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TERRA News
Wildscreen!
(Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:58:27 MST)
We're proud to announce that terra is a finalist in the ARKive New Media category at Wildscreen 2008. See you in Bristol, UK, Oct 19-24!
-- Rex
(Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:58:27 MST)
We're proud to announce that terra is a finalist in the ARKive New Media category at Wildscreen 2008. See you in Bristol, UK, Oct 19-24!
-- Rex
Life and Death in the Fast Lane
(Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:11:15 MST)
Humanity encroaches on wildlife habitat in many ways, but one of the most disruptive is our vast network of interstates, highways, and other roadways. These transportation arteries get us to our destinations speedily, but they have an opposite, deleterious effect on wildlife.
Road ecology is a field of science that tries to mitigate those effects by providing animals with their own thoroughfares, such as "funnels" constructed from fencing which directs them to their very own tunnels or bridges. As a motorcyclist who narrowly avoided a high-speed collision with a black bear in Banff a few years ago, I appreciate these efforts as much as the critters. Now, if we could just get them to use their turn signals....
-- Rex
(Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:11:15 MST)
Humanity encroaches on wildlife habitat in many ways, but one of the most disruptive is our vast network of interstates, highways, and other roadways. These transportation arteries get us to our destinations speedily, but they have an opposite, deleterious effect on wildlife.
Road ecology is a field of science that tries to mitigate those effects by providing animals with their own thoroughfares, such as "funnels" constructed from fencing which directs them to their very own tunnels or bridges. As a motorcyclist who narrowly avoided a high-speed collision with a black bear in Banff a few years ago, I appreciate these efforts as much as the critters. Now, if we could just get them to use their turn signals....
-- Rex
Solar Bugs 4 Prez!
(Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:56:48 MST)
As we move rapidly into the rushing course of the most important political summer in memory, it is important to step back from the harsh glare and artificial glow of the media limelight into the everyday virtues of the summer sun. Don't call it a comeback, the sun & clean solar technologies, mostly invisible a mere decade ago, are popping up everywhere and it looks like they are here to stay. This new solar age, nurtured in-part by million-dollar research efforts, also owes its thanks to everyday people like Steve Titus who is the one-man-band creator of the 'Solar Bug.'
It just goes to show that no matter what incredible financial resources are put forth by the next administration for a possible 'clean & green Manhattan project,' we cannot forget about the incredible innovations of everyday backyard and DIY inventors. It is only the fusion of these two scales - grassroots & institutional science - that will get us out of our current jam. So get out there and catch some rays . . .
-- ELB
(Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:56:48 MST)
As we move rapidly into the rushing course of the most important political summer in memory, it is important to step back from the harsh glare and artificial glow of the media limelight into the everyday virtues of the summer sun. Don't call it a comeback, the sun & clean solar technologies, mostly invisible a mere decade ago, are popping up everywhere and it looks like they are here to stay. This new solar age, nurtured in-part by million-dollar research efforts, also owes its thanks to everyday people like Steve Titus who is the one-man-band creator of the 'Solar Bug.'
It just goes to show that no matter what incredible financial resources are put forth by the next administration for a possible 'clean & green Manhattan project,' we cannot forget about the incredible innovations of everyday backyard and DIY inventors. It is only the fusion of these two scales - grassroots & institutional science - that will get us out of our current jam. So get out there and catch some rays . . .
-- ELB
Solar Bugs 4 Prez!
(Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:56:48 MST)
As we move rapidly into the rushing course of the most important political summer in memory, it is important to step back from the harsh glare and artificial glow of the media limelight into the everyday virtues of the summer sun. Don't call it a comeback, the sun & clean solar technologies, mostly invisible a mere decade ago, are popping up everywhere and it looks like they are here to stay. This new solar age, nurtured in-part by million-dollar research efforts, also owes its thanks to everyday people like Steve Titus who is the one-man-band creator of the 'Solar Bug.'
It just goes to show that no matter what incredible financial resources are put forth by the next administration for a possible 'clean & green Manhattan project,' we cannot forget about the incredible innovations of everyday backyard and DIY inventors. It is only the fusion of these two scales - grassroots and mass-production that will get us out of our current jam. So get out there and catch some rays . . . and do something with them!
-- ELB
(Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:56:48 MST)
As we move rapidly into the rushing course of the most important political summer in memory, it is important to step back from the harsh glare and artificial glow of the media limelight into the everyday virtues of the summer sun. Don't call it a comeback, the sun & clean solar technologies, mostly invisible a mere decade ago, are popping up everywhere and it looks like they are here to stay. This new solar age, nurtured in-part by million-dollar research efforts, also owes its thanks to everyday people like Steve Titus who is the one-man-band creator of the 'Solar Bug.'
It just goes to show that no matter what incredible financial resources are put forth by the next administration for a possible 'clean & green Manhattan project,' we cannot forget about the incredible innovations of everyday backyard and DIY inventors. It is only the fusion of these two scales - grassroots and mass-production that will get us out of our current jam. So get out there and catch some rays . . . and do something with them!
-- ELB
Burn, Baby Burn
(Wed, 21 May 2008 05:37:13 MST)
One of the more interesting paradoxes of Yellowstone is that it is a "wilderness" that is actually the most intensively managed areas on Earth. Supposedly one of the most common questions asked of Yellowstone rangers is, "What is all this land doing burned?". It may have something to do with YNP's fire management policy, which states that human-caused fires should be suppressed, and natural-caused fires should be allowed to burn freely.
Take a class in Fire 101 and let us know your views in the comments for "Working with Fire"!
-- Rex
(Wed, 21 May 2008 05:37:13 MST)
One of the more interesting paradoxes of Yellowstone is that it is a "wilderness" that is actually the most intensively managed areas on Earth. Supposedly one of the most common questions asked of Yellowstone rangers is, "What is all this land doing burned?". It may have something to do with YNP's fire management policy, which states that human-caused fires should be suppressed, and natural-caused fires should be allowed to burn freely.
Take a class in Fire 101 and let us know your views in the comments for "Working with Fire"!
-- Rex
Burn, Baby Burn
(Wed, 21 May 2008 05:37:13 MST)
One of the more interesting paradoxes of Yellowstone is that it is a "wilderness" that is actually the most intensively managed areas on Earth. Supposedly one of the most common questions asked of Yellowstone rangers is, "What is all this land doing burned?". It may have something to do with YNP's fire management policy, which states that human-caused fires should be suppressed, and natural-caused fires should be allowed to burn freely.
Take a class in Fire 101 and let us know your views in the comments for "Working with Fire"!
-- Rex
(Wed, 21 May 2008 05:37:13 MST)
One of the more interesting paradoxes of Yellowstone is that it is a "wilderness" that is actually the most intensively managed areas on Earth. Supposedly one of the most common questions asked of Yellowstone rangers is, "What is all this land doing burned?". It may have something to do with YNP's fire management policy, which states that human-caused fires should be suppressed, and natural-caused fires should be allowed to burn freely.
Take a class in Fire 101 and let us know your views in the comments for "Working with Fire"!
-- Rex
The Fragile Division
(Tue, 13 May 2008 07:12:06 MST)
One of the great things (or maddening ones, depending on your perspective) about being in an MFA program for science and natural history filmmaking is that you get to talk a lot about topics like "what exactly is nature?".
Related to that question, and to this week's episode, is the issue of the human/nature dualism. Before the Greeks came up with the label, there was no conceptual container or category for nature. Once they did, nature could be unlike us. The Renaissance thinkers followed up on this idea and abstracted nature as devoid of human qualities, thus firmly establishing the human/nature dualism.
