Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey

Daryl Hannah narrates this eco-documentary about a community-based movement meant to call attention to global warming. Following a severe storm, the people of Ladakh in the Himalayas struggle to rebuild in the face of serious personal injuries and significant property damage. Humanitarian aid helps, but cloudbursts, such as the one that decimated their community, are growing in frequency, so His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa organizes a three-month walk called the Pad Yatra (“Green Odyssey”) in order to publicize the plight and clean up the area. The 700 participants include Buddhist nuns and concerned Westerners, such as Los Angeles attorney Carrie Lee, whose sister, Wendy J.N. Lee, is the director of the film. The large group walks as much as 18 hours a day along steep and narrow pathways, an ordeal that results in cuts, scrapes, and sprained ankles. Because Carrie keeps passing out due to the altitude, the Drukpa advises her to take time out to recover in a monastery before rejoining the group (horses are also available for those who need them). During the walk, participants pick up trash, distribute recyclable containers, and educate others about environmental conservation. Part of that education revolves around non-biodegradable products such as plastic bottles, which can become toxic when they collect in local water sources. Altogether, the trekkers collect 800 pounds of plastic, and also rescue injured animals, including a horse stuck in mud. From the Drukpa's point of view, the environmental damage in and around Ladakh isn't the result of a natural disaster, but a rather a man-made one. An engaging look at an interesting expedition with both spiritual and environmental roots (since the inauguration of the Pad Yatra in 2009, other walks have taken place in 2012 and 2013), this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)