OMG B
OOKSOURCEEnvironmental Issues,
Ecology,
and Conservation
ENV001
ACID RAIN
Video
This program provides chemical definitions, illustrates geographical and meteorological
interactions, and traces the sources of acid precipitation. It also demonstrates
ecological concepts and suggests possible solutions. 20 minutes.
AIR POLLUTION: OUTDOOR
Video
This program examines our understanding of how fuels burn and how they can be made to
burn more completely with fewer hazardous by-products. It explains how pollutants
can be filtered out before they escape into the environment and how they can be recycled
or disposed of safely, and describes the status of research into new and cleaner fuels and
combustion methods. 16 minutes.
ENV014
ASSAULT ON THE OZONE LAYER
Video
Industrial smog over the ice fields of Alaska. A growing hole in the ozone layer
over Antarctica. CFCs released in Japan spreading across the Pacific in two weeks,
across the entire Northern Hemisphere in four, below the Equator in six, to the South Pole
in ten. Destruction of the ozone layer affects the entire globe, regardless of who
is causing it, where, or why. This program shows how the ozone layer is depleted and
how its depletion is stunting, mutating, and destroying life. 18 minutes.
ENV020
BLOWPIPES AND BULLDOZERS
Video
This is the moving story of the PENAN, a unique tribe of rain forest nomads living in
Sarawak, Borneo, part of Malaysia. After 40,000 years of living in the jungle, the
tribe is being logged out of existence. A Swiss man, Bruno Manser, has spent the
last five years living with the Penan people, completely adapting his lifestyle to
theirs. He has helped to organize their resistance and publicize their plight.
Bruno Manser is now wanted by the Malaysian government. He wants the story of the
Penan to be known by the outside world before it is too late. 60 minutes.
ENV028
CONCERTO FOR THE EARTH
Video
A celebration of nature, this non-narrative program uses a classic concerto format to
illustrate the devastating effect people have had on the ecology of our plant. With
an original score performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, this is an excellent
introduction to any environmental program. 16 minutes.
PART 1: THE LIVING PLANET
Opens the concerto with breathtaking scenes of the world in an unspoiled era.
The movement ends with the introduction of the human species and their gradual intrusion
into the natural rhythm of the world.
PART 2: NATURE WOUNDED
Focuses on the human exploitation of the Earth and its resources. The scenes
worsen to a climax, a time of decision to continue along the same self-destructive path or
choose a saner, more sustainable future.
PART 3: HOPE — SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Shows people working together to clean up the planet the living within the
planet’s means.
ENV030
COOPERATION ACROSS BOUNDARIES: THE ACID RAIN ILEMMA
Video
This program explores acid precipitation as a problem calling for political and
diplomatic solutions. 32 minutes.
ENV032
DANGER AHEAD: IS THERE NO WAY OUT?
Video
If the threat of global warming has been created by our reckless use of technology, can
we use technology to reverse the threat? This program suggests some solutions:
reducing CO2 emissions; using the sun and the wind as energy sources; using nuclear power;
reducing energy usage; curbing or stopping the sue of CFCs; preserving the rain
forest. But the basic fact is that greenhouse gases are produced by fundamental
biological processes, and there is no reasonable way to stop their proliferation. 26
minutes.
ENV034
DEADLY WINDS: CHEMICAL WEAPONS
Video
Although official U.S. policy bans first use of chemical weapons, the 1986 Defense
Authorization Act approved the production of binary chemical weapons. This pro-gram
also covers the problems of disposing of existing chemical weapons and shows how some
military personnel are being trained to operate in a chemically secure environment.
26 minutes.
ENV036
THE DEATH OF A TREE
Video
In the life of a forest, birds, beasts, flowers, weather and seasons, life and death
are all part of a continuing cycle. This program looks at the tree — the
defining element of the forest in life. As it dies a natural death, some parts are
still alive and performing the role of living plants; other parts are already dead.
In death, the tree provides shelter to a surprising number of animal species and, in the
very process of decay, provides life support to a host of other growing things. 52
minutes.
ENV038
DIOXIN
Video
This program looks at how links are scientifically established between toxic substances
in the environment and disease. A case study is the research under way with Agent
Orange — first to establish the presence of dioxin in the blood of exposed Vietnam
veterans, then to prove that dioxin is the cause of their health problems. Because
dioxin is so widespread in the environment, this work has far-reaching implications.
26 minutes.