This dualism erodes as you get into areas such as neurobiology. The brain is a material organ whose electrochemical properties can be studied objectively, but what if the brain belongs to a human? Consciousness presents a problem. There is nowhere in the brain labeled as self or consciousness, so we are nowhere to be found in our own bodies, and have defined our "selves" out of existence.
Where does this leave us? Once we accept, through the study of nature and biology, that all life is organically related through the linkage of evolution, then humanity is literally a part of nature. Not figuratively, not poetically, but literally.
(This essay borrows heavily from The Social Creation of Nature, if you want to read more.)
-- Rex
(Tue, 13 May 2008 07:12:06 MST)
One of the great things (or maddening ones, depending on your perspective) about being in an MFA program for science and natural history filmmaking is that you get to talk a lot about topics like "what exactly is nature?".
Related to that question, and to this week's episode, is the issue of the human/nature dualism. Before the Greeks came up with the label, there was no conceptual container or category for nature. Once they did, nature could be unlike us. The Renaissance thinkers followed up on this idea and abstracted nature as devoid of human qualities, thus firmly establishing the human/nature dualism.
This dualism erodes as you get into areas such as neurobiology. The brain is a material organ whose electrochemical properties can be studied objectively, but what if the brain belongs to a human? Consciousness presents a problem. There is nowhere in the brain labeled as self or consciousness, so we are nowhere to be found in our own bodies, and have defined our "selves" out of existence.
Where does this leave us? Once we accept, through the study of nature and biology, that all life is organically related through the linkage of evolution, then humanity is literally a part of nature. Not figuratively, not poetically, but literally.
(This essay borrows heavily from The Social Creation of Nature, if you want to read more.)
-- Rex
Home on the range.
(Fri, 09 May 2008 11:17:02 MST)
All told, 1600+ wild bison have been killed this winter in Yellowstone National Park. The ultimate question I have is: how long can we continue to allow economic arguments about threats to livestock / business to trump real ecological and habitat concerns? The lost bison are not simply collateral damage but the real pain will be felt further down the trophic cascade on the numerous animals (think wolves, grizzlies, coyotes) who have lost precious food resources and a key component of the ecological system as a whole. The effects of the Bison Interagency Managment Plan will continue to ripple throughout the Yellowstone food chain. The fact is that natural borders do not obey artificially constructed man-made lines. We must learn to manage our natural resouces with flexibility, as nature does, not rigid control, otherwise we risk losing them for future generations.
-- - ELB
(Fri, 09 May 2008 11:17:02 MST)
All told, 1600+ wild bison have been killed this winter in Yellowstone National Park. The ultimate question I have is: how long can we continue to allow economic arguments about threats to livestock / business to trump real ecological and habitat concerns? The lost bison are not simply collateral damage but the real pain will be felt further down the trophic cascade on the numerous animals (think wolves, grizzlies, coyotes) who have lost precious food resources and a key component of the ecological system as a whole. The effects of the Bison Interagency Managment Plan will continue to ripple throughout the Yellowstone food chain. The fact is that natural borders do not obey artificially constructed man-made lines. We must learn to manage our natural resouces with flexibility, as nature does, not rigid control, otherwise we risk losing them for future generations.
-- - ELB
Springtime in Montana!
(Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:56:16 MST)
It's almost May, even though we're still getting snow in Bozeman. As the grass becomes greener on the other side of the proverbial fence, bison from Yellowstone Park venture out from their refuge to land shared by cattle. This migration creates some consternation for ranchers, who fear that their livestock will catch brucellosis from the bison. As a result, there is a constant tension between environmentalists and ranchers over bison range, and it's up to the government to mediate this controversy. This week's episode is an especially cool treatment of the topic, as it takes a Frederick Wiseman-inspired observational approach to the issue. There's lots of eye candy and subtext to enjoy, so sit back and take it all in!
-- Rex
(Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:56:16 MST)
It's almost May, even though we're still getting snow in Bozeman. As the grass becomes greener on the other side of the proverbial fence, bison from Yellowstone Park venture out from their refuge to land shared by cattle. This migration creates some consternation for ranchers, who fear that their livestock will catch brucellosis from the bison. As a result, there is a constant tension between environmentalists and ranchers over bison range, and it's up to the government to mediate this controversy. This week's episode is an especially cool treatment of the topic, as it takes a Frederick Wiseman-inspired observational approach to the issue. There's lots of eye candy and subtext to enjoy, so sit back and take it all in!
-- Rex
Sensing Nature
(Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:28:03 MST)
I'm constantly amazed by how beautiful everything looks when I walk through a forest here in Montana. What I pay less attention to is how spectacular the bird calls sound, how amazing it is to feel mist on my face from a waterfall or the smell of a flower as I walk by. Camp Eureka is a place where children focus on these aspects, because they are sight impaired. This Terra episode shows us that observation is the basis for science and sight is not a pre-requisite for observation.
-- GP
(Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:28:03 MST)
I'm constantly amazed by how beautiful everything looks when I walk through a forest here in Montana. What I pay less attention to is how spectacular the bird calls sound, how amazing it is to feel mist on my face from a waterfall or the smell of a flower as I walk by. Camp Eureka is a place where children focus on these aspects, because they are sight impaired. This Terra episode shows us that observation is the basis for science and sight is not a pre-requisite for observation.
-- GP
Springtime in Montana!
(Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:43:42 MST)
Spring has supposedly sprung in Montana, even though we just got another huge snow (that is melting) here in Bozeman. One of the surest signs of Spring in Montana is the appearance of snow geese on their migration north. The geese usually arrive mid March to early April just as the ice melts on the ponds and the migration is in full force right now with bird numbers averaging 10,000 - 100,000 present each day. Freezeout Lake is a popular birding destination for all sorts of waterfowl, upland birds, and shorebirds. Once at Freezeout, they rest, gorge on grain and prepare for a shorter flight to Saskatchewan, Canada, where they do the same thing and then head north to their nesting grounds in the Canadian and Russian arctic.
This week's episode lets you be a part of the geese and people that are the spectacle of this amazing migration. Use the Comments section to tell us about any memorable wildlife viewings you may have witnessed!
-- Rex
(Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:43:42 MST)
Spring has supposedly sprung in Montana, even though we just got another huge snow (that is melting) here in Bozeman. One of the surest signs of Spring in Montana is the appearance of snow geese on their migration north. The geese usually arrive mid March to early April just as the ice melts on the ponds and the migration is in full force right now with bird numbers averaging 10,000 - 100,000 present each day. Freezeout Lake is a popular birding destination for all sorts of waterfowl, upland birds, and shorebirds. Once at Freezeout, they rest, gorge on grain and prepare for a shorter flight to Saskatchewan, Canada, where they do the same thing and then head north to their nesting grounds in the Canadian and Russian arctic.
This week's episode lets you be a part of the geese and people that are the spectacle of this amazing migration. Use the Comments section to tell us about any memorable wildlife viewings you may have witnessed!
-- Rex
From Africa to South America...
(Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:44:53 MST)
There's a sense of disbelief when you first hear about the subject of the next three episodes of TERRA. There shouldn't be any wild hippos in South America, yet through a set of remarkable circumstances, there is a group of one hundred percent Columbian hippos roaming the country side. Their group started as just a single mating pair and has been growing ever since. The original two were never round up as a part of the demolition of Pablo Escobar's estate which included his own private zoo. The opinions on what to do with these massive animals ranges from killing them, to letting them take over the farm they live on. This film is the remarkable tale of what can happen when wild animals are left alone in a completely foreign environment and allowed to run free!
