Anderson's Top Doc's: Environmental

In the 1980s, DeNoble was a research scientist at a major tobacco company, where he was tasked with finding a substitute for nicotine that would not cause heart attacks. He succeeded, but in the process, produced something that the industry had been denying and avoiding for years: scientific evidence that nicotine was addictive. Instead of remaining silent, DeNoble became one of the most important and influential whistleblowers of all time- testifying before Congress and setting off a chain of events that reverberates today.

This sobering documentary examines the incremental effects of climate change across the globe. Each degree of temperature change means devastating new consequences, and some scientists believe mankind is just six degrees away from utter disaster. Heat waves, drought, rising ocean levels and armed conflict over resources are just some of the grim predictions. Is there anything that can be done to reverse this alarming trend?

This documentary examines the ways in which plastic saturates our modern lives, and how our dependency on this petroleum product harms ourselves and our planet. See how plastic's toxic chemicals enter the food chain and other disturbing secrets.

In the desolate future of 2055, an archivist combs through a vast collection of videos to learn what went wrong with the planet. His research points to the first decade of the century, when humans blithely ignored the warning signs of climate change.

An unsettling wake-up call to all Americans, this documentary dissects the country's dependence on foreign pipelines, exposes rich oil companies' devious dealings, and explores alternative fuels as a viable solution to our global energy crisis. Narrated by actor Peter Gallagher, the film includes interviews with government officials, scientific experts, academics and politicians from both sides of the aisle.

The struggle between preserving public health and public treasures and satisfying the economy's never-ending hunger for new energy sources is played out in the scenic landscape of Garfield County, Colo. Narrated by Ali MacGraw, the film details the oil and natural gas industry's legacy of environmental damage and pollution in Colorado and elsewhere, as well as residents' battle to protect their health and their clean water supplies.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Animal Planet host and wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin take viewers around the globe for a two-part documentary on the threats to the world's environment. Filmed in 13 countries, "Planet in Peril" brings viewers the stories behind the statistics, uncovering places where environmental change is not a theory or a future forecast but a crisis happening in real time.

In this inspiring documentary, director Brian Hill profiles grassroots activists around the world who are acting locally to save Earth's environment, including a spirited group of teens in India crusading against the use of plastic bags.

Filmmakers Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman examine the case of Daniel McGowan, a member of the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front who was arrested for committing arson against two Oregon timber companies.

Bypassing politics and fingerpointing, this forward-thinking documentary zeroes in on enterprising individuals -- from a wind farmer to a solar-panel retrofitter -- who are devising business-minded ways to avert the looming climate crisis. The cross-country expedition yields encounters with Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson, Earth Day founder Denis Hayes and former CIA director James Woolsey, along with everyday pioneers in low-carbon living.

EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called non-human providers. With an in-depth study into pet stores, puppy mills and animals shelters, as well as factory farms, the leather and fur trades, sports and entertainment industries, and finally the medical and scientific profession, EARTHLINGS uses hidden cameras and never before seen footage to chronicle the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. Powerful, informative and thought-provoking, this is by far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests. http://youtu.be/19eBAfUFK3E

Michael Hart, a conventional livestock family farmer, has been farming in Cornwall for nearly thirty years and has actively campaigned on behalf of family farmers for over fifteen years, travelling extensively in Europe, India, Canada and the USA. In this short documentary he investigates the reality of farming genetically modified crops in the USA ten years after their introduction. He travels across the US interviewing farmers and other specialists about their experiences of growing GM. During the making of the film he heard problems of the ever increasing costs of seeds and chemicals to weeds becoming resistant to herbicides. US farmers told him that a single pass (one herbicide application) is a fallacy and concurred that three or more passes are the norm for GM crops. http://gmcropsfarmertofarmer.com/film.html

Humanity's ascent is often measured by the speed of progress. But what if progress is actually spiraling us downwards, towards collapse? Ronald Wright, whose best-seller, A Short History Of Progress inspired Surviving Progress, shows how past civilizations were destroyed by "progress traps" - alluring technologies and belief systems that serve immediate needs, but ransom the future. As pressure on the world's resources accelerates and financial elites bankrupt nations, can our globally-entwined civilization escape a final, catastrophic progress trap? With potent images and illuminating insights from thinkers who have probed our genes, our brains, and our social behavior, this requiem to progress-as-usual also poses a challenge: to prove that making apes smarter isn't an evolutionary dead-end. (SurvivingProgress.com).

