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One of the offerings is "Oil and Water Project," about a 35,000-kilometer trip in a refurbished Toyota fire truck that runs on vegetable oil.
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Stroud Center hosts film festival
The short documentaries will focus on conserving water and other natural resources.
While a little boy lets the tap run in a bathroom sink, his older sister watches in horror as the water seems to drain from an aquarium containing her pet fish.
Fortunately for the fish, the girl turns off the tap just in time in this short film aptly titled "Carpa Diem," one of several documentaries featured at the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival being hosted by the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Locally sponsored by Trail Creek Outfitters and several other area businesses, the festival will spotlight a variety of award-winning short films by independent filmmakers who are passionate about conserving natural resources.
All proceeds from the $20 event, which includes cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, will go to the Stroud Water Research Center, a nonprofit scientific research organization that has studied fresh water quality and availability for more than 40 years, said Liz Brooking, director of communications and marketing.
According to Brooking, the center's team of scientists monitors for the presence of contaminants in streams, rivers and their watersheds, including the Brandywine, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the world.
"Our findings help people make informed decisions about water-related issues, including land-use planning, storm-water management, and water treatment and conservation, all of which affect water quality," Brooking said.
Much of the center's research is conducted in the streams and rivers on its 1,800-acre experimental watershed along part of White Clay Creek. The center also offers a public lecture series and hands-on educational programs for all ages.
The film festival, Brooking said, is intended to introduce the center to new audiences and to inspire the public to appreciate the value of conserving water.
"When people see these films, hopefully they will realize that there are things they can do in their daily lives to [improve] the quality and availability of water for future generations," she said.
Ed Camelli, co-owner of Trail Creek Outfitters, said his store offered to sponsor the festival because "it's a great way to benefit the environment" and because the Stroud Water Research Center is a local organization that is internationally renowned for its research.
"We like that it's right in our backyard," Camelli said, "and that it deals with water, the basis for all life."
Festival Films
"For the Price of Coffee," directed by Hypatia Porter (15 minutes): A San Francisco-based film about the life cycle of a paper cup and its impact on the environment.
"Against the Current," directed by Kathy Kasic (19 minutes): Four people - two ranchers, a biologist, and an environmental lawyer - work together to restore a river.
"Carpa Diem," directed by Sergio Cannella (2 minutes): A young boy nearly drains his sister's aquarium of water when he runs the tap in a nearby bathroom.
"Oil and Water Project," directed by Seth Warren (33 minutes): Two friends travel 35,000 kilometers in a refurbished Toyota fire truck that runs exclusively on vegetable oil.
"Organism," directed by Ken Glaser (8 minutes): Thousands of birds put on an amazing show for two evenings outside a Kmart in Diamond Bar, Calif., before coming to rest on a large tree.
"Gimme Green," directed by Isaac Brown and Eric Flagg (27 minutes): The film spotlights Americans' obsession with lawn care and the impact of this $40 billion industry on the environment.
"Water Loving Doggies," directed by River Mon (5 minutes): The adventures of some "furry friends" as they travel down California's Yuba River.
"Fridays at the Farm," directed by Richard Power Hoffman (19 minutes): A filmmaker uses time-lapse photography and nearly 20,000 still images to reveal the natural processes of food cultivation.