-- GP
(Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:44:53 MST)
There's a sense of disbelief when you first hear about the subject of the next three episodes of TERRA. There shouldn't be any wild hippos in South America, yet through a set of remarkable circumstances, there is a group of one hundred percent Columbian hippos roaming the country side. Their group started as just a single mating pair and has been growing ever since. The original two were never round up as a part of the demolition of Pablo Escobar's estate which included his own private zoo. The opinions on what to do with these massive animals ranges from killing them, to letting them take over the farm they live on. This film is the remarkable tale of what can happen when wild animals are left alone in a completely foreign environment and allowed to run free!
-- GP
Resilience
(Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:26:02 MST)
Time and again nature proves its resilience to our disturbances. Jen Brown's movie is a good example of an ecosystem that thrives in the violence of Fort Hood. On this 217,000 acre military installation in the Texas hill country, among other flora and fauna, the endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler support significant breeding populations. Sometimes we overemphasize exotic locales when we look for nature, and forget that it can be found in the most unlikeliest of places if only we look for it. Take a moment out of your day to notice the sublime in the suburbs and the wilderness in your backyard. But if you happen to be crawling facedown in the muck during basic training, you're excused if you don't stop to smell the flowers.
-- Rex
(Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:26:02 MST)
Time and again nature proves its resilience to our disturbances. Jen Brown's movie is a good example of an ecosystem that thrives in the violence of Fort Hood. On this 217,000 acre military installation in the Texas hill country, among other flora and fauna, the endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler support significant breeding populations. Sometimes we overemphasize exotic locales when we look for nature, and forget that it can be found in the most unlikeliest of places if only we look for it. Take a moment out of your day to notice the sublime in the suburbs and the wilderness in your backyard. But if you happen to be crawling facedown in the muck during basic training, you're excused if you don't stop to smell the flowers.
-- Rex
Ranching in the 21st Century
(Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:54:35 MST)
Bozeman, the home of Montana State, is nestled in the picturesque Gallatin Valley, between the Bridgers and Spanish Peaks. The Gallatin Valley has traditionally depended upon agriculture as its main industry, but the same qualities that make it desirable for that purpose also make it an attractive target for development. As a result, hay meadows are giving way to subdivisions, and residents in what used to be rural areas are complaining that the new streetlights cause enough light pollution to obscure the celestial sky at night. Farmers are put in a tough position: should they try to maintain an agricultural heritage and livelihood, even as they may struggle financially to do so in the face of rising costs and taxes, or should they take advantage of rapidly appreciating property values and cash out? If a rancher does decide to stick it out, what is the best approach to ranch management? Is nature a partner or an adversary? How much control is warranted? What environmental responsibility does the rancher possess? Is maximization of economic profits the priority? People like Duke Phillips are creating new models of ranching that address some of these questions, and more. Are these models good, or even viable? Give us your opinion in the Comments section for "Ranching the New West"!
-- Rex
(Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:54:35 MST)
Bozeman, the home of Montana State, is nestled in the picturesque Gallatin Valley, between the Bridgers and Spanish Peaks. The Gallatin Valley has traditionally depended upon agriculture as its main industry, but the same qualities that make it desirable for that purpose also make it an attractive target for development. As a result, hay meadows are giving way to subdivisions, and residents in what used to be rural areas are complaining that the new streetlights cause enough light pollution to obscure the celestial sky at night. Farmers are put in a tough position: should they try to maintain an agricultural heritage and livelihood, even as they may struggle financially to do so in the face of rising costs and taxes, or should they take advantage of rapidly appreciating property values and cash out? If a rancher does decide to stick it out, what is the best approach to ranch management? Is nature a partner or an adversary? How much control is warranted? What environmental responsibility does the rancher possess? Is maximization of economic profits the priority? People like Duke Phillips are creating new models of ranching that address some of these questions, and more. Are these models good, or even viable? Give us your opinion in the Comments section for "Ranching the New West"!
-- Rex
Ranching in the 21st Century
(Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:51:03 MST)
Bozeman, the home of Montana State, is nestled in the picturesque Gallatin Valley, between the Bridgers and Spanish Peaks. The Gallatin Valley has traditionally depended upon agriculture as its main industry, but the same qualities that make it desirable for that purpose also make it an attractive target for development. As a result, hay meadows are giving way to subdivisions, and residents in what used to be rural areas are complaining that the new streetlights cause enough light pollution to obscure the celestial sky at night. Farmers are put in a tough position: should they try to maintain an agricultural heritage and livelihood, even as they may struggle financially to do so in the face of rising costs and taxes, or should they take advantage of rapidly appreciating property values and cash out? If a rancher does decide to stick it out, what is the best approach to ranch management? Is nature a partner or an adversary? How much control is warranted? What environmental responsibility does the rancher possess? Is maximization of economic profits the priority? People like Duke Phillips are creating new models of ranching that address some of these questions, and more. Are these models good, or even viable? Give us your opinion in the Comments section for "Ranching the New West"!
-- Rex
(Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:51:03 MST)
Bozeman, the home of Montana State, is nestled in the picturesque Gallatin Valley, between the Bridgers and Spanish Peaks. The Gallatin Valley has traditionally depended upon agriculture as its main industry, but the same qualities that make it desirable for that purpose also make it an attractive target for development. As a result, hay meadows are giving way to subdivisions, and residents in what used to be rural areas are complaining that the new streetlights cause enough light pollution to obscure the celestial sky at night. Farmers are put in a tough position: should they try to maintain an agricultural heritage and livelihood, even as they may struggle financially to do so in the face of rising costs and taxes, or should they take advantage of rapidly appreciating property values and cash out? If a rancher does decide to stick it out, what is the best approach to ranch management? Is nature a partner or an adversary? How much control is warranted? What environmental responsibility does the rancher possess? Is maximization of economic profits the priority? People like Duke Phillips are creating new models of ranching that address some of these questions, and more. Are these models good, or even viable? Give us your opinion in the Comments section for "Ranching the New West"!
-- Rex
Shifting Sands
(Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:45:27 MST)
As 'snowbirds' flock South for the winter (it is downright COLD in Montana this time of year) for some R&R in the sunshine state, so TERRA migrates along for the next two weeks with the web premier of "Higher Ground: The Battle to Save Florida's Beaches." Florida has over 1300 coastal miles of beaches and very few remain undeveloped. Can we imagine the financial, environmental, and psychological costs of sea level rise in such an area? Marine scientist Dr. Grant Gilmore says it best: "I tell my students you just have to think geologically because there's little question that water will be up on that hotel and that the groupers will be checking in to the ground floor and then you will have jacks up around the second or third floor . . . the fish will be living in these condos one of these days." It is about time we, as a species, learned to respect the ground underfoot . . . be it sand or bedrock, and to act practically to prevent our native ecosystems from washing away.
-- ELB
(Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:45:27 MST)
As 'snowbirds' flock South for the winter (it is downright COLD in Montana this time of year) for some R&R in the sunshine state, so TERRA migrates along for the next two weeks with the web premier of "Higher Ground: The Battle to Save Florida's Beaches." Florida has over 1300 coastal miles of beaches and very few remain undeveloped. Can we imagine the financial, environmental, and psychological costs of sea level rise in such an area? Marine scientist Dr. Grant Gilmore says it best: "I tell my students you just have to think geologically because there's little question that water will be up on that hotel and that the groupers will be checking in to the ground floor and then you will have jacks up around the second or third floor . . . the fish will be living in these condos one of these days." It is about time we, as a species, learned to respect the ground underfoot . . . be it sand or bedrock, and to act practically to prevent our native ecosystems from washing away.