ENV046
DROUGHT AND FLOOD: TWO FACES OF ONE COIN
Video
The effects of global warming appear to be paradoxical, though they are actually
completely logical—and devastating. On the one hand, hotter air will strip the
soil of moisture, causing soil erosion, drought, and famine, decreasing the size of arable
areas, and increasing the numbers of warm-weather crop-eating insects. The resulting
aridity will affect continental land masses most severely — America’s bread
basket, the Midwest plaints, would be devastated, with reductions in yield of between 30%
and 60%. As the temperature of the oceans increases, rising air reaching the colder
air above would cause massive storms, while polar ice as well as snowfield ice would melt
to raise the sea level and cause worldwide flooding, submerging low-lying areas and many
coastal cities under a meter or more of water. 18 minutes.
ENV048
EARTH WATCH
Video
This program takes a tour of Planet Earth and surveys three of its biggest
environmental problems: the exploding population bomb, the extinction of tens of
thousands of species, and global warming. It discusses the possible solutions:
cutting consumption of fossil fuels by 50%, cessation of tropical forest burning, massive
tree planting, and getting the nations of the world to quickly work together and act
immediately to save our environment. 18 minutes.
ENV050
AN ECOSYSTEM IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
A Video Interview with Eugene Odum
Video
The dean of modern ecologists gives his views about ecology and what it can offer to
help solve the world’s serious environmental, economic, and political problems.
28 minutes.
ENV052
ECOSYSTEMS
Video
What is ecology? How did it come to be? How can it help us understand the
world we live in? An up-go-date production ideal for biology, life science, and
environmental studies.
PART 1: FROM NATURE STUDY TO ECOLOGY
This program tells the little-known history of ecology. The naturalist tradition of
Henry David Thoreau is contrasted with the hard science tradition from Francis Bacon to
modern quantitative ecologists. Live video footage from Walden Pond and from Silver
Springs, Florida where Howard Odum did his pioneering studies.
PART 2: THE WEB OF LIFE
This program carefully outlines the concepts used by ecologists to study ecosystems.
Covered are the laws of thermodynamics, the flow of energy, the cycling of matter, food
chains, abiotic-producer-consumer-decomposer cycle. The program ends with a look at
how human values play key roles in environmental choices. Includes one Learning
Power Book. 31 minutes.
ENV054
THE ENDANGERED EARTH: THE POLITICS OF ACID RAIN
Video
This program is devoted to an analysis of the acid rain controversy. Scientists
agree on the effects of acid rain on the ecosystem, but lawmakers have disagreed
forcefully on what responses, if any, government should take. Hosted by Michael
Learned, this documentary examines the politics and economics of this critical
problem. 36 minutes.
ENV056
ENVIRONMENT AT ISSUE
Video
As we reach the end of the century, Americans are facing some potentially devastation
environmental problems. Foremost among them are acid rain, the depletion of the
ozone layer, global warming, and smog. While there is broad public support for
addressing these issues, there is disagreement — both among experts and among
citizens — about how damaging these problems are likely to become and how much of our
resources we should commit to solving them. Many proposed solutions could take a
toll on our lifestyles and our pocketbooks.
This video is a hard-hitting look at the heated debate over environmental action now occurring in the U.S. Using the contest over environmental legislation in southern California as a case study, it probes such issues as environmental risk, scientific uncertainty, the costs of environmental action and inaction, and the role of law in protecting our environment. This program does not advocate a particular point of view, but gives a uniquely balanced presentation of both sides of this often contentious debate. 22 minutes.
ENV058
ENVIRONMENTAL DETECTIVES
Video
In this video, four employees of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection visit a classroom where they discuss hazardous waste and demonstrate their
methods of dealing with unknown substances. They discuss what motivated them to
choose environmental careers and explain how their work helps to solve environmental
problems. 15 minutes.
ENV060
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE
Videos
This program consists of 17 lectures on 6 Videos, taped at the Harvard School
of Public Health. It is accompanied by a 149-page study guide.
ENV062
FOR EARTH’S SAKE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DAVID BROWER
Video
A stirring portrait of America’s leading environmentalist, David Brower, who was
instrumental in establishing some of America’s most spectacular national parks while
heading the Sierra Club. He also established and directed Friends of the Earth and
now the Earth Island Institute. David Brower successfully fought to keep dams out of
the Grand Canyon, led victorious campaigns to save Washington’s North Cascades
Wilderness and the California redwoods, and spearheaded fights against nuclear power and
the Alaska pipeline. This inspiring program is filled with footage of some of the
most spectacular wilderness areas in the United States. David Brower is a prime
example of the difference a dedicated individual can make in the American political
landscape. 58 minutes.
ENV064
GAIA: THE LIVING PLANET
Video
The Gaia Hypothesis is one of the most exciting new scientific theories to emerge in
the 20th century. It’s the work of a British scientist, James Lovelock, who
believes that the earth is itself a living organism, and that life actively creates the
environment it needs to survive by maintaining environmental factors like temperature,
humidity, and atmosphere. His theory has been embraced by the environmental movement
and has stirred up controversy in the scientific establishment. In this video
portrait we meet James Lovelock at his home and workshop, and visit the Marine Biological
Laboratory in Plymouth, which conducts marine research that has produced some amazing
results, apparently confirming major parts of the theory. 45 minutes.
ENV066
GLOBAL WARMING
Video
People and animals have historically moved to better climates, richer pastures, and
more abundant food. The problem now is that “somewhere else” is already
occupied; meanwhile, temperatures appear to be rising, with foreseably disastrous
consequences. Observation, historical records, and computer models lead to the
conclusion that temperatures are rising, though no one can be certain how they will go, or
when, or what will happen. Low-lying areas will be under water, and diseases and
predators will proliferate. Rains will increase in some parts of the world, while
drought strikes elsewhere and mass starvation results. 26 minutes.
ENV068
GLOBAL WARMING — FUTURE QUEST
Video
What will happen to the world’s climate in the coming decades? The
greenhouse effect is well known and not in dispute. Will it cause our planet to get
warmer in the near future? Experts disagree. See and hear experts on the
cutting edge of climate research today. Experts like Richard Lindzen of MIT, Reid
Bryson of the University of Wisconsin, and climate modelers from NCAR in Boulder, Colorado
are featured in this video. It includes one Learning Power Book and a study
guide. 31 minutes.
ENV070
GREENHOUSE CRISIS
Video
This fast-paced video illustrates the relationship between energy consumption, the
greenhouse effect, and global warming. The program details the potential
consequences of global warming, and stresses the need for energy efficiency and renewable
forms of energy. Specific ways individuals can help to resolve this critical
environmental problem are highlighted. Discussion guide included. 11 minutes.
ENV072
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Video
This program looks at the debate now concerning scientists all over the world.
Are humans beginning to turn up the global thermostat through the combustion of fossil
fuels, deforestation of rain forests, and inefficient agricultural practices? The
causes and effects of global warming are explored, as well as the use of computer modeling
to predict Earth’s changing climate. Includes a Teacher’s Guide and
glossary. 17 minutes.
ENV074
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Video
A life-sustaining envelope of gas surrounds the Earth. This program analyzes the
Sun’s gradual brightening and the relationship between sunlight and CO2. It
explains why the atmosphere of Mars has too much and Venus too little CO2 to sustain life,
theorizes about the disappearance of dinosaurs and a dinosaur-friendly climate, and
explains the relationship between climatic change and continental drift. 26 minutes.
ENV078
LEAD POISONING
Video
This program provides an in-depth look at the health hazards of lead. It explores
what is being done to reduce and prevent exposure to lead contaminating our air, water and
soil. It examines advances in the treatment of victims of lead poisoning. 26
minutes.
ENV080
LEARNING TO LIVE IN A WORLD OF SCARCITY
A Video Interview with Eugene Odum
Video
One of the founders of modern ecology explains his view that the world is seriously
overpopulated, is running out of natural resources, and that we have about two generations
to learn to live in a world of scarce resources. 27 minutes.
ENV082
LIFE IN ARID AND SEMI-ARID LANDS
Video
This program explains what a desert is, why it occurs, what kind of plant and animal
life it sustains, and how that life is adapted — or adapts — to the lack of
water. The primary focus is on the effects of growing populations in arid or
semi-arid regions: lack of vegetation leads to overgrazing; humus mineralizes; rare
rainfall creates runoff and washes away the remaining topsoil; the soil becomes hard and
impermeable to water, dries out, and becomes infertile. Thus the desert grows.
28 minutes.
ENV084
MODIFYING THE WEATHER: THE CASE OF THE MAN-MADE DESERT
Video
This program shows the effect of migration in the Sahel in changing regional climate;
the tomorrow-be-damned policy of water usage in Arizona; and the drastic failure of good
intention in Central Asia, where efforts to irrigate the desert turned into the worst
climatic disaster in the history of the Soviet Union—the drying up of the Aral
Sea. 26 minutes.
ENV086
NOISE: POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Video
Scientific investigation exposes various noise pollutants, from vehicles to household
appliances, and shows how they can threaten our hearing and psychological stability.
16 minutes.
ENV088
NOISE POLLUTION
Video
This program looks at the latest research into the impact of noise on health, as well
as the efforts of aircraft manufacturers, airports, and residents in the path of
low-flying planes to minimize noise or actually to cancel it out through the generation of
“anti-noise” at selected sound frequencies. 26 minutes.
ENV090
ONCE AND FUTURE PLANET
Video
This program looks at global warming and the effect that our industries and lifestyles
have on the earth’s atmosphere. Scientists study the production of clouds, including
those that reflect the sun’s heat, thereby counteracting the greenhouse effect; how
volcanic dust and man-made pollutants influence cloud formation; photochemistry — how
gases change when their molecules collide with sunlight; track the emanation of methane
(one of the most stubborn of greenhouse gases) into the earth’s atmosphere by
following its isotopic fingerprints; and show how the rate of increase in methane
correlates with population growth.
While scientists continue to debate the mechanisms and results of global warming, they confirm that there are concrete steps each of us can take to improve our atmosphere significantly by cutting down on our use of fossil fuels. This means using energy much more efficiently, from weatherizing our homes to recycling. We need to develop renewable cheap energy technologies, including solar thermal power plants and electric cars. 23 minutes.
ENV092
ONE SECOND BEFORE SUNRISE: A SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS, PROGRAM 1
Video Series
Lynn Redgrave is the on-camera host for this unique series of programs which focuses on
solutions to environmental problems. It provides viewers with ideas and inspiration
for their own homes and communities. The series includes five videos (ENV092-ENV096)
with Study Guides. 12 to 15 minutes each.
ENV093
WAVE-POWERED DESALINATION
Video
Dr. Michael Pleass and his colleagues have designed a low-cost desalination device that
uses wave power. The units can be maintained easily by trained local
individuals. For the millions of people who live near coastlines, Dr. Pleass’
units offer the hope of a cheap, clean water supply for irrigation and drinking.
ENV094
ORGANIC FARMING IN THE SOUTH BRONX
Video
Gary Waldron, an executive with IBM, started GLIE Farms, a greenhouse and herb farm
near his childhood home in a burned-out part of the South Bronx. Besides creating
jobs, GLIE Farms exemplified the spirit of enterprise in a neighborhood on the brink of
losing hope.
ENV095
WILDFLOWER SEED BANK
Video
Dr. Harold Koopowitz, director of the Arboretum at the University of California at
Irvine, has started the first cryogenic seed bank in North America. So far he has
helped save more than 150 species of endangered wildflowers.
ENV096
PRESERVING HOLLAND’S TIDAL ECOLOGY
Video
The last stretch of Holland’s North Sea coast to be left unprotected by their
formidable system of dikes was the Eastern Scheldt Delta, home to thousands of species of
marine life and an important wintering ground for birds. Concerned that a
conventional dike would destroy the area’s tidal ecology by creating a barrier
between salt water and fresh water, fishermen, environmentalists, and citizens mounted a
campaign to create a “dike with doors,” to remain open in normal weather and
closed only when storms create the threat of floods.
ENV097
FISH FARMING IN AMAZONIA
Video
Slash-and-burn agriculture in Amazonia has caused massive environmental damage to the
rain forest, tragically without meeting local needs for food and livelihood. But Dr.
Juan Guevara has come up with a solution that provides nutritious food and a source of
income — fish farming.
ENV099
ONE SECOND BEFORE SUNRISE: A SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS, PROGRAM 2
Video Series
This series contains two videos (included in ENV099) that cover two major environmental
problems — acid rain and excessive use of pesticides. 60 minutes.
COOPERATING FOR CLEAN AIR
This program features Christer Agren, a biology teacher who has led Sweden’s
campaign against acid precipitation for the past 15 years, which has reduced Sweden’s
emissions of sulfur dioxide and other harmful particulates and gases by more than
70%. Also featured are residents of one of Sweden’s many solar villages where
people as close to the North Pole as Alaska and Newfoundland heat their homes and water
with the Sun for 5 to 6 months each year.
