In this blog, Maisy writes about:
- The Promise, a short film where a girl plants an acorn. When the plants grow, the birds sing and people meet together.
- A campaign by a group called Greenpeace. The video talks about how clothes and clothing factories put chemicals in water around the world.
- A song called ‘Let It Grow’ from the film The Lorax. The community sing about planting a seed that will become a tree, and how it will help them.
In July, our Environmental Book Club put the books aside for a session and instead temporarily became the ‘Environmental Film & Video Club’. As a group, we discussed three short videos; a campaign, a short film, and a movie trailer. We shared how they made us feel, the moments that stood out to us, and what we might take away from them – we invite you to do the same!
The Promise
“I held a forest in my arms. And for the first time in my life, I felt lucky, rich beyond my wildest dreams.”
This short film, just over six minutes long, tells the beautiful story of the impact of planting a seed on a person, the environment, and the community. When the main character, a “young thief”, promises to plant the contents of the bag full of acorns she’s stolen, her “cold and ugly” city transforms. Now, there is the humming of birds, unfurling of petals and shared sips of tea within these newly discovered communities.
We spoke about the illustration, by Simon Ratliff, and the music, by Ruth Chan. Colour and sound told the story in a way that captured me and the rest of the team. A palette of greyish blues and ominous music gave way to greens, reds, oranges and pinks, complemented by bird calls and a soundscape of hope.
Detox: How People Power is Cleaning Up Fashion
“Polluting in the dark is unethical. Polluting in the full glare of the media’s spotlight is a PR disaster”
This campaign by Greenpeace was an uncomfortable reminder of the horrifying impacts of fast fashion on waterways across the world. However, the advert for the Detox campaign also told of the successes of collective activism; the campaign is being listened to by big brands who have slowly begun to make positive steps towards toxic-free fashion.
Whilst the problems within the fashion industry weren’t a surprise, it prompted a conversation about alternatives to fast-fashion including buying ethically and second-hand.
You can find out more about how the Detox campaign has developed since 2011 here: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/act/detox/
The Lorax: Let It Grow
“My name’s Marie and I am three! I would really like to see a tree. La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lee I say let it grow”
As with many family films, light-hearted plots often have deeper truths running through them. The Lorax, whilst highly entertaining, serves as a cautionary tale about pollution and human destruction of nature. Through (a rather brilliant) song, we find out how a community comes together to plant a singular seed of a ‘Truffula Tree’.
With a similar message to The Promise, albeit with more synchronised dance moves, this movie snippet left us with a glimmer of hope at the end of our conversation. I especially enjoyed the character of Marie, a three-year-old full of joy about seeing a Truffula Tree. I hope I can also find as much joy the next time I discover a new tree species.
For our October meeting, we’re going back to books and delving into Robert Macfarlane’s Is A River Alive. If you’ve read it, we’d love to find out what you thought!