To the Ends of the Earth

A financial analyst who studies energy companies uses the analogy of a maxed-out credit card here to sum up the state of the energy industry regarding fossil fuel production. Narrated by Emma Thompson, filmmaker David Lavallée's documentary argues that the era of cheap energy—which began at the dawn of the Industrial Age and ushered in the modern world, as well as environmental devastation—has come to a close. The most accessible oil is largely depleted, forcing fuel companies to look elsewhere for profits to satisfy investors. Their solution: go to extreme lengths by spending enormous amounts of money, using up loads of hydroelectric and natural gas power, and causing more damage to the natural world—just to extract enough oil to satisfy a few years' worth of demand. Like junkies, oil producers will now go anywhere and everywhere on the planet to find what they need. Whether in ecologically sensitive areas such as the Arctic, or at the bottom of the ocean, oil companies aggressively hunt oil, leading to the destruction of wildlife and pollution of land and water. To the Ends of the Earth also details the hazards of fracking and shale oil production, as well as how governments are enabling these dangerous practices using taxpayer dollars (a controversial hydroelectric dam in British Columbia is a public works program that primarily provides power to frackers). Rays of hope exist, as people are becoming more educated on these issues and pushing back through activism, protests, and civil disobedience. Offering a powerful look at the exorbitant environmental costs of outdated fossil fuel energy, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)