SPIDERS HELP FARMERS GROW SAFER CROPS
In this program, we learn that 50% of the pesticides consumed in the United States and
25% worldwide are used on cotton. But in Hubei Province in China, the cotton growers
have cut their use of chemical pesticides by 70%-90% under the guidance of Dr. Zhao Jing
Zhao, who shows them how spiders can be their best friends. In the San Joaquin
Valley of California, Everett Dietrich, an entomologist who raises natural predators for
sale worldwide, shows off the beautifully delicate green lacewing, one of many insects
farmers are using to control pests on cotton, fruits, and vegetables.
ENV101
OUR PLANET EARTH
Video
Just three decades ago, human life first pierced the sky and stepped out into the
unknown of space. From the vantage point of space, astronauts have given us a
powerful new image of our Earth. Through their eyes we gain a perspective on our
world that must be shared with new generations. Seventeen astronauts and cosmonauts
from ten countries share their experiences and insights in hopes that all humanity will
see the wonder and fragility of our planet, as they have, from beyond political and
geographical boundaries. They show us an utterly spectacular display of Earth’s
color and light. There are no dividing lines.
Pollution travels freely through the common air that bathes the globe. Only a minute strip of atmosphere separates our delicate Earth from the vacuum of space. Our destructiveness, now a geological force, is as vast as our wondrous technology. With powerful images and human words we can share the astronauts’ perspective on our Earth, a vision that holds all future life in its gaze. Includes a Study Guide. 23 minutes.
ENV103
OUR THREATENED HERITAGE
Video
Every minute, more than 50 acres of tropical forest are destroyed or seriously
degraded. Several species a day are lost to extinction as a result. The death
of these forests is affecting all of us on earth — accelerating changes in global
weather, eliminating valuable biological resources for industry and medicine, and
exacerbating hunger and poverty. This program, produced by the nation’s largest
environmental organization, provides a concise overview of the destruction of the rain
forests and what can be done to stop it. Images of fascinating wildlife and towering
trees are vividly presented, along with comments from global experts about the causes and
potential solutions to the destruction. The link between environment and development
in the tropics is also explored. This video is an excellent summary of the demise of
one of our most important ecosystems. 19 minutes.
ENV105
OZONE: DOUBLE TROUBLE
Video
This video is designed to increase the general public’s awareness of the two
serious environmental problems associated with ozone: stratospheric ozone depletion
and high ground level ozone concentrations. Many people have heard about “the
hole in the ozone layer” and yet are less familiar with the second problem which
strikes much closer to home. The video raises the question, “Is ozone good or
bad?” Answer: “It depends on where it is.” The ozone
layer in the stratosphere is beneficial because it acts as a giant sunscreen that blocks
the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Over the years, however, certain man-made
chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons have floated up to the stratosphere and destroyed
many ozone molecules, causing a thinning of the ozone layer. While ozone is
beneficial up in the stratosphere, it is harmful at ground level. Cars, factories,
and power plants emit chemicals that combine with volatile organic compounds in the
presence of sunlight to form smog ozone. Ground level ozone can cause health
problems in people and reduce crop yields. 17 minutes.
ENV107
PEACOCK’S WAR
Video
This incredibly moving program tells the story of one man’s determination to
resist the destructive forces which threaten our world and the survival of the wild
creatures who live in it. Doug Peacock has been a legendary figure in the U.S.
environmental movement for the last 20 years. Doug served in Vietnam as a Green
Beret medic. He came home an emotional and spiritual wreck. Running for refuge
to the last islands of uninhabited wilderness in the American West, Peacock discovered a
fellow creature who had also been driven back to the same mountain sanctuary, among the
tarns and granite peaks. This was the endangered grizzly bear. Living on the
hunting grounds of this beast—a beautiful, playful, intelligent, fiercely dangerous
animal—led Peacock back to a sense of his own humanity and humility before
nature. 60 minutes.
ENV109
PESTICIDES AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS
A Video Interview with Bruce Ames
Video
One of the world’s leading biochemists explains why he thinks pesticide residues
are not as serious a problem as once thought. He also explains why natural
pesticides may be more serious than once thought. 22 minutes.
