We’re in the grip of winter, here in the Bay Area, and that can
mean an unseasonable hot streak, crisp clear days, or life-giving rains.
Whatever the weather, January is a fine time to hunker down with hot cocoa and
a good movie, and wait for the warmer days of spring in the garden. This year’s
theme for our winter movies is documentaries with movie star plants. These films
entertain us, enlighten us, horrify us, and make us smarter!
Dirt! The Movie
I first heard about Dirt!
The Movie (2008) when I was taking a Soil Management class, at Merritt
College, from Dr. Ed Brennan. This documentary by Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow
is a celebration of dirt, informing us about the living skin of soil that
encircles the earth, and cautioning us about the continual mistreatment of soil
by humans. The film is based on the book, Dirt:
The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, by Bill Logan, and narrated by Jamie Lee
Curtis.
Dirt! The Movie
I first heard about Dirt!
The Movie (2008) when I was taking a Soil Management class, at Merritt
College, from Dr. Ed Brennan. This documentary by Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow
is a celebration of dirt, informing us about the living skin of soil that
encircles the earth, and cautioning us about the continual mistreatment of soil
by humans. The film is based on the book, Dirt:
The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, by Bill Logan, and narrated by Jamie Lee
Curtis.
The film introduces the idea that earth is surrounded with a
thin covering of soil that is teaming with life (bacteria, fungi, and nematodes
to name a few), making it a very unique planet. The film includes an
entertaining summary of the origin of soil, and establishes how interconnected
the planet’s processes are. Humans have disrupted the ecosystem through greed
and ignorance, leaving a wake of destruction, deserts, and disaster. Over the
last 100 years we have lost 1/3 of the topsoil. Fortunately, the earth is
capable of healing itself, through its own processes, if we would only stop our
destructive ways and adopt earth-friendly practices.
Many experts, from a wide variety of backgrounds and from
all over the world, were interviewed in this film. The ideas are both sobering
and hopeful. I especially liked learning about how dirt is used as a viable
building material in many parts of the world. Vandana Shiva expressed
interesting ideas about sustainable agriculture in India, and explained how traditional
houses are plastered almost daily with a mixture of dirt and cow dung. The
mixture keeps houses cool in summer and warm in winter; and the cow dung acts
as an antiseptic. I also appreciated hearing many experts stress the importance
of building and maintaining healthy soil to ensure our survival on earth.
Humus-rich soil holds moisture, prevents erosion, and supports crops and
forests. Take a look at the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1243971/
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