When we make war, we destroy not only the enemy, we destroy our earth as well. In all its stages - from the production of weapons through combat to clean up - war entails actions that pollute land, air and water, destroy biodiversity and drain natural resources. Yet the environmental damage caused by war (and preparations for war) is under-reported, even ignored. The environment is war's silent casualty. Using specialist and eyewitness accounts from Vietnam and Afghanistan to Australia and the Pacific Islands and supported by on-site and archival footage, Scarred Lands and Wounded Lives shows how war and preparations for war further compromise the environmental health of a planet already under stress from massive population increases, unsustainable demands on natural resources, and ruinous environmental practices.

The film investigates multiple angles of the recent bee epidemic colony collapse disorder. It also explores the historical and contemporary relationship between bees and humans. Taking us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. Together they reveal both the problems and the solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature.

In this straight-from-the-headlines documentary, award-winning filmmakers Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack examine the world's dependency on oil and the impending chaos that's sure to follow when the resource finally runs dry.

With volatile energy prices, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been a primary target in the debate over our energy future. Powerful political forces are working to take advantage of the current economic climate to "drill here, drill now," pushing politicians who were previously opposed to drilling to reconsider their positions. Now, more than ever, crucial decisions confront our government.

Woody Harrelson hosts this exploration of the systemic ways in which modern society is self-destructing, from the disproportionate power of corporations, media and the military to the failure of government and democratic ideals.

Joe Berlinger's provocative documentary explores the ongoing battle waged by 30,000 indigenous Ecuadorans and their lawyers against Chevron for dumping billions of gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon, a catastrophe dubbed the "Amazon Chernobyl."

In this documentary, filmmakers Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand (Blue Vinyl) follow a troupe of self-proclaimed global warming "warriors" on a mission to get the world to care about rising temperatures and melting polar ice caps. Taking a topic that's inherently serious and applying their signature blend of humor and emotional heft, Gold and Helfand advance the environmental dialogue in a surprisingly entertaining way.

Narrated by Malcolm McDowell, this award-winning documentary from director Sam Bozzo posits that we're moving closer to a world in which water -- a seemingly plentiful natural resource -- could actually incite war. As water becomes an increasingly precious commodity, corrupt governments, corporations and even private investors are scrambling to control it which leaves everyday citizens fighting for a substance they need to survive.

Planet Earth is the most spectacular look at our planet that has ever been broadcast. It has made millions of viewers aware of the breathtaking beauty and variety of life on our planet, and just as importantly how fragile that life can be. The premise of Planet Earth - The Future is to identify environmental and conservation issues that surround some of the sequences in Planet Earth, and put these issues to leading commentators, including NGO's, politicians and religious leaders James Leape (WWF International), Jeffrey McNeely (World Conservation Union), and the Archbishop of Canterbury to name but a few of the 35 contributors. We are living in destructive times, and our responsibility for the planet's stewardship is something none of us can afford to ignore. Comprised of transcripts from the series interviews, thoughtfully edited and abbreviated, this compelling and insightful book serves as a timely reminder of what needs to be done and what can be done to keep Planet Earth alive.

Forty years ago, a voracious predator was introduced into the waters of Tanzania's Lake Victoria where it quickly extinguished the entire stock of native fish. Its ecological impact aside, the Nile Perch became highly prized for its tender, plump fillets, hardly meeting the demand at elegant 4-star European restaurants. Huge, empty foreign cargo planes land to export the lake's gourmet bounty, taking out 55 tons of processed fish daily. In their wake, they leave starving villagers to scrounge a meal out of the discarded fish heads and rotting carcasses. With massive epidemics, raging civil wars, crime, homelessness, and drug-addicted children, the question becomes: what do the reportedly "empty" planes deliver to this destitute community? The answer is as shocking as it is devastating, and Darwin's Nightmare becomes a nightmare for all mankind.

Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores" -- or self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both dignity and despair as the catadores begin to re-imagine their lives.

A riveting story of transformation and healing, Peaceable Kingdom explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life. Presented through a woven tapestry of memories, music, and breathtaking accounts of life-altering moments, the film provides insight into the farmers' sometimes amazing connections with the animals under their care, while also making clear the complex web of social, psychological and economic forces that have led them to their present dilemma. Interwoven with the farmers' stories is the dramatic animal rescue work of a newly-trained humane police officer whose sense of justice puts her at odds with the law she is charged to uphold. With strikingly honest interviews and rare footage demonstrating the emotional lives and intense family bonds of animals most often viewed as living commodities, this groundbreaking documentary shatters stereotypical notions of farmers, farm life, and perhaps most surprisingly, farm animals themselves. www.PeaceableKingdomFilm.org