ENV111
POISONOUS CURRENTS OF AIR AND SEA
Video
When the Great Lakes became the runoff for the industrial waste of Midwestern America,
naturalists noticed changes in the reproductive patterns of fish-eating birds of the
area. Bird fetuses showed deformities and birds which hatched died. Although
the principal culprits were PCBs, the cause of the problem is not a single chemical, or a
potentiating combination of chemicals, but the gradual accretion of toxic
substances. As the program demonstrates, this is not a regional or a national
problem alone, for poisons released anywhere on Earth spread, through wind and water,
everywhere around the globe. 18 minutes.
ENV113
POPULATION — FUTURE QUEST
Video
This video explores the controversial issues surrounding population. Often
students are presented with only one side of this issue. This program presents many
sides, each represented by well-known experts in ecology, economics, environmental
studies, and land use research. Use this stimulating program to kick off a lively
discussion of this controversial issue. Includes one video, one Learning Power Book,
and a guide. 36 minutes.
ENV115
PRESERVING THE RAIN FOREST
Video
Humankind came out of the African forest, and continues to live in equilibrium with the
tropical forest in Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere — hunting, fishing, collecting
plants. Trouble only begins when humans begin to cultivate plants in the forest,
cutting down trees and burning brush; the soil is soon exhausted, and the would-be farmers
move elsewhere. By contrast, the forest of Tai, in the Ivory Coast, is an example of
a tropical forest habitat that is being used as a natural reserve and as a site for
controlled agricultural and industrial activity. 28 minutes.
ENV117
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: ACID RAIN
Video
This video investigates the causes of acid rain, illustrating how the process has
damaged trees and reduced the populations of fish and other animals. The program
also details steps that can be taken to alleviate the threat of acid rain. 18
minutes.
ENV118
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: AIR
Video
Petroleum products are needed for fuel, but their burning causes pollution. This
video offers some possible solutions to remedy this problem. 18 minutes.
ENV119
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: FOREST AND RANGE
Video
This study introduces two conservation concepts, and examines the struggle to retain
large undeveloped areas while demands of a rapidly expanding population press upon these
areas. 14 minutes.
ENV120
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: MINERALS
Video
This program shows some examples of our reliance on non-renewable minerals and presents
several approaches to conservation measures. 17 minutes.
ENV121
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: SOIL
Video
This program demonstrates how the U.S. Conservation Service combats water and wind
erosion of soil through contour plowing and “land-use planning.” 14
minutes.
ENV122
PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION: WATER
Video
Fresh water is a precious resource, yet we endanger it with overuse and
pollutants. This program shows how water can be treated in order to return it to a
pure state. 16 minutes.
ENV124
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT SERIES
Video
This series of three videos (ENV125-ENV127) outlines practical steps everyone can take
to decrease or reuse what is thrown away. Also available in Spanish.
ENV125
REDUCE
Video
How can we reduce the amount of debris we throw away? This program gives some
concrete suggestions. It explains how over packaged and disposable items create
excess trash and waste precious energy and raw materials. 14 minutes.
ENV126
REUSE
Video
The utility value of many household items can be extended by creating new uses for
them. This program explains how everything from kitchen scraps to automobile parts
can be reconditioned and reused. 13 minutes.
ENV127
RECYCLE
Video
Many items thrown away in the trash can be recycled instead. This program
explains the process and shows that the list of recyclable items is a long one
indeed. 16 minutes.
ENV129
PUTTING ASIDE PESTICIDES
Video
This program explores alternative pest-control efforts: biological pesticides,
genetically engineered microbes that kill objectionable insects, the use of natural insect
predators, and the crossbreeding and genetic engineering of new plant strains that produce
their own pest repellents. 26 minutes.
ENV133
RACE AGAINST TOMORROW
Video (Drama)
A young man thinks environmental concerns are a lot of nonsense. He can’t be
bothered with saving water or energy — until he gets a glimpse of the future and sees
what life might become, with deserted towns, undrinkable water, and unbreathable
air. The 1990s are supposed to be the decade of the environment. This drama
shows what will happen if we do not keep our promise to save the Earth, and dramatizes the
difference each of us can make. 46 minutes.
ENV135
RADON
Video
This program looks at the possible health implications of radon pollution, methods
homeowners can use to detect radon gas in their homes, and what can be done to minimize
radon hazards once they are found. 26 minutes.
