Global Wealth Inequality - What you never knew you never knew

Global Wealth Inequality - What you never knew you never knew (2013)

How to view: Free on Youtube

Production Company: Grain Media
Produced 2013 | Country: USA
Run Time: 4 min | Language: English

Synopsis: Describes global wealth inequality (as of 2013) and addresses the need for reform.

Recommendation: Stats are a bit outdated, and are similar to Oxfam's, but still worthwhile.

The End Of Poverty?

The End Of Poverty? (2008)

How to view: Rent for $2.99 on Vimeo

Director: Philippe Diaz | Producer: Cinema Libre Studio
Produced 2013 | Country: USA
Run Time: 1hr 44 min | Language: English, Spanish, French

Synopsis: The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies -- in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries.
The End of Poverty? asks why today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate?

Recommendation: The trailer looks great and worth the watch.

The Carbon Rush

The Carbon Rush

How to view: http://www.thecarbonrush.net/
Watch the trailer now and watch the whole movie on YouTube on August 13th 2014.

Director: Amy Miller | Producer: Byron Martin

Produced | Country: Worldwide

Run Time: | Language: English

Synopsis: Hundreds of hydroelectric dams in Panama. Incinerators burning garbage in India. Biogas extracted from palm oil in Honduras. Eucalyptus forests harvested for charcoal in Brazil.

What do these projects have in common? They are all receiving carbon credits for offsetting pollution created somewhere else. But what impact are these offsets having? Are they actually reducing emissions? And what about the people and the communities where these projects have been set up?

THE CARBON RUSH takes us around the world to meet the people most impacted. They are the least heard in the cacophony surrounding in this emerging “green-gold” multi-billion dollar carbon industry.

From indigenous rain forest dwellers having their way of life completely threatened, to dozens of Campesinos assassinated, to the livelihood of waste pickers at landfills taken away, THE CARBON RUSH travels across four continents and brings us up close to projects working through the United Nations, Kyoto Protocol designed Clean Development Mechanism. This groundbreaking documentary feature asks the fundamental questions “What happens when we manipulate markets to solve the climate crisis? Who stands to gain and who stands to suffer?”

Opinion:

Recommendation:

Love Letter to Food (2014)

TITLE:  Love Letter to Food (2014)

Viewer (optional): Brian Rawson

How to view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5i-dCv7O8o  

Director: | Producer: Univ of MN, Food Policy Research Center
Produced | Country: USA
Run Time:  3 mins 22 seconds   | Language: English

Synopsis:  Clever and compelling illustration of the problem of food waste

Opinion: Effective, entertaining.  And it features Oxfam Action Corps MN member, Liz Harper!

Recommendation: Show at GROW Method meals or when presenting on food waste.

The Reality of Food Aid: Bill Pritchard

The Reality of Food Aid: Bill Pritchard 

How to view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJc0tYNGcWo

Director: TEDx | Producer: TED Talks

Produced | Country: Australia 

Run Time: 13.05 minutes | Language: English 

Synopsis: Bill Pritchard, human geographer, challenges our views on what it takes to create a food-secure world. Bill is an Associate Professor in Geography at the University of Sydney, where he teaches and researches on food, agriculture and rural and regional development. He embraces a geographer's passion to understand the world, believing that the best way to understand an issue is to see it first hand and talk directly to the people involved.

Opinion: Interesting insight into food aid from a geographical perspective.