-- ELB
2008 - A Big Year Ahead!
(Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:59:19 MST)
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE TERRA TEAM! The start of a new year is always a good time to take stock of what's happened in the past and to get excited about the possibility of the future. 2008 will see a new president of the USA and an unprecedented interest in the environment from this country. The TERRA team decided "The Story of Stuff" would be the perfect episode to start the year off. Watching this film is a great way to get to know all about our own consumerism and how we might go about making some changes for the better. Check out more at www.storyofstuff.com
-- GP
(Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:59:19 MST)
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE TERRA TEAM! The start of a new year is always a good time to take stock of what's happened in the past and to get excited about the possibility of the future. 2008 will see a new president of the USA and an unprecedented interest in the environment from this country. The TERRA team decided "The Story of Stuff" would be the perfect episode to start the year off. Watching this film is a great way to get to know all about our own consumerism and how we might go about making some changes for the better. Check out more at www.storyofstuff.com
-- GP
The Only Constant is Change
(Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:58:32 MST)
As I traveled through South East Asia over ten years ago I saw something amazing and very special. I worked my way around five of the countries of this region and saw a completely unique set of cultures and identities, beautiful areas of forest and untouched coast line and vibrant, young communities looking to the future. The one thing that tied all these places together is best summed up by Isaac Asimov's famous quote "The only constant is change". South East Asia's population size is changing, the economy, culture and politics is changing and of course the wilderness areas are being effected by these changes. Over the next three weeks Scubazoo will be taking us deep into these issues and taking a look at what the future holds for this important area.
-- GP
(Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:58:32 MST)
As I traveled through South East Asia over ten years ago I saw something amazing and very special. I worked my way around five of the countries of this region and saw a completely unique set of cultures and identities, beautiful areas of forest and untouched coast line and vibrant, young communities looking to the future. The one thing that tied all these places together is best summed up by Isaac Asimov's famous quote "The only constant is change". South East Asia's population size is changing, the economy, culture and politics is changing and of course the wilderness areas are being effected by these changes. Over the next three weeks Scubazoo will be taking us deep into these issues and taking a look at what the future holds for this important area.
-- GP
Man and Monkeys
(Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:35:13 MST)
C.P. Snow said that the divide between the two cultures of science and the humanities was a major hindrance to solving the problems of the world. Based on the continuing debate over evolution, perhaps there is an even greater divide between science and religion. How can two factions look at the facts of an issue and come up with such diametrically opposed conclusions? Whether we are scientists or theologians, we all bring our cultural baggage to the table. Further complicating matters is that science is not as objective as it may seem, and nature is a social construction - reflecting our beliefs, values, and norms - so it can justify anything or nothing. Where do we look for answers then? Give us your thoughts in the comments for Evilution!.
-- Rex
(Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:35:13 MST)
C.P. Snow said that the divide between the two cultures of science and the humanities was a major hindrance to solving the problems of the world. Based on the continuing debate over evolution, perhaps there is an even greater divide between science and religion. How can two factions look at the facts of an issue and come up with such diametrically opposed conclusions? Whether we are scientists or theologians, we all bring our cultural baggage to the table. Further complicating matters is that science is not as objective as it may seem, and nature is a social construction - reflecting our beliefs, values, and norms - so it can justify anything or nothing. Where do we look for answers then? Give us your thoughts in the comments for Evilution!.
-- Rex
Preserving the Past for Future Generations
(Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:21:53 MST)
I like old stuff. It's that simple. Whether it's cars, houses, or even guns (my apologies, I'm a lapsed hunter), the classic form of old stuff is aesthetically pleasing to me. But most of all, I like the stories that things like these can tell, whether it's of a first date, a first family, or a first hunt. That's why I own a church and two cemeteries (but that's a story for another episode).
Wooden grain elevators are an endangered species on the prairie of North America. Should we care? I think so, because they're a link to a shared agricultural past that recedes further from every generation's memory. Plus, they're just cool to look at and contemplate. It's important to know our roots and heritage, and like Bruce says, we never know what we might miss once it's gone.
-- Rex
(Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:21:53 MST)
I like old stuff. It's that simple. Whether it's cars, houses, or even guns (my apologies, I'm a lapsed hunter), the classic form of old stuff is aesthetically pleasing to me. But most of all, I like the stories that things like these can tell, whether it's of a first date, a first family, or a first hunt. That's why I own a church and two cemeteries (but that's a story for another episode).
Wooden grain elevators are an endangered species on the prairie of North America. Should we care? I think so, because they're a link to a shared agricultural past that recedes further from every generation's memory. Plus, they're just cool to look at and contemplate. It's important to know our roots and heritage, and like Bruce says, we never know what we might miss once it's gone.
-- Rex
Natuone ndipo twambe, kusikia si kuona
(Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:48:04 MST)
The common Kenyan expression above means "Seeing is believing."
When TERRA launched in the fall of 2005, the project was invisible, an idea with no frame, a house with no walls. Over the the past two years, our home has grown immeasurably - fueled by the talents and gifts of 60+ independent filmmakers and an audience of nearly 30,000 regular viewers from around the globe.
TERRA may have grown into a global village, but our guiding principle has remained the same: be a window for the world . . . its people, its animals, its beauty, its complexity, and its challenges. TERRA is now at a pivotal moment. Seeing may be believing, but it is not always understanding . . . in the next year, we hope to use sight not as an endpoint but as a starting point for a richer, fresher, and more compelling conversation. The window will soon be a door. The whole village is invited. Step in and please join us for a cup of tea (or a turkey sandwich)!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
-- ELB
(Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:48:04 MST)
The common Kenyan expression above means "Seeing is believing."
When TERRA launched in the fall of 2005, the project was invisible, an idea with no frame, a house with no walls. Over the the past two years, our home has grown immeasurably - fueled by the talents and gifts of 60+ independent filmmakers and an audience of nearly 30,000 regular viewers from around the globe.
TERRA may have grown into a global village, but our guiding principle has remained the same: be a window for the world . . . its people, its animals, its beauty, its complexity, and its challenges. TERRA is now at a pivotal moment. Seeing may be believing, but it is not always understanding . . . in the next year, we hope to use sight not as an endpoint but as a starting point for a richer, fresher, and more compelling conversation. The window will soon be a door. The whole village is invited. Step in and please join us for a cup of tea (or a turkey sandwich)!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
-- ELB
Peak Water?
(Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:10:06 MST)
Peak oil is beginning to enter the global zeitgeist, but some experts are predicting an even bigger problem on the horizon: peak water. In the United States and the rest of the developed world, we usually don't give much of a thought to where our water comes from when we turn the tap or twist the cap, but it's not that way for over one billion people on the rest of the planet. As thanksgiving approaches, let's take a moment to remember how precious water is to humanity's survival.
-- Rex
(Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:10:06 MST)
Peak oil is beginning to enter the global zeitgeist, but some experts are predicting an even bigger problem on the horizon: peak water. In the United States and the rest of the developed world, we usually don't give much of a thought to where our water comes from when we turn the tap or twist the cap, but it's not that way for over one billion people on the rest of the planet. As thanksgiving approaches, let's take a moment to remember how precious water is to humanity's survival.
-- Rex
Natuone ndipo twambe, kusikia si kuona
(Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:48:04 MST)
The common Kenyan expression above means "Seeing is believing."
When TERRA launched in the fall of 2005, the project was invisible, an idea with no frame, a house with no walls. Over the the past two years, our home has grown immeasurably - fueled by the talents and gifts of 60+ independent filmmakers and an audience of nearly 30,000 regular viewers from around the globe.
