As Darwin discovered, islands make for unique habitats in which to discover and study systems—eco or otherwise. Filmmakers Thomas Peres and Barbara Ferrari's documentary looks at the Danish island of Samsø, where 100% of the energy comes from wind power, biomass power plants, and solar panels. The "Energy 21" government project started in 1997 as a demonstration for the country's desired energy policies (with a goal to make Denmark completely eco-sustainable by 2030), and it is now a model of the green dream—with electricity, heat, and hot water created from sustainable sources. Organizers point to the local community for the program's success—instead of a group or company mandating changes, community members helped to design and even partly own some of the green power plants. One landowner generates enough power with his investment into offshore turbines to provide power for 500 families on the island. But even though he is paid for that power, initial costs and ongoing maintenance mean that it may be 20-30 years before he will "profit" from the investment. The profit here, however, is not just measured in dollars but also in lessening the carbon footprint by removing dependence on fossil fuels for power. By focusing on a control group on a single island, this documentary offers not just a glimpse into Denmark's energy policies but also a window into possibilities for the rest of the world. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Block)
Good Things to Do
(2016) 35 min. DVD: $19.99 ($199 w/PPR). Dreamscape Media. Closed captioned. Volume 33, Issue 2
Good Things to Do
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: