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Do you recycle?
The seemingly innocuous question comes with all sorts of ethical baggage these days: for many Americans, recycling is not just an initial step into a greener life, but also an activity suffused with moral weight. While many will argue about the significance of individuals and families recycling items they might otherwise throw away, there’s no doubt that creative and innovative reuse of materials is critical for the health of the planet… and the people who reside on it (along with all of those other species). Tonight, the Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet goes beyond the blue bin many of us place on the curb, and looks at three organizations that are taking recycling in some interesting, and effective, directions.
While I wrote a preview of tonight’s episode of Big Ideas for a Small Planet this morning on sustainablog, Lucille’s right: it deserves a mention over here at Feelgood Style. So tune in (in about 45 minutes Central time) for the award-winning series’ focus on fashion tonight. Get a look at Del Forte Denim’s use of organic cotton, Nau’s sustainable methods of both creating and selling outerwear, and Revolution Cleaner’s greener alternative to traditional dry cleaning. And keep an eye on the extra coverage that appears during BIFASP, and the documentary that follows: word is that our own Jessa Brinkmeyer’s Pivot Boutique may be on tonight.
And while I’ve got you, throw your name in the hat for a green giftbag from the Sundance Channel. It’s easy to do: just subscribe to Green Options Media’s biweekly newsletter.
Impatient? Can’t wait 45 minutes? Here… take a sneak peak at tonight’s episode:
Regardless of how “green” we consider ourselves, we’re all concerned about the quality of the food we put on our own plates and serve to our families. Tonight, the Sundance Channel’s The Green explores the world of food, from farm to plate. It’s award-winning series Big Ideas for a Small Planet profiles a large food processor, a wine-maker, and a New Mexico high school student who are all doing their part to reject industrial-scale agriculture, and the bland, homogeneous food it produces. Following that, Sundance presents the documentary All In This Tea from directors Les Blank (Burden of Dreams) and Gina Leibrecht.
Unfortunately, my preview mailer on this week’s The Green episodes didn’t make it me, so I can’t review tonight’s features. As last week’s were just stellar, though, I wanted to make sure to give you all a “heads up” in time for tonight.
At 9 pm EDT, Big Ideas for a Small Planet will focus on the theme “Decorate.” The press materials from Sundance note that “it IS possible to have stylish furnishings without messing up the planet,” and will feature some of the designers that are working within this context. sustainablog and GO readers know this, of course, but I have no doubt we’ll all learn new things from this show.
At 9:35 pm, the aesthetic focus will continue with the documentary Manufactured Landscapes. The film profiles photographer Edward Burtynsky, and his work documenting China’s transition to an urbanized society (and the environmental costs associated with it). Ansel Adams he ain’t: think mines, factories and lava flows vs. stunning natural vistas.
Expressing the importance of eco-fashion to the general public is no easy task. The entire clothing industry is often seen as flagrant and a secondary part of life - something that we have to be a part of in our society, but many would rather do without.
For the fourth episode of their Big Ideas For A Small Planet series, the Sundance Channel takes on the challenging topic
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