TERRA may have grown into a global village, but our guiding principle has remained the same: be a window for the world . . . its people, its animals, its beauty, its complexity, and its challenges. TERRA is now at a pivotal moment. Seeing may be believing, but it is not always understanding . . . in the next year, we hope to use sight not as an endpoint but as a starting point for a richer, fresher, and more compelling conversation. The window will soon be a door. The whole village is invited. Step in and please join us for a cup of tea!!
-- ELB
(Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:48:04 MST)
The common Kenyan expression above means "Seeing is believing."
When TERRA launched in the fall of 2005, the project was invisible, an idea with no frame, a house with no walls. Over the the past two years, our home has grown immeasurably - fueled by the talents and gifts of 60+ independent filmmakers and an audience of nearly 30,000 regular viewers from around the globe.
TERRA may have grown into a global village, but our guiding principle has remained the same: be a window for the world . . . its people, its animals, its beauty, its complexity, and its challenges. TERRA is now at a pivotal moment. Seeing may be believing, but it is not always understanding . . . in the next year, we hope to use sight not as an endpoint but as a starting point for a richer, fresher, and more compelling conversation. The window will soon be a door. The whole village is invited. Step in and please join us for a cup of tea!!
-- ELB
Gore is Nobel Winner! Bioneers on the horizon.
(Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:45:37 MST)
Former vice president Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace prize along with the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work in bringing the issue of global warming into popular consciousness. We salute Gore today in the hopes that the recent wave of climate-related consciousness will continue to reverberate around the world. We're traveling to one of the epicenters of environmental consciousness later this week at the National Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California. We'll be publishing live feeds from the festival, so watch this space for interviews, live footage, and updates from the activists, scientists, and mentors on the front lines of the movement. Thanks again for tuning in - Cheers!
-- - EB
(Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:45:37 MST)
Former vice president Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace prize along with the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for their work in bringing the issue of global warming into popular consciousness. We salute Gore today in the hopes that the recent wave of climate-related consciousness will continue to reverberate around the world. We're traveling to one of the epicenters of environmental consciousness later this week at the National Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California. We'll be publishing live feeds from the festival, so watch this space for interviews, live footage, and updates from the activists, scientists, and mentors on the front lines of the movement. Thanks again for tuning in - Cheers!
-- - EB
Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
(Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:52:22 MST)
Eric and George are down in Jackson checking out the eponymous Wildlife Film Festival. As you may recall from last week's news, TERRA is up for the Best New Media award, so keep your fingers crossed! It seems like wetlands are in the news a lot these days, as both humans and wildlife find them attractive places to live. The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Montana's Bitterroot Valley is a great example of a wetlands that is managed for both people and animals. Hopefully one day we can stop thinking of wilderness as carefully delineated and managed areas mostly devoid of humanity, but until then, refuges such as Lee Metcalf provide a welcome sanctuary for an amazing variety of flora and fauna, and the people who enjoy them.
-- REX
(Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:52:22 MST)
Eric and George are down in Jackson checking out the eponymous Wildlife Film Festival. As you may recall from last week's news, TERRA is up for the Best New Media award, so keep your fingers crossed! It seems like wetlands are in the news a lot these days, as both humans and wildlife find them attractive places to live. The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Montana's Bitterroot Valley is a great example of a wetlands that is managed for both people and animals. Hopefully one day we can stop thinking of wilderness as carefully delineated and managed areas mostly devoid of humanity, but until then, refuges such as Lee Metcalf provide a welcome sanctuary for an amazing variety of flora and fauna, and the people who enjoy them.
-- REX
We're goin' to Jackson!
(Wed, 26 Sep 2007 02:28:51 MST)
The TERRA team are off to Jackson Hole next week for the International Wildlife Film Festival. This is the most prestigious festival of its kind and, this year, TERRA is nominated for best new media!! On top of that, many of the films that we have been screening in the last couple of months are also up for awards. We wouldn't be there without all the ongoing support from our viewers - so from all of us here at TERRA - THANK YOU and keep the good vibes flowing! Speaking of liquid logic, check out Water for Tea - hopefully, you'll recognize the familiar voice of this narrator . . . here's a hint: 'to boldly go [analyze precipitation data] where no [satellite] has gone before.'
-- GP
(Wed, 26 Sep 2007 02:28:51 MST)
The TERRA team are off to Jackson Hole next week for the International Wildlife Film Festival. This is the most prestigious festival of its kind and, this year, TERRA is nominated for best new media!! On top of that, many of the films that we have been screening in the last couple of months are also up for awards. We wouldn't be there without all the ongoing support from our viewers - so from all of us here at TERRA - THANK YOU and keep the good vibes flowing! Speaking of liquid logic, check out Water for Tea - hopefully, you'll recognize the familiar voice of this narrator . . . here's a hint: 'to boldly go [analyze precipitation data] where no [satellite] has gone before.'
-- GP
Hidden Treasure...
(Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:57:16 MST)
When I think of hidden treasure being found on a beach, the first thought I have is of a motley crew of pirates who have found a desert island using an old map that has a skull and cross bones on it. This week on Terra, we have a similar story - but in this one, the pirate is a volunteer for the Academy of Science and the skull and cross bones isn't on a map - it IS the treasure! Reptile Ray has been collecting skulls from washed up carcases on San Francisco's beaches for over forty years. He has more than 7000 skulls in his treasure chest and he isn't stopping there. Check out "A Life with Skulls" to see that gold and jewels aren't the only treasure you might find on a deserted beach front.
-- GP
(Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:57:16 MST)
When I think of hidden treasure being found on a beach, the first thought I have is of a motley crew of pirates who have found a desert island using an old map that has a skull and cross bones on it. This week on Terra, we have a similar story - but in this one, the pirate is a volunteer for the Academy of Science and the skull and cross bones isn't on a map - it IS the treasure! Reptile Ray has been collecting skulls from washed up carcases on San Francisco's beaches for over forty years. He has more than 7000 skulls in his treasure chest and he isn't stopping there. Check out "A Life with Skulls" to see that gold and jewels aren't the only treasure you might find on a deserted beach front.
-- GP
Arctic Dreams
(Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:49:34 MST)
In 2001, I took a series of bush planes due North from Fairbanks, Alaska. When the last plane pulled away, I was in the most remote location from any road in the United States - at the headwaters of the Sheenjek River. Over the next twenty-one days, I paddled a collapsible canoe down the Sheenjek, past the Arctic circle, and eventually to Ft. Yukon, Alaska where the Sheenjek meets the mighty Yukon river. The trip was one of the most profound experiences of my life both because of the intense beauty of the area and the truly fragile nature of that beauty. Life above the Arctic circle is difficult - imagine living on the top of one of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states and you get the idea. And yet, life is everywhere - herds of caribou, eagles, fish, bears, all persevere in this incredibly harsh terrain. With the stroke of a pen, our government has the power to destroy all of the natural wonders existing in this far-away ecosystem. In the arctic, life doesn't always have the upper hand against the elements. The least we can do to support this life is leave it simply, incredibly, powerfully, wonderfully, alone.
-- ELB
(Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:49:34 MST)
In 2001, I took a series of bush planes due North from Fairbanks, Alaska. When the last plane pulled away, I was in the most remote location from any road in the United States - at the headwaters of the Sheenjek River. Over the next twenty-one days, I paddled a collapsible canoe down the Sheenjek, past the Arctic circle, and eventually to Ft. Yukon, Alaska where the Sheenjek meets the mighty Yukon river. The trip was one of the most profound experiences of my life both because of the intense beauty of the area and the truly fragile nature of that beauty. Life above the Arctic circle is difficult - imagine living on the top of one of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states and you get the idea. And yet, life is everywhere - herds of caribou, eagles, fish, bears, all persevere in this incredibly harsh terrain. With the stroke of a pen, our government has the power to destroy all of the natural wonders existing in this far-away ecosystem. In the arctic, life doesn't always have the upper hand against the elements. The least we can do to support this life is leave it simply, incredibly, powerfully, wonderfully, alone.