ENV137
THE RAIN FOREST
Video
This program uses time-lapse and satellite photography as dramatic visual aids to
provide a basic understanding of the mechanics of the world’s largest rain
forest. It shows clouds forming at the Atlantic coast line and then drifting
southwest over the heart of the rain forest. It explains how three-quarters of the
rain that falls in the forest is caught by the trees and leaves, and is pumped back into
the sky again. It’s a symbiotic process. Without the trees, the clouds
would not be here, and once the trees are cut down, the soil is impoverished and can grow
few crops. 10 minutes.
ENV139
REPLANTING THE TREE OF LIFE
Video
An inspiring reminder of the essential part trees play in our lives and in the life of
the planet. This program explains how trees purify the air we breathe and process
the water we depend on. It points out the central place trees and tree symbols have
played in different cultures, including our own, throughout history. In a material
sense, we depend heavily on trees for paper and building products, and countless jobs
revolve around Earth’s largest plants. But the video’s main purpose is to
heighten awareness of the importance of trees, and to remind us not to waste this precious
resource and to replant young trees where we harvest old ones so that we do not repeat the
mistakes that lead to desertification. Includes a guide. 20 minutes.
ENV141
RESTORING THE ENVIRONMENT
Video
This program provides a look at how technology is being used to correct environmental
problems that technology created. It shows the EPA’s Oils and Hazardous
Materials Spills branch, where a mobile incinerator was developed for use in the
destruction of PCBs, and a private electroplating business which has developed a pollution
control system that may save an entire industry while protecting the environment. 26
minutes.
ENV143
SAVE THE EARTH
Video
This is a lively look at the practical, everyday things individuals can do to help
restore the environment. This fast-paced video opens with a stunning montage of
environmental hazards. The video provides a useful overview of global warming, acid
rain, deforestation, ozone depletion, and toxic waste. Specific actions to lessen
our impact on the Earth are highlighted throughout, including the need for political
action to change irresponsible corporate and government policies. 1 hour.
ENV145
SAVING THE ATMOSPHERE
Video
This program explores some of the ways human activity is changing our air. The
first case study investigates the causes and effects of air pollution in Los
Angeles. The second explores the possibility of global warming and the potential
results worldwide, with particular attention to how Holland confronted the problem of
coastal flooding. 15 minutes.
ENV147
SAVING THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE
Video
The destruction of wildlife habitats is threatening the diversity of the world’s
species and wiping out untold resources. The first case study focuses on Brazilian
rubber tapers and conflicts related to development in the Amazon rain forest. The
second case study explores efforts to preserve wild species in Thailand’s Khao Yai
National Park. 15 minutes.
ENV149
SAVING THE LAND
Video
Rising demands have strained the land’s capacity to supply our food and absorb our
wastes. This video presents two case studies concerning land use. The first
focuses on the volume of trash generated in the United States. The second explores
the impact of agricultural pesticides on wildlife and human health, and looks at
alternatives to the use of pesticides in agriculture. 15 minutes.
ENV151
SAVING THE PLANET
Video
This program presents three case studies on protecting the environment. The study
of Osage, Iowa, shows the success of one town’s commitment to conserve energy.
The design of an extremely fuel-efficient car illustrates how technology can be used to
solve environmental problems. The story of Wangari Matthai, leader of Kenya’s
Green Belt Movement, demonstrates the power of individuals to initiate positive
environmental change. 15 minutes.
ENV153
SEA OF OIL
Video
This program shows the profound impact of the Exxon oil spill on life in the community
of Valdez. It captures the crisis faced by the residents, not only because of what
the oil did to their environment, but because the rescue operation itself brought job
seekers from all over North American to this once quiet coastal community. Suddenly
housing became scarce and expensive, the local economy was inflated, and the crime rate
rose dramatically. Artfully interweaving interviews with live action, the program
questions not only Exxon’s responsibility, but also the responsibility we all share
in our heavy dependence on oil and the risks we take to obtain it. 29 minutes.
ENV155
SOURCE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING
Video
This video presents a symposium taped at the New England Environmental Conference at
Tufts University, Boston. 2 hours.
ENV161
TOWARD A LIVABLE CITY
Video
This program looks at Barcelona, a city which grew slowly until the advent of the
Industrial Revolution. After World War II, the inner city became more crowded, the
wealthier people moved to the suburbs, and real estate speculation and exploitation were
rampant. Then the government moved in: old, disused buildings were torn down,
green spaces opened, and advantage was taken of the natural landscape of mountains,
beaches, and the Mediterranean. These are luxuries that third-world cities cannot
afford. Nevertheless, there are minimum standards of livability, and the program
shows how the results of research can be applied to improve the allocation of scarce
resources in housing, transportation, fuel consumption, air quality control, and waste
disposal. 28 minutes.
