Educational Media Reviews Online

Late Lessons from Early Warnings: Cultivating Environmental Foresight is a series of four brilliantly conceived stories showing how progress and the quest for something better impact the environment and our health.

Leaded Gasoline: Trading IQ for Octane is the first in the series presenting the history of leaded gasoline, despite the knowledge that lead was a known hazardous substance. One focus of the film is a study that was done showing that children with higher lead concentrations had a lower IQ than those with lower concentrations. The film explores the health-related and economic consequences of what was once considered a boon to modern society.

Smog: The Sweet Smell of Success, second in the series, delivers a fascinating, sometimes choking, story of how economic progress is offset by the very real health effects. The film uses haunting images of smog filled towns and cities to tell its story. As you watch the film, you almost feel that it is difficult to breathe based on the visuals alone.

Killing the Aral Sea: Catastrophe by Design, third in the series, shows the price of progress and obsolescence. A simple damning project altered the Aral Sea for generations. The Soviet Government re-routed the rivers feeding the Aral in favor of developing unused land for cotton production. While cotton production was economically successful, the fishing industry on the Aral suffered.

Asbestos: Magic Mineral, Killer Dust, fourth in the series, weaves the tale of an incredibly strong material used in everything from insulation to flooring and siding. The wonder material was used for years before anyone connected the dust from the product to lung disease and cancer.

Each topic is well-researched as exhibited by the excellent use of archival footage. The audio on the archival film clips is scratchy and unbalanced but is period authentic. Each film presents a balanced view of the issues. While the subjects can conjure a range of emotions, each piece ends on a positive note so as to not leave the viewer feeling completely hopeless.

Killing the Aral Sea deserves special mention for its use of subtitles. Subtitles are often difficult to read and divert attention from the subject of the film. The subtitles, white lettering in a subtle black box, are very easy to read.

College and university libraries with programs in environmental studies and public health would benefit from having this series in their collection. High school classes could utilize these films to get young people thinking about how their decisions will impact future generations. These films are highly recommended.