-- ELB
Arctic Dreams
(Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:49:34 MST)
In 2001, I took a series of bush planes due North from Fairbanks, Alaska. When the last plane pulled away, I was in the most remote location from any road in the United States - at the headwaters of the Sheenjek River. Over the next twenty-one days, I paddled a collapsible canoe down the Sheenjek, past the Arctic circle, and eventually to Ft. Yukon, Alaska where the Sheenjek meets the mighty Yukon river. The trip was one of the most profound experiences of my life both because of the intense beauty of the area and the truly fragile nature of that beauty. Life above the Arctic circle is difficult - imagine living on the top of one of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states and you get the idea. And yet, life is everywhere - herds of caribou, eagles, fish, bears, all persevere in this incredibly harsh terrain. And yet, with the stroke of a pen, our government has the power to destroy all of the natural harmony existing in this far-away ecosystem. In the arctic, life doesn't always have the upper hand against the elements. The least we can do to support this life is leave it simply, incredibly, powerfully, wonderfully, alone.
-- ELB
(Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:49:34 MST)
In 2001, I took a series of bush planes due North from Fairbanks, Alaska. When the last plane pulled away, I was in the most remote location from any road in the United States - at the headwaters of the Sheenjek River. Over the next twenty-one days, I paddled a collapsible canoe down the Sheenjek, past the Arctic circle, and eventually to Ft. Yukon, Alaska where the Sheenjek meets the mighty Yukon river. The trip was one of the most profound experiences of my life both because of the intense beauty of the area and the truly fragile nature of that beauty. Life above the Arctic circle is difficult - imagine living on the top of one of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states and you get the idea. And yet, life is everywhere - herds of caribou, eagles, fish, bears, all persevere in this incredibly harsh terrain. And yet, with the stroke of a pen, our government has the power to destroy all of the natural harmony existing in this far-away ecosystem. In the arctic, life doesn't always have the upper hand against the elements. The least we can do to support this life is leave it simply, incredibly, powerfully, wonderfully, alone.
-- ELB
Jackson Hole - here we come!
(Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:00:45 MST)
2007 has already been a huge year for TERRA. We went to SXSW in Austin as finalists in their web category, we won a "Webby" award in New York, and now we are finalists in the world's most prestigious wildlife film festival: Jackson Hole. Keep your fingers crossed for us to win their new media category in October! None of this would have been possible without our fantastic producers (over 50 of them now) and our fans who have supported us from the beginning. So, from the TERRA crew - THANK YOU - we couldn't have done it without you! Coincidentally, Rick Smith's film "Fish and Cow," which we are currently screening, is up for best newcomer at Jackson as well. Congratulations Rick & Geoff Stephens on this wonderful achievement. 2007 just keeps getting better!
-- GP
(Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:00:45 MST)
2007 has already been a huge year for TERRA. We went to SXSW in Austin as finalists in their web category, we won a "Webby" award in New York, and now we are finalists in the world's most prestigious wildlife film festival: Jackson Hole. Keep your fingers crossed for us to win their new media category in October! None of this would have been possible without our fantastic producers (over 50 of them now) and our fans who have supported us from the beginning. So, from the TERRA crew - THANK YOU - we couldn't have done it without you! Coincidentally, Rick Smith's film "Fish and Cow," which we are currently screening, is up for best newcomer at Jackson as well. Congratulations Rick & Geoff Stephens on this wonderful achievement. 2007 just keeps getting better!
-- GP
Cowboy Conservationists
(Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:49:09 MST)
Last week we went to San Francisco with filmmaker Rick Smith to check out the big city. This week starts a two part film about Ranchers who are working with environmentalists in efforts to conserve the Big Hole Valley in South West Montana. Like Kermit said "it's not easy being green" and these ranchers know what he meant! How do you straddle two seemingly contradictory ways of life? Find out in "Fish and Cow".
-- GP
(Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:49:09 MST)
Last week we went to San Francisco with filmmaker Rick Smith to check out the big city. This week starts a two part film about Ranchers who are working with environmentalists in efforts to conserve the Big Hole Valley in South West Montana. Like Kermit said "it's not easy being green" and these ranchers know what he meant! How do you straddle two seemingly contradictory ways of life? Find out in "Fish and Cow".
-- GP
Urban and Rural
(Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:06:21 MST)
Young filmmaker Rick Smith may look a little strange, but don't let the long hair and goofy smile put you off! He's had a camera in his hands for the past three years and been pointing it in every direction imaginable. Recently he tagged along on an architecture trip to the Bay area and "The Urban Aesthetic" is how he saw the city. Then he decided he'd ask his good friend Leif Routman to improvise a guitar line while watching the film. The result is part poetic, part design critique, part social commentary and all city-scape lifestyle. What does that mean? Who knows, but you'll enjoy the ride! Stay tuned as we'll go rural and release Rick's trip to Montana's ranch land next week...
-- GP
(Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:06:21 MST)
Young filmmaker Rick Smith may look a little strange, but don't let the long hair and goofy smile put you off! He's had a camera in his hands for the past three years and been pointing it in every direction imaginable. Recently he tagged along on an architecture trip to the Bay area and "The Urban Aesthetic" is how he saw the city. Then he decided he'd ask his good friend Leif Routman to improvise a guitar line while watching the film. The result is part poetic, part design critique, part social commentary and all city-scape lifestyle. What does that mean? Who knows, but you'll enjoy the ride! Stay tuned as we'll go rural and release Rick's trip to Montana's ranch land next week...
-- GP
Shear Beauty
(Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:28:52 MST)
Filmmaker Charles Dye (of A Cat Called Elvis fame) returns for a beautifully poetic piece about the ancient ritual of shearing. The tools may have changed over the years but in many ways, the tradition is still the same. Relationships between humans and animals are complex and the relationship between animals and the landscape is even more complex. Humans bring animals. Animals change landscape. Landscape affects animals. Ultimately, the cycle continues as humans are affected by landscape. With a keen eye, Charles reveals an important moment of this cycle . . . and in the process, he reveals much about the links between ourselves and the animals that surround us.
-- ELB
(Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:28:52 MST)
Filmmaker Charles Dye (of A Cat Called Elvis fame) returns for a beautifully poetic piece about the ancient ritual of shearing. The tools may have changed over the years but in many ways, the tradition is still the same. Relationships between humans and animals are complex and the relationship between animals and the landscape is even more complex. Humans bring animals. Animals change landscape. Landscape affects animals. Ultimately, the cycle continues as humans are affected by landscape. With a keen eye, Charles reveals an important moment of this cycle . . . and in the process, he reveals much about the links between ourselves and the animals that surround us.
-- ELB
Celestial SEASON-ings
(Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:24:08 MST)
In honor of the Solstice, we pay homage this week to the movement of heavenly bodies. Ed Watkins intimate and funny portrait of the moon throughout history has some of the coolest NASA archival footage and graphics that you will ever see. Moon buffs - eat your heart out! And for those of you who have never given the moon a second thought, watch and learn . . . because if the next series of missions discovers frozen ice beneath the poles, we may be colonizing it before long. At the very least, we can look forward to some amazing adaptations of our terrestrial sporting events and perhaps something like the 1st X-Moon Games in 2027.
