Wednesday, August 26, 2009

A Sea Change Movie: Imagine a world without fish.

By Joanie Bergeron Poudrier

“Imagine a world without fish” is the first thought introducing A Sea Change movie trailer.

If this phrase doesn’t make you think, react, or press play to watch the film preview, either you’re just cold-blooded or maybe you just didn’t think it through. (Hoping you choose the second answer).

Take a few minutes to imagine how your life would become without fish or sea mammals. For me, this would be catastrophic!

Why would we be diving or snorkeling for, if there were no fish to observe?

Whale watching expeditions would become pointless.

When on vacation, swimming with dolphins would no longer be possible.

A feast of freshly cut, lobster or shrimps, wouldn’t be on the menu anymore.

And the list of things that would change goes on and on…

Synopsis:

"This film is both a love letter to the planet and an urgent plea to its citizens."
—Justin Berton, San Francisco Chronicle

A Sea Change follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what is happening to the world’s oceans. After reading Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Darkening Sea,” Sven becomes obsessed with the rising acidity of the oceans and what this “sea change” bodes for humans. His quest takes him to Alaska, California, Washington, and Norway as he uncovers a worldwide crisis that most people are unaware of. Speaking with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists, and artists, Sven discovers that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is dissolving in our oceans, changing sea water chemistry. The more acidic water makes it difficult for tiny creatures at the bottom of the food web to form their shells. The effects could work their way up to the fish 1 billion people depend upon for their source of protein.

A Sea Change is also a touching portrait of Sven’s relationship with his grandchild Elias. As Sven keeps a correspondence with the little boy, he mulls over the world that he is leaving for future generations. A disturbing and essential companion piece to "An Inconvenient Truth", A Sea Change brings home the indisputable fact that our lifestyle is changing the earth, despite our rhetoric or wishful thinking.

A Sea Change is the first documentary about ocean acidification, directed by Barbara Ettinger and co-produced by Sven Huseby of Niijii Films. Chock full of scientific information, the feature-length film is also a beautiful paen to the ocean world and an intimate story of a Norwegian-American family whose heritage is bound up with the sea.

Watch «A Sea Change» trailer now!









Alarming Facts

What is "ocean acidification"? All of the pollution in the atmosphere from cars, power plants and other smokestack industries--doesn't stay there. Much of it is absorbed by the oceans, where it becomes carbonic acid, with effects potentially as catastrophic as those of global warming.

What are the potential long-term consequences? Ocean acidification threatens over 1,000,000 species with extinction--and with them, our entire way of life.

Can the scenario really be this grim? How come I never heard of it before? There is so much effort taking place to decrease the effects of climate change on the earth surface, that the menace for our oceans was unnoticed. Ocean acidification is a big threat and A Sea Change is there to bring awareness and to inspire people to take action around this issue.


For dates and listing of the screenings.

For more info about what you can do to help.

Meet the producers and the crew of A Sea Change.

Photo legend:Sven and his grandson walking on a California beach

This is a much needed film! People don’t think about the impact we have on sea creatures, and I swear some people don’t think of them as animals the same as other animals. People should check out http://www.vegstarterpack.com if you watch this movie and want to make a dietary diff that can help!

A Sea Change will focus public attention on this urgent but little-known crisis. It follows retired educator and concerned grandfather Sven Huseby back to stunning ancestral sites (Norway, Alaska the Pacific Northwest) where he finds cutting-edge ocean research underway. His journey of self-discovery brings adventure, surprise and revelation to the hard science of acidification.
(by Electric treadmill)