ENV163
THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
Video
Most forests are in the tropics, on either side of the Equator. Temperatures are
high and rainfalls are heavy and not seasonal. This program looks at the ecosystem
of the rain forest: the height of the trees and the adaptation of leaves to heavy
rainfall; the richness and variety of plant and animal life; the role of lianes,
epiphytes, bromeliads, and carnivorous plants; the ecological roles of marsupials and
monkeys; birds and mammals, herbivores and carnivores; and the unique insect life of the
tropical forest. 28 minutes.
ENV165
THE TWO FACES OF OZONE
Video
This program covers both the positive and negative effects of ozone on the Earth.
Through live-action footage, computer graphics, and interviews with scientists, this video
explains the causes of today’s critical ozone questions and the depletion of the
Earth’s ozone shield. It then presents the steps scientists feel must be taken
to deal with these environmental problems. 15 minutes.
ENV169
VOICES OF THE LAND
Video
In this program, Christopher McLeod, one of America’s foremost environmental
filmmakers, looks at our spiritual connection the land and to nature. Through
interviews with various people, the program explores why certain places are held to be
sacred, and how wilderness can nourish the soul. Each one of us has a special place
that holds deep significance for us. A lucid explanation is given of how wilderness
can reconnect us to our place in the larger scheme of things. 21 minutes.
ENV171
THE WASTING OF A WETLAND
Video
The Everglades, most critically endangered of all National Parks, is being threatened
by modern industrial pollution, agriculture, and development for a burgeoning human
population. The abuse of wetlands—by filling, draining, and polluting—is
rapidly destroying habitat for diverse species of plants and animals, eliminating feeding
stations along the flyways of migratory birds, and damaging fresh water supplies across
the country. In the Everglades, not only is a unique legacy of wildlife being lost,
but with it the sole source of fresh water for South Florida, America’s fastest
growing population center. It is a microcosm of modern environmental problems, with
growing human populations consuming their own most vital resources. Includes a Study
Guide. 23 minutes.
ENV173
WETLANDS AND PINELANDS
Video
This program is devoted to a study of wetland ecosystems from the Pine Barrens of New
Jersey to areas of Mexico and Belize, where government regulation and environmental
planning are recognizing the role of man in the ecosystem — demonstrating that it is
possible to save both man and earlier indigenous species. 28 minutes.
ENV175
WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS — OUR CHILDREN, OUR ENVIRONMENT
Video
When it comes to environmental hazards, children are always the first to suffer.
This program looks at the major causes of children’s suffering throughout the world,
including pollution, the spread of deserts worldwide, and the international debt
crisis. The film shows the effects of environmental problems on children worldwide
who can look forward only to an uncertain future as a result of appalling, and often
entirely preventable, environmental factors. Five major problems are:
1. POISON
In Poland, we see the results of pollution turning up in birth defects.
2. WATER
In India, five million children die before their fifth birthday from diarrhea caused
by unclean water.
3. FLIGHT
In Africa, war forces children into refugee camps which may swell beyond the
breaking point if global climate changes further exacerbate drought-prone areas like the
Sudan.
4. DEBT
In Latin America, children are left destitute when their parents lose their jobs in
countries like Bolivia, which owe vast sums to international banks.
5. POPULATION
The vicious circle of poverty and scarce environmental resources results in parents
having more children so that they can work to feed the family.
52 minutes.
ENV177
WORLD POPULATION
Video
The world’s population has increased fourfold since 1900. If current growth
rates continue, it will double again before the year 2030. Yet, the Earth’s
resources are finite and we are already testing its limits. This program is an
excellent discussion starter on the population issue. It is a striking depiction of
actual population growth from 1 A.D. to the present, and of projected future growth to the
year 2020. As the years roll by on a digital clock, dots appear on a world map
representing millions of people added to the population. References to historic
events also appear, helping place population changes in context. The visual
presentation makes statistical information exciting and easily understood. 7
minutes.
Alternative Energy 
River Pollution
Environmental Issues, Ecology, and
Conservation
Marine Ecology
Industrial Hazards
Environmental Audits
Nuclear Issues
Waste Disposal and Recycling
Water and Wastewater