-- ELB
(Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:24:08 MST)
In honor of the Solstice, we pay homage this week to the movement of heavenly bodies. Ed Watkins intimate and funny portrait of the moon throughout history has some of the coolest NASA archival footage and graphics that you will ever see. Moon buffs - eat your heart out! And for those of you who have never given the moon a second thought, watch and learn . . . because if the next series of missions discovers frozen ice beneath the poles, we may be colonizing it before long. At the very least, we can look forward to some amazing adaptations of our terrestrial sporting events and perhaps something like the 1st X-Moon Games in 2027.
-- ELB
MANHATTAN TO MONGOLIA
(Sun, 29 Apr 2007 02:08:14 MST)
Break out the bubbly cuz we've WON A WEBBY award !! We're hitching our wagon to the next eastward-bound meteorite and landing in New York City for the awards ceremony on June 4th at New World Stages. Now, we've got to come up with a clever five-word acceptance speech! Any suggestions??
-- ELB
(Sun, 29 Apr 2007 02:08:14 MST)
Break out the bubbly cuz we've WON A WEBBY award !! We're hitching our wagon to the next eastward-bound meteorite and landing in New York City for the awards ceremony on June 4th at New World Stages. Now, we've got to come up with a clever five-word acceptance speech! Any suggestions??
Documentary filmmakers are famous for asking themselves the question: "Am I telling the true story?" This question has no real answer. When a story can be told from so many different angles, how do we decipher truth from fiction? As it turns out, this is a rhetorical question. Filmmakers ask because 'asking' allows them to tell their own story, uniquely, intutively, and personally. Our latest film is a real firecracker that asks all the right questions: 'A Cat Called Elvis' is an amazing first-person account of a twist on the typical American family holiday. For starters, the holiday takes place in a remote corner of Mongolia. Holiday activities include: scouring the mountains for snow leopards, camel riding, yurt-building, fighting off various foodborne illnesses, and generator maintenance. Come on America: forget the Virgin Islands, let's go to Mongolia next year!
-- ELB
HOTSPOTS
(Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:17:47 MST)
Well TERRA-FAMILIA, we've made headlines again! This time, we're nominated for a WEBBY in the Online Film & Video Awards. VOTE HERE! Winners will be announced May 1st. As always, thank you for your incredible support.
-- ELB
(Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:17:47 MST)
Well TERRA-FAMILIA, we've made headlines again! This time, we're nominated for a WEBBY in the Online Film & Video Awards. VOTE HERE! Winners will be announced May 1st. As always, thank you for your incredible support.
Hotspots are places with unusually high concentrations of biological diversity (we fancy LIFEONTERRA has become one now). They are literally the places where new species are born - breeding grounds for entire catalogs of unique lifeforms. In many ways, these hotspots are the true founts of variety - like the spice cabinets of evolution. And yet, local communities, like the one in Intag, Ecuador, featured in The Curse of Copper, are in the fight of their lives - attempting to hold onto sustainable practices in the face of huge economic and industrial pressures brought on by the global marketplace. And the people of Intag are winning!! Earth Day arrives on April 22nd - let's celebrate the work of those who are making the difference between the planet we end up with and the planet we choose.
-- ELB
Meanders, Eddies, and Rapids
(Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:57:15 MST)
Sometimes, it helps to get a new perspective on things. But occasionally, to get that perspective, you have to bend the rules. Take Bill Cummings, for example, who decided to voluntarily break the age-old Boy Scout caveat "Never stand in a canoe" in our latest episode Up a Creek.
-- ELB
(Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:57:15 MST)
Sometimes, it helps to get a new perspective on things. But occasionally, to get that perspective, you have to bend the rules. Take Bill Cummings, for example, who decided to voluntarily break the age-old Boy Scout caveat "Never stand in a canoe" in our latest episode Up a Creek.
Rules are meant to protect us, even shelter us, but behind that nice blanket of comfort and security sometimes we miss out on the realities of the bigger picture. As it turns out, you can learn a lot about the natural laws of a river by heading upstream. Today, a growing numbers of swimmers are headed upstream against the currents of environmental degradation. When swimming in cultural rapids, it is easy to get in over your head, so remember that you might need to experiment with a new perspective. Henry David Thoreau said it best: "if [the machine] is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine."
-- ELB
Meanders, Eddies, and Rapids
(Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:57:15 MST)
Sometimes, it helps to get a new perspective on things. But occasionally, to get that perspective, you have to bend the rules. Take Bill Cummings, for example, who decided to voluntarily break the age-old Boy Scout caveat "Never stand in a canoe" in our latest episode
-- ELB
(Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:57:15 MST)
Sometimes, it helps to get a new perspective on things. But occasionally, to get that perspective, you have to bend the rules. Take Bill Cummings, for example, who decided to voluntarily break the age-old Boy Scout caveat "Never stand in a canoe" in our latest episode
-- ELB
Blind Faith
(Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:00:53 MST)
Well, ladies and gentlemen, spring has officially arrived. Flowers are blooming in Montana, the grizzly bears have awoken, and amazing animal migrations have begun. Spring is many things to many creatures but no doubt it has sparked the enthusiasm of the subjects of our latest film, Kis-Ka-Dee, because it means that we are just one month away from the "Outta-Sight Song Birder Tournament." Remember, for this tournament, you must identify the birds by SOUND ONLY! I've rarely seen a group of people who seem to truly understand the beauty and magic of the natural world. You can't bottle the feeling of spring but you can certainly run with it - so get out there and enjoy!
-- ELB
(Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:00:53 MST)
Well, ladies and gentlemen, spring has officially arrived. Flowers are blooming in Montana, the grizzly bears have awoken, and amazing animal migrations have begun. Spring is many things to many creatures but no doubt it has sparked the enthusiasm of the subjects of our latest film, Kis-Ka-Dee, because it means that we are just one month away from the "Outta-Sight Song Birder Tournament." Remember, for this tournament, you must identify the birds by SOUND ONLY! I've rarely seen a group of people who seem to truly understand the beauty and magic of the natural world. You can't bottle the feeling of spring but you can certainly run with it - so get out there and enjoy!
-- ELB
Respect in Every Aspect
(Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:57:49 MST)
A DOZEN MORE TURNS is one of the most dramatic films I've seen in a long time. In fact, it is all the more personal for me because I spent this past New Year's Eve in the Colorado backcountry skiing with an amazing group (the Front Range Powder Factory) of friends who've done this same trip eight years in a row. We always have an amazing time and yes, there are moments when impulsive decisions have been made. However, it is so incredibly difficult to look back on those moments and think about what might have happened if things had gone wrong. Part of the bliss of the backcountry is leaving the rational everyday-decision making part of you at the trailhead and yet that must be complemented with a heavy dose of just plain old common sense. After all, the backcountry is a place we "return to" and not a place we "own."
-- ELB
(Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:57:49 MST)
A DOZEN MORE TURNS is one of the most dramatic films I've seen in a long time. In fact, it is all the more personal for me because I spent this past New Year's Eve in the Colorado backcountry skiing with an amazing group (the Front Range Powder Factory) of friends who've done this same trip eight years in a row. We always have an amazing time and yes, there are moments when impulsive decisions have been made. However, it is so incredibly difficult to look back on those moments and think about what might have happened if things had gone wrong. Part of the bliss of the backcountry is leaving the rational everyday-decision making part of you at the trailhead and yet that must be complemented with a heavy dose of just plain old common sense. After all, the backcountry is a place we "return to" and not a place we "own."
