Sierra Club
"Americans have been waiting over 20 years for limits on mercury pollution from power plants, but the coal lobby has blocked them every step of the way," said Mary Anne Hitt, director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. "This week, we are urging President Obama to stand strong, close this glaring loophole, and issue long-overdue final protections from toxic mercury. As a mother, I am especially concerned about mercury, which threatens the health of unborn children. I know I join millions of moms across the country in welcoming these long-overdue protections."
The finalized, strong mercury protections expected next week would cut more than 90 percent of toxic mercury from coal-fired power plant pollution, reducing the contamination that leads to fish that are unsafe to eat.
Mercury Awareness Week event highlights include:
- Dec. 9, Las Vegas, Nev.—Rally and media event outside the Las Vegas federal building where Nevadans will talk about supporting clean air protections.
- Dec. 12, Albuquerque, N.M.—"Field Day" with games and activities for kids based on mercury fish advisories in New Mexico.
- Dec. 6, Los Angeles, Calif.—Petition delivery and public event in partnership with the L.A. Business Council pushing for solar programs and local clean energy solutions.
- Dec. 8, Little Rock, Ark.—Mercury-free lunch rally and press conference at the state capitol.
- Dec. 6, Austin, Texas—Event at Texas capitol with 1,600 ping-pong balls and a tiny vial showing how much mercury could contaminate an entire lake. Local coal plants are the largest source of mercury in Texas.
- All Week, Detroit, Mich.—Food drive for local shelter while also raising mercury awareness.
- Dec. 8, Charleston, W. Va.—Sierra Club, American Association of Pediatrics and Children's Health Network teach-in about mercury.
- Dec. 13, Pennsylvania and New Jersey—Reenactment of George Washington crossing the Delaware River, but with mercury coming across the river into New Jersey from coal pollution.
The Sierra Club will also release new online tools and resources later this week to help consumers make healthy choices about the seafood they eat. Stay tuned for additional details.
Mercury especially threatens pregnant women and young children. Alarmingly, as many as one in six American women have enough mercury in their bodies to put a baby at risk. That means that more than 300,000 babies are born each year at risk of mercury poisoning.
Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the U.S., accounting for more than 33 tons of this toxin being pumped into the air each year. Mercury poisoning can occur by eating contaminated fish, which absorb the toxin in polluted waterways, brought down by rain.
For more information about mercury or about local events, click here.
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!