This environmental film festival event was a success.  Our audiences were glued to the screen both films and engaged by the discussions following them.  Almost everyone who attended enjoyed some of the delicious freshly-baked Saskatchewan Apple, Saskatoon Berry and BC Cherry Kuchen as well. Lucky raffle winners went home with OnlyGreen product baskets from Green Caroline. 

A group of people interested in Community Gardening as well as Home Canning are going to try to get something started in Swift Current.  If you are interested in one or both of these topics, or would like to be kept up-to-date on our future events, please send us an email to sccea.info@gmail.com

Following Fresh, Marian McBride of Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, an organic farmer herself for many years, led the discussion and was able to clarify that yes, the farming practices depicted in the film are in fact happening in Saskatchewan and Canada.  She told us a bit about a TV series she is in progress of producing called Dining with the Stars – featuring Saskatchewan Chefs preparing Saskatchewan grown organic foods around the province, which we all can’t wait to see!  Marian also outlined some of the many resources available through her organization and offered information for folks to take home. 

For more information please visit one of SOD’s websites:

SOD’s main web site is a valuable resource for SOD’s members, organic farmers, and anyone interested in organic agriculture in Saskatchewan.

 SOD’s Food Miles Campaign is working to increase access to Saskatchewan Organic Food and to provide information for consumers and educators.

The SOD Organic Agriculture Protection Fund Committee works to stop GMOs from contaminating organic crops, fields and foods in Canada.

The Saskatchewan and Alberta Organic Producers Directory is a tool that provides consumers, grocers and wholesalers access to organic commodities.

Brent Kreuger of Craik Eco Village really had the audience interested after No Impact Man.   Brent got everyone talking about the film, and how the biggest person Colin had to sell this whole No Impact idea to was his wife, who in the end was the biggest convert of all!  He talked about how taking away even one thing can lead to amazing positive changes in our lives that we didn’t expect – a message also delivered in the film.  Later he outlined a few of features of the Craik Eco Village, and how residents there are being very creative in working with sometimes hard-to-work-within regulations.   We the audience all learned that ideas that seem almost back-to-the-futurish are actually in practice right here in Saskatchewan!

Some further great website resources can be found at :

http://www.craikecovillage.com/

http://www.craik.ca/ecovillage.html

http://www.econet.sk.ca/sk_enviro_champions/craik.html

and Brent’s high school in Craik “The High School that Thinks Differently” http://www.praxisinternational.ca/

Big thank yous go out to all our local event sponsors Innovation Credit Union, Stark and Marsh, Nature’s Nook, Pioneer Co-op, and Swift Current Kiwanis Club, as well as the Lyric Theatre and Saskatchewan Eco Network. 

And the biggest thank yous to the audience, for taking the time out of your busy schedules and supporting this important event.

The documentaries and speakers at this event will provide the entire community with an opportunity to investigate how our choices affect our health and happiness, as well as the future of our planet. 

Informative speakers based right here in Saskatchewan have been arranged to provide a local perspective.  

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2 pm Feature Film

View trailer at http://www.freshthemovie.com/

Fresh celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing the food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Among several main characters, Fresh features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

“Fresh may be righteous (as well as right), but it’s not unrealistic.”
-The Boston Globe

“While Food, Inc. raised awareness about the consequence of consolidation, Fresh advances the argument by talking about solutions.”
-San Francisco Chronicle

Discussion Leader:

Marion McBride

Saskatchewan Organic Directorate

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7 pm Feature Film

View trailer at http://www.noimpactdoc.com/trailer.php

Author Colin Beavan, in research for his next book, began the No Impact Project in November 2006. A newly self-proclaimed environmentalist who could no longer avoid pointing the finger at himself, Colin leaves behind his liberal complacency with a vow to make as little environmental impact as possible for one year.

No more automated transportation, no more electricity, no more non-local food, no more material consumption…no problem. That is, until his espresso guzzling, retail-worshipping wife Michelle and their two-year-old daughter are dragged into the fray.

Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein’s film provides a front row seat into the experiment that became a national fascination and media sensation as well as an intriguing inside look at the familial strains and strengthened bonds that result from Colin and Michelle’s struggle with their radical lifestyle change.

“Terrifically entertaining.  Compelling and extremely funny.”
-Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

“Proof that “eco” and “entertainment” aren’t mutually exclusive.”
-John Anderson, Variety

“The movie is a hilarious, riveting must-see about a family as it breaks down almost all the way and then reinvents itself.”
-Salon.com

Discussion Leader:

Brent Kreuger

Craik Sustainable Living Project

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Tickets $5 per film or $8 for both

Advance tickets available at Pharmasave

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The Root Cellar Supper Club

WHERE: St. Olaf Lutheran Church basement (across from flag court on Cental Avenue)

WHEN: First Tuesday of each Month from 6pm until 7:30pm

The SCCEA is encouraging a focus on:

• Rethinking our ways of over-consumption
• Meal preparation with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains
• Taking time for making neighbour-to-neighbour connections
• Conversations and sharing of ideas about environmental choices and our local situation

Any and all food dishes are welcome.  No special recipes needed.  Our suggestion is for the food to be healthy and inexpensive.

Anyone in the community is invited to drop in and share a simple meal.

For more info, call Kathryn at 773-1527

Our group began in February 2010 when around 20 folks showed up at a meeting that was advertised locally for people interested in a clean green Swift Current.   It was a very exciting night, and the start of our very own environmental group.

We felt for starters we would promote global events in our community.  World Wildlife Fund‘s Earth Hour was coming up on March 27th and Earth Day was on April 22nd, so that was where we began.

We promoted Earth Hour to several businesses and individuals around town who joined the world in turning off their lights for one hour as a symbolic show of support for clean energy worldwide.  Living Sky Casino graciously turned off their teepee lights that shine up into the sky, as well as their bright marquis sign for the Hour.  We had a symbolic dark moment at the start of the Blender’s concert that night, where Caroline spoke about Earth Hour before the blues concert by David Gogo – who had carbon credit since his previous concert in Swift Current was an unplugged version.

All of our members have an interest in reducing waste and other landfill issues.  Reduce, reuse and recycle are all so important.  We’d love to start a garbage revolution!

On Earth Day, Thursday April 22, we provided a screening of Andrew Nisker’s film Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home at the Swift Current Museum.  The audience enjoyed this entertaining look at the amount of garbage an average Toronto family produces, and we had some snacks and informal discussion afterward.

An obvious interest of our members is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  We are in agreement with reducing levels to under 350 ppm and are big supporters of the 350.org movement.  

Youth members Alanna and Angela Howell spearheaded organization of Sustainable Transportation Week April 25 – May 1 to encourage people to get to work and school in an environmentally friendly way. 

Members in the photo started the week off with a walk in the park, and the week wound up with a screening of the inspirational film Transition Towns, a film that spurred creation of the Transition Network at the Swift Current Public Library.

We started planning our film festival back in August, and in September member Kathryn Scott initiated a great monthly community potluck of the Root Cellar Supper Club, where the focus is on simplicity in eating. 

We welcome you to join us.