Educational Media Reviews Online

Program 1 – Economics Economists define economics as a system of power. This program is not typical textbook theories, but rather social activists, writers and alternative thinkers, taking a social issues stance. The philosophies of these experts are mainly anti-capitalist who do not serve the corporate world and are not impressed with government that has been corrupted by the forces of big corporations. We hear about how capitalism is a manipulation and that the movement opposing the status quo is one that is growing.

Both U.S. and Canadian ideas are seen: Maude Barlow, Jim Green, and Bruce Campbell are a few of the Canadians. Paul Hawken, Amory and Hunter Lovins and David Korten are some of the Americans. Narrated by writer Des Kennedy.

Program 2 – Cultivating Change This program is inspirational in that it shows gardening can change people’s lives, give them hope and purpose. It can build community. Some of the projects that are highlighted are: Catherine Sneed’s Garden Project in San Francisco, beside a police station; an inner city garden in Oakland, CA; a rooftop garden on the Bruce Eriksen Residence in Vancouver’s poor East side; and the organic Providence Farm on Vancouver Island, managed by the disabled residents.

The program presents each project from the perspective of its Director and from one of THE people affected by the program. The neighbours see the gardens transform bare ground and the residents become respectful for life, become knowledgeable about food and caring each other.

These two programs are very different and independent in content. They are mainly talking heads, although the gardening program, Cultivating Change has more interesting visuals, while the Economics program is visually boring. The message has to be the reason one would purchase this program as the visual medium has not been utilized to its advantage. The style of the Economics program is simply one expert talking intercut with another expert talking. Their message and enthusiasm for delivering it is the saving grace.

The programs would be suitable for different courses. Although both are an introduction to innovations that could reinvent the world, from an academic viewpoint, the courses which might use this material would be sociology, economics and urban studies. Since these were made for broadcast on Vision TV, a public library collection that has borrowers interested in politics and economics would benefit from these upbeat documentaries.

Awards: 2nd place and Honorable Mention, Earthvision International Environmental Video Festival and Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival