At fourteen years old, Tiara began her work in environmental justice at the Eco-Ambassador Program. Upon learning about food and sustainable land use, Tiara thought about the food desert in her own community of Calumet City, Illinois where thriving businesses are constantly replaced with liquor stores. Pete’s, Aldi, and Food4Less are currently the only major fresh food marts on the far edges of Calumet City. Photograph of local liquor store in Calumet. Photo provided by Tiara Bullock. But what is a food desert? A food desert is any place where access to fresh food is scarce or inaccessible wi ..read more

Marin Chalmers activism started when she created her first One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest film submission along with Daniela Arezina while they were in middle school. Together they nabbed a first place animation award. Marin’s passion for the environment continued when she joined the One Earth Youth Advisory Council. Photo by Gloria Araya Photography. By Sheila Julson Republished from the March 31 edition of Natural Awakenings. Born in the mid-to-late 1990s up to the early 2010s, Generation Z environmental activists agree that urgent action is needed to achieve climate justice, and they’r ..read more

Dulcie Canton is a native New Yorker who survived a hit-and-run when a driver accelerated behind her on a Brooklyn street one night. After a year of recovery, Canton got back on her bike and became involved with Transportation Alternatives, eventually becoming the Brooklyn organizer. By Helen Quinn Pasin  "The Street Project" documentary is the story of humanity's relationship to the streets and the global citizen-led fight to make communities safer. Digging deep into the root causes of traffic violence, the filmmakers engage diverse experts, including street historians, city planners, u ..read more

Experts Make a Call to Action at 'Safe Drinking Water for All' Panel By Helen Quinn Pasin Polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC) is a commonly used thermoplastic polymer that is widely used to make pipes, wire insulation and window frames. By-products of the vinyl lifecycle contain dangerous chemical additives, including phthalates, lead and cadmium, which are highly persistent and toxic, making them of great concern.   Last month, the Plastic Pollution Coalition hosted an expert panel discussion, Safe Drinking Water for All: Protecting Communities from Plastic During U.S. Lead Pipe Replac ..read more

Youth climate activist Natasha Bhatia leading the Chicago Climate Strike on March 3, 2023. By Helen Quinn Pasin Despite widespread opposition from climate activists and an overwhelming number of youth voices, President Biden approved a controversial oil drilling project on an Alaskan lake. The $8 billion ConocoPhillips Willow Project is expected to generate 180,000 barrels of oil daily and is called a "carbon bomb" by climate activists.   In response to the federal government's decision, more than 5.6 million letters were sent to the White House and the Department of the Interior. P ..read more

By Helen Quinn Pasin Audience discussions that follow One Earth screenings are meant to raise further awareness, but questions can arise that can’t always be answered on the spot. That’s exactly what happened on March 7. The five-minute film "Take Action Against Lead" by Young Filmmaker Contest winner Lion Birnecker touched a nerve in an audience full of activists wanting to know more about lead in water pipes and the dangers they pose. Film discussion panelist Delmar Gillus, Chief Operating Officer of Elevate, pointed us to his organization—and from there we did a deep dive into lead in our w ..read more

By Cassandra West Festive. And loud. That was the mood and volume at the 2023 Earth Film Festival kick-off party Friday night as whistles, cheers, applause and cowbell noisemakers delivered on this year’s theme, “Let’s Get Loud!” The 12th annual festival roared back to a fully in-person event, while filmmakers, whose works are featured selections this year, joined via Zoom and were projected on a large screen for everyone to see. Since the last in-person event in 2020 before the pandemic forced the festival in a virtual experience, One Earth didn’t miss a beat in capturing the spirit that has ..read more

Filmed over four years of hope and crisis, "To the End" captures the emergence of a new generation of leaders and the movement behind the most sweeping climate change legislation in U.S. history.  The award-winning film follows Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), activist Varshini Prakash, climate policy writer Rhiana Gunn-Wright, and political strategist Alexandra Rojas as they grapple with new challenges of leadership and power and work together to defend their generation's right to a future. From street protests to the halls of Congress, these four exceptional young leaders fight to ..read more

Photos of Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church by Lois Kimmelman. By Lois Kimmelman Editor’s note: Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church will host an in person double feature for the One Earth Film Fest at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 10: “The Falconer” + “Mardi & The Whites.” Doors open 45 minutes early to enjoy refreshments, visit with community partners, check in/register, and get best seats. Free registration here. Located just 20 minutes by bicycle from Frank Lloyd Wright’s celebrated house in Oak Park, Illinois, Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church is the Village’s epicenter of sustain ..read more

Filmmaker Ivey Camille Manybeads Tso is pictured here (center) among Indigenous activists she interviews in “Powerlands.” By Helen Quinn-Pasin Ivey-Camille Manybeads Tso is a young Navajo filmmaker who investigates the displacement of Indigenous people and the devastation of the environment caused by the same chemical companies exploiting the land where she was born. Her award-winning documentary, “Powerlands,” chronicles the eerily similar struggles of Indigenous communities across Colombia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Standing Rock.  Despite being worlds apart, these communities face ..read more