Reflection: Week 7 & 8

~Hello my fellow Care-About-the-Environment-ers!~

SOOOO, end of week 8..beginning of SPRING BREAK!! Whoop whoop!! Ok ok..down to business :)


In week 7, we got the opportunity to watch the documentary "Green." This film was really touching to me. To hear about the ways in which people's lives are altered and harmed by the environment in which they live is heartbreaking. All I could think about when watching it was, "Leave! Move away to somewhere where this is not a problem!!!" But I very much understand this is easier said from an outsiders point of view than acted out by someone in that situation. I feel so bad for those who are imersed in that situation day in and day out, and to those families who have lost loved ones or their health is greatly deteriorated due to the toxins from their food and water. It leads me to wonder why there are even towns still existing around such plants? Once again, it was great to learn about in terms of opening my eyes, but hard to learn about at the same time for the way in which people are suffering.


Week 8 was the film "Thirst." Sadly, we were not able to finish this documentary (dang DVD's!) It was a film I would have liked to see all the way through, mainly because its a real issue that needs attention, and something I am still very foreign to myself. Although we weren't able to finish the film, it then gave us a chance to have a great discussion about this issue, as well as other contraversial topics. Being that I am a person who LOVES good discussions, I really liked to hear other peoples views on this and other issues as well.


Although these two films were not my favorites, they did open my eyes to some issues I had no idea existed before this. I like that!! Just more fuel for the fire of change I would like to be in this world.

~Have a GREAT Spring Break everyone!! Be safe and ENJOY yourselves :)

Rreview of Documentary: Thirst

picture from 'Water Privatization Conflicts'

The beginning of this film caught me by surprise right off the bat....people running, screaming, guns being fired and people being beat on the streets by authority figures. I was sucked in right away. It is so crazy to think this is what some people experience still to this day, and have to be faced with that environment everyday. With authority stepping in and controlling many aspects of their everyday lives..and now even the water available to them?!?!?! WHAT!?!

This film, Thirst, was hard for me to follow, which immediately made me nervous due to the fact that I have to attempt a review on it! SO, please bear with me on this one.... This is an issue that I find enticing and wanting to know more about, so I was frustrated when they were speaking in another language and I could barely see the bottom of the screen. (side note, but it made it hard to follow)

Vandana Shiva wrote a book about privatization around the world, called Water Wars. Dustin VanOverbeke discusses some important points she makes in his article Water Privatization Conflicts. Shiva states the following in her book: "Water must be free for sustenance needs. Since nature gives water to us free of cost, buying and selling it for profit violates our inherent right to nature's gift and denies the poor of their human rights." I completely agree with this statement, and it is an issue that I feel is so ridiculous that it is hard for me to believe it. But, as we saw in the short amount we got to see of Thirst, is most definitely is an issue that is in need of attention.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed our discussion after the documentary wasn't working on Thursday. As Dr.V. stated, this concept of water privatization is not one that is sustainable when looking down the road long term. Maybe we will never see the real effects of this problem, but a few generations down the line will have many struggles if this is something that begins to take form in this country.

I just feel that this whole topic is once again one based on the concept of greed and a money-hungry group of authorities. As compared to the issue in the documentary "The Future of Food," it is just wrong to put a price and a ownership on a piece of nature. I just find it hard to understand how people can convince themselves that this type of behavior is ok to do to others, and to mother nature in its purest form.

Well, again I have to apologize for this not being the greatest review...the little bit we got to see of the documentary was hard for me to really get a grip on. Hopefully this is an issue that we will not be seeing the actions of, and our beautiful water will remain in its simple form :)