As the country is gaining consciousness of its own environmental impact, Locally Long Island seeks to bring that awareness to residents through a sustainability-themed movie series.
The recently established organization is featuring an 11-week film series at the Ethical Humanist Society. Sweet to Lick Vegan Bakery provides an organic vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free soup supper to start each Thursday evening. Each weekly session features an environmentally focused film followed by a guest speaker and discussion.
Locally Long Island works to connect global sustainability to locally relevant problems and solutions. Nassau County native and organization founder Melissa Boo received a Masters of Sustainability Management from Columbia University. Boo devotes her time to bringing environmental education to the community.
The series has drawn a consistent crowd of roughly 50 attendees for each film, and is growing gradually as the series progresses, according to Boo. Growing organically, news of the film is reaching local universities such as Farmingdale State College and weaving through the network of Long Island environmental activists.
Local initiatives are stemming from the discussion amongst participants. Locally Long Island plans to bring a Farmers Fair to Nassau County this April. The fair will advocate organic land use and healthfulness to preserve Long Island’s natural history.
Following a screening of Mother Nature’s Child, Jeannine Davis of the Waldorf School of Garden City spoke to the importance of gardening in a community. Breakout discussions with teachers and students in the crowd spurred plans for local gardening initiatives in homes and schools.
“It’s exactly the kind of dialogue that we were looking to start between all these related organizations that care about these issues,” said Boo.
Cofounder of Long Island Food Not Bombs Jon Stepanian spoke to land use and grassroots food distribution accompanying the screening of Food Stamped. Stepanian organizes food distributions each Sunday at the Hempstead train station, giving food that otherwise would go to waste to those in dire need.
In week two, EmPower Solar representative Tara Bono discussed “The Age of Plastic” as told by the film Plastic Planet. The reality of the age of plastic in which we live struck a chord with the audience.
“Plastic is really all pervasive in our lives. So to see a film that takes a deep look at each effect on our world touched a lot of people,” said Boo.
No Impact Man will be screened April 24 as it was rescheduled due to inclement weather. The film, the last of the series, features a New York City man as he attempts to change his lifestyle to one which does not negatively impact the earth.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the Ethical Humanist Society or Locally Long Island. The sponsors welcome all interested to participate in the remaining Thursday evenings.
