tower in Dubai - the Burj Khalifa is a staggering height (828M 2717 FT). I can’t even conceive of a building being that tall and photographs and videos such as the one beneath make it seem computer generated against the desert background.
From an environmental perspective the newest buildings are also using more methods of green construction. Not just smaller buildings and homes are benefiting from new concepts of sustainable construction by skyscrapers around the world are also incorporating design ideas that consider more than height. There is now news of a potential tower being constructed later this decade in Miami, Florida that would not only been taller than the current pinnacle in Dubai but also potentially the one of the largest eco-friendly buildings ever built.
The proposed Miapolis
The proposed structure is the Miapolis, if it gets built the 975 meter high tower could potentially beat out Dubai’s Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building if built. Designed by KOBI KARP, Miapolis would be more than just a building - it would be a vertical self-contained city. They utilize the most cutting-edge sustainable systems and practices within the design, it would be the largest LEED-certified structure at any rating level in the United States. The staggering 160-floor tower would contain entertainment and residential spaces within including an amusement park, observatory, restaurants, 2 million sq ft of shops, over 1000 apartments, 1 million sq ft of office space and a 792 room hotel. *(some elevators too I’m guessing)
Miapolis’ eco-credibility includes the use of 60% wind energy, a modular green roof, greenhouse gas management, water desalinization, storm and wastewater management, solid waste management and much more. Will it actually happen? There is a list of proposed super towers as long as my arm that never came to fruition - but to think that the tallest building in the world might also boast a very green core - that would be the height of eco-friendly.
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Top 10 Countries creating Renewable Energy with Wind Power
Posted by: | CommentsWhich countries are the leaders using wind power as renewable energy to provide electricity? Well, thanks to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), a list of the world’s wind power renewable energy leaders wasn’t difficult to formulate. It’s important to recognize that the world’s cumulative installed capacity for wind power has grown from a paltry 6,100 Megawatts in 1996 to over 120,000 Megawatts in 2008. These numbers are on a constant incline according to the trends of the past 12 years and the 2009 report yet to be released will inevitably demonstrate significant growth.
Here are the top 10 global leaders using wind and creating renewable energy:
California's Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm
Country Capacity in Megawatts (MW) | percentage of World Total
- USA 25,170 MW | 20.8%
- Germany 23,903 MW | 19.8%
- Spain 16,754 MW |13.9%
- China 12,210 MW | 10.1%
- India 9,645 MW | 8.0%
- Italy 3,736 MW | 3.1%
- France 3,404 MW | 2.8%
- UK 3,241 MW | 2.7%
- Denmark 3,180 MW | 2.6%
- Portugal 2,862 MW | 2.4%
Rest of world 16,693 MW | 13.8%
Source: Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) 2008 Global Wind Report (published in 2009)
According to the report from the GWEC, the long-term outlook is promising:
“Over the past three or four years, two markets have continuously outperformed our most optimistic expectations – the US and China. For the next year or two, developments in the US will be hampered by a lack of financing and the overall economic downturn. At the same time, growth in China is set to continue at a breathtaking rate, and this will drive a substantial increase in global wind energy installations in the coming years. GWEC predicts that in 2013, five years from now, global wind generating capacity will stand at 332 Gigawatts (GW), up from 120 GW at the end of 2008. During 2013, 56.3 GW of new capacity will be added to the global total, more than double the annual market in 2008.”
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Best Green Videos (part one)
Posted by: | CommentsIf a picture is worth a thousand words then what value would you place on a well made video? One of the most exciting things about the internet (or redundant if you tire of seeing puppies doing cute tricks) is the very viral nature of the medium. When it comes to green campaigns the playing field of awareness has been leveled in many respects due to the growth of online video. A smaller marketing video with a television budget for just a small market TV region can reach all of North America or indeed the world. The impact of video via humour, creativity or emotive facts can create a buzz online relatively quickly and underneath the laughs or the fury a film can cause is the message. Eco-awareness is a mission of education and a call to action, naturally a 90 second video can convey a message that will create a greater impact than a 1,200 word essay dependent on your audience.
I’ve spent a good deal of time looking at videos that have created an impact but more importantly stop to make you think about the message so in an effort to bring you a few smiles and share some great eco-videos I wanted to launch into the first four for you to vote on.
1. Clean coal air freshener, a subtle dig at the absurdity of clean coal
2. Harrison Ford’s message about the rain forests
3. Mr. Wind, a favourite of mine since the first day I saw it
4. So obvious and simultaneously innovative, Worm Poop!
If the videos above stirred some interest from you I also wanted to provide a little more information about each:
- ‘Clean Coal’ was directed by the famed Coen Brothers as a direct message about the concerns with clean coal and was produced for This is reality.org.
- Harrison Ford’s appearance was on behalf of Prince Charles’ rainforest initiative The Prince’s Rainforest Project.
- Mr Wind was created by German alternate energy leader Epuron.
- Worm poop is the key ingredient behind products being manufactured by Terracycle a small New Jersey based manufacturer of 100% recycled plant food products. It’s really quite fascinating as this longer video shows.
So now we need your help. Please vote for one video and one video only for the inaugural winner of our first ‘Best Green Video’ election! We’ll try and do this more often. Polls close Feb 3.
Please select the best Green video
- Mr. Wind (82%, 9 Votes)
- Harrison Ford's waxing (18%, 2 Votes)
- Clean coal air freshener (0%, 0 Votes)
- Worm Poop (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 11
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