-- ELB
State of the Planet
(Sun, 28 Jan 2007 09:04:27 MST)
Greetings TERRAphiles,
-- ELB
(Sun, 28 Jan 2007 09:04:27 MST)
Greetings TERRAphiles,
The new show WARMING ISLAND is at once beautiful, tragic, informative, complex and straightforward. It reminds me of how difficult it often is to reduce the global environment into a single "soundbyte" or campaign. The candor of the Arctic explorer Dennis Schmitt speaks for itself in delivering a powerful summary of our current dilemma - I only wish our politicians dedicated less time and energy to bailing themselves out of trouble and had more time to observe and plan for the future. With this in mind, WARMING ISLAND is at the core of TERRA's "State of the Planet" address following on the heels of George W. Bush's State of the Union address last week. We hope that he (and the rest of Congress) can spare some time to watch!
-- ELB
State of the Planet
(Sun, 28 Jan 2007 05:25:04 MST)
Greetings Terraphiles,
-- - ELB
(Sun, 28 Jan 2007 05:25:04 MST)
Greetings Terraphiles,
The new show WARMING ISLAND is at once beautiful, tragic, informative, complex and straightforward. It reminds me of how difficult it often is to reduce things the global environment into one situation. The candor of the filmmakers speaks for itself in delivering a summary of our current dilemma - I only wish our politicians dedicated less time and energy bailing themselves out of trouble and more time observing and planning for the future. With this in mind, I think WARMING ISLAND is at the core of TERRA's "State of the Planet Address" this week following on the heels of the Bush's State of the Union last week. We hope he (and the rest of Congress) watches!
-- - ELB
Wild-life is calling!
(Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:12:14 MST)
Hi everyone! It has been a big week! First, we were featured on the iTunes Podcasts page this week and we've skyrocketed into the top ten once again in the Science & Medicine category. It is an amazing thing to know that a group of hard-working independent producers can compete at the very highest level with established organizations like National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.
-- ELB
(Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:12:14 MST)
Hi everyone! It has been a big week! First, we were featured on the iTunes Podcasts page this week and we've skyrocketed into the top ten once again in the Science & Medicine category. It is an amazing thing to know that a group of hard-working independent producers can compete at the very highest level with established organizations like National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.
Secondly, I think you all are in for a real treat with the latest show. We are continuing to mix it up by bringing you perspectives from artists with unique visions of the natural world. Oftentimes it seems like science and art are treated like an odd couple: acquaintances - maybe, friends - rarely, and soulmates - practically never. Yet the lives of successful artists and scientists couldn't be more similar - the long hours, the intense commitment, even the peer review. Maybe these fields have more in common than previously thought. "Painting the Wild" is an example of how keen observation, the key to both science and art, is the true catalyst for ingenuity.
-- ELB
Happy 2007! Natural BLING-BLING continues on the main screen.
(Sun, 07 Jan 2007 04:01:29 MST)
Part Three of "Jewels" is now available.
-- ELB
(Sun, 07 Jan 2007 04:01:29 MST)
Part Three of "Jewels" is now available.
In the 21st century, we've become increasingly depedent upon synthesized lab drugs even as resistance to these drugs produces ever stronger viruses. In order to reverse this trend, we will have to look to nature for compounds and microorganisms which cannot be developed in the lab.
"Jewels" also highlights the importance of cultural and natural preservation. It is one thing to preserve the rainforest. It is quite another to preserve the culture of the rainforest - the vast library of information which has been inherited by the native inhabitants of a place.
In 2007, let's try to do both:
1. Preserve place and 2. Preserve and appreciate the culture of place. These two go hand in hand and we need to respect them equally.
Filmmakers John and Sara Shier are available for questions in the [FORUM].
AND NEXT WEEK, are reintroduced wolves a threat to sustainable elk populations?
-- ELB
Happy 2007! Natural Bling-bling on the bigscreen.
(Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:02:53 MST)
Part Three of "Jewels" will be available January 7th. Modern medicine has made remarkable advances in the 20th century but indigenous and local knowledge is too-often simply ignored. We've become increasingly depedent upon synthesized laboratory drugs even as resistance to these drugs continues to produce stronger viruses. In order to reverse this trend, we will have to look to nature for compounds and microorganisms which cannot be developed in the lab. Furthermore, "Jewels" is important because it highlights the importance of cultural as well as natural preservation. It is one thing to preserve the rainforest. It is quite another to preserve the culture of the rainforest - the vast library of information which has been inherited by the native inhabitants of a place.
-- ELB
(Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:02:53 MST)
Part Three of "Jewels" will be available January 7th. Modern medicine has made remarkable advances in the 20th century but indigenous and local knowledge is too-often simply ignored. We've become increasingly depedent upon synthesized laboratory drugs even as resistance to these drugs continues to produce stronger viruses. In order to reverse this trend, we will have to look to nature for compounds and microorganisms which cannot be developed in the lab. Furthermore, "Jewels" is important because it highlights the importance of cultural as well as natural preservation. It is one thing to preserve the rainforest. It is quite another to preserve the culture of the rainforest - the vast library of information which has been inherited by the native inhabitants of a place.
In 2007, let's try to do both. 1. Preserve place and 2. Preserve the culture of place. These two go hand in hand and we need to respect them equally.
Filmmakers John and Sara Shier are available for questions in the [FORUM].
Happy Holidays Everyone! And stay tuned for more "Jewels."
-- ELB
DIDGERIDOOS AND OTHER NEWS!!
(Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:17:17 MST)
Thanks everyone for an overwhelmingly successful launch of the new site. You can find out more about "Making a Yidaki" by clicking the More Info tab in the show information. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS left unanswered by the film . . . so head to the [FORUM] to ask John and Sara Shier your nagging questions! And if you liked this show, you'll be interested to know that Djalu played an important role in a three-part series of shows about medicinal plants beginning next week called "Jewels of the Jungle" Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming release of "Jewels" and keep sending us your feedback. We love to hear it! Thanks again for being the best audience on the web. Yours truly, TERRA Producers
-- TERRA, ELB
(Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:17:17 MST)
Thanks everyone for an overwhelmingly successful launch of the new site. You can find out more about "Making a Yidaki" by clicking the More Info tab in the show information. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS left unanswered by the film . . . so head to the [FORUM] to ask John and Sara Shier your nagging questions! And if you liked this show, you'll be interested to know that Djalu played an important role in a three-part series of shows about medicinal plants beginning next week called "Jewels of the Jungle" Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming release of "Jewels" and keep sending us your feedback. We love to hear it! Thanks again for being the best audience on the web. Yours truly, TERRA Producers
-- TERRA, ELB
New TERRA web site
(Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:38:01 MST)
The new TERRA website has arrived. Have a look around. Make yourself comfortable. Take the webtour and check out some of the new features. The filmmaker behind "Christmas at the Bait Shop," Judy Irving, will be answering questions in the forum over the next few days. You can review the shows, add your own resources, and send feedback to us directly at info@lifeonterra.com. Or just grab some warm kettle corn and relax with a good movie. Remember, this space is for YOU to explore. Welcome to lifeonterra.
-- The TERRA Producers
(Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:38:01 MST)
The new TERRA website has arrived. Have a look around. Make yourself comfortable. Take the webtour and check out some of the new features. The filmmaker behind "Christmas at the Bait Shop," Judy Irving, will be answering questions in the forum over the next few days. You can review the shows, add your own resources, and send feedback to us directly at info@lifeonterra.com. Or just grab some warm kettle corn and relax with a good movie. Remember, this space is for YOU to explore. Welcome to lifeonterra.
-- The TERRA Producers