Daniel Hinerfeld's Blog: Moving Beyond Oil

Sigourney's Eco Double Feature: AVATAR & ACID TEST

2009-12-04T18:39:59Z

As parents of a toddler, my wife and I don’t get to the movies much, but we’ve already lined up a babysitter for December 18, the night James Cameron’s AVATAR opens. Though I’m excited to see the 3D visual effects, which are supposed to be mind-blowing, what really intrigues me is the film’s environmental theme, and that it co-stars Sigourney Weaver in her second eco-pic of the year.

Sigourney’s other environmentally themed film this year is called ACID TEST, a documentary I co-directed about the global challenge of ocean acidification.

Since having the opportunity to work with Sigourney, it’s been a real treat to go back and watch, with new perspective, her performances in films like The Ice Storm, Working Girl, Gorillas in the Mist, and Alien. I can’t wait to see how Sigourney inhabits the role of Dr. Grace Augustine, the botanist she plays in AVATAR.

Since ACID TEST premiered on Discovery Planet Green in August, Sigourney has done a brilliant job raising awareness about the threat to our oceans from rising acidity caused by CO2 pollution. She’s given TV, radio print and web interviews, appeared at screenings, including one on Capitol Hill for U.S. senators and their staff, and pulled off an amazing Trojan Horse gambit on Fox and Friends, using a segment that was supposed to be largely about AVATAR to focus exclusively on ACID TEST and the looming crisis of ocean acidification.

Sigourney’s commitment to environmental protection is really admirable, and it’s great that her new blockbuster will bring a message about respect for nature to an audience of millions.

Plumber Joe Wants Solar Power and a Plug-in Hybrid

2008-10-16T23:03:22Z

I've been fascinated by CNN's "live audience reaction meter" during the presidential debates. The meter's green and orange lines rose and fell as 30-or-so undecided male and female voters in CNN's focus group indicated how they felt about what the candidates said.

After watching all four debates, it appears that each time any candidate spoke about developing clean alternatives to fossil fuels and using energy more efficiently, undecided voter approval hit the ceiling.

But even more interesting is the way these undecided voters discriminate among different alternatives to oil. For instance, in the third and final presidential debate (scroll to “oil imports”), voter approval rises marginally in response to nuclear power as a way to reduce oil imports from the Middle East and Venezuela. But the moment wind, tide, and solar power are mentioned, both lines jump up, with undecided men apparently registering maximum approval.

A moment later, as so called "clean coal" rears its filthy head, the lines begin to come down again.

Likewise, notice how expanded offshore drilling doesn't get nearly as high an approval response as the prospect of building highly fuel efficient cars right here in the United States.

The evidence is clear: approximately 30 undecided voters in Ohio favor clean, renewable energy and efficiency over fossil fuels and nuclear power. That's one unscientific message all elected officials should take to heart.

Reminder to readers: Comments on the substance are always fair game, but we cannot accept comments on candidates or the election. Thanks.