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That said, nothing beats the 1972 film version
of Dr Seuss’ The Lorax, where a cartoon
industrialist (aren’t they all?) ignores
the voice of nature and pays the price.
Another animated can't-miss is 1992’s
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest, in which
forest pixies save a lumberjack from crazed
mechanized clear-cutting bulldozers. If
your little ones like that one, you can
rent them the sequel, Ferngully 2.
While other animated films may not address
environmental themes so directly, many generate
empathy toward nature and wildlife. King
among these would be Finding Nemo, the animated
blockbuster starring a fish. Disney’s
1992 The Little Mermaid also gets high marks
for sending positive messages about undersea
life. Meanwhile, A Bug’s Life and
Antz, both originally released in 1998,
paint insects and their ecosystems in a
favorable if cartoony light.
Perhaps on a scale better for kids, 1995’s
Baltobased on a true story but rendered
in stunning animation--tells the heart-warming
tale of how an Alaskan sled dog helps save
the village of Nome from diphtheria. And
the highest-grossing animated film of the
20th Century, The Lion King, puts the wild
life of Africa’s Serengeti into a
majestic format which kids love to take
in over and over and over again.
Meanwhile, the original Free Willy from
1993 gets kudos for teaching kids about
some weighty themes, but along those same
lines, it might be best for older kids.
Similarly, The Secret of Nimh and Plague
Dogs, both from 1982, and 1978’s Watership
Down are great environmental movies, but
might best be saved for older kids who can
deal with more complex issues and emotions.
Those looking for more details on environmental
movies for kids and adults alike would enjoy
reading David Ingram’s book Green
Screen: Environmentalism and Hollywood Cinema.
The book is organized by environmental theme
and provides critical reviews of hundreds
of movies accordingly. Another good resource
is the Internet Movie Database, which offers
information and user reviews on just about
every movie ever released.
CONTACTS:
Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com
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Dear EarthTalk:
Which carpet cleaners are safe for the environment
and my
family’s health?
—
Roger Schatz, Chicago, IL
Most of the carpet cleansers on store shelves
today contain toxic ingredients such as
petroleum solvents and glycol ethers that
are effective on tough rug stains but harmful
to both the environment and our health.
First concocted in industry labs in the
1950s, these chemicals have been linked
to a wide range of human health maladies.
According to Cynthia Wilson of the Chemical
Injury Information Network, aside from the
headaches and respiratory, throat, nose
and eye irritation that can result from
just mild exposure, longer-term exposure
can result in damage to the central nervous
system, kidneys and liver--even the inhibition
of the body’s ability to produce blood.
Fortunately, in recent years a number of
companies have come to the fore and developed
kinder and gentler alternatives. Seventh
Generation’s non-toxic, biodegradable
Carpet Cleaner, for instance, uses natural
citrus and hydrogen peroxide to remove spots
and stains due to everything from coffee
and pet stains to ground-in dirt, grease
and other oil-based soils--all without leaving
behind potentially hazardous fumes or residues.
The company claims that if every household
in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of
solvent-based carpet cleaner with its product,
Americans would prevent 11 million pounds
of petroleum based solvents and glycol ethers
from entering our environment.
Meanwhile, Earth Friendly Products’
Everyday Stain and Odor Remover employs
natural enzymes instead of harsh chemicals
to lift carpet stains and get rid of pet
odors. And the company’s Carpet Shampoo
with Bergamot and Sage, for use in carpet
cleaning equipment, is free of phosphates,
chlorine, petrochemicals and other harsh
chemicals. Bi-O-Kleen, Enviro-Rite and Natural
Choices are a few other green-friendly brands
with similar formulations. Large natural
food markets like Whole Foods and Wild Oats
usually stock a wide range of these products,
but they can also be obtained online via
Kokopelli’s Green Market and directly
from the makers’ websites.
For big or particularly messy jobs, outsourcing
the job to green-friendly pros might be
the easiest way to go. Bio-Tech All Natural,
for instance, which serves the San Francisco
Bay area, employs natural enzymes in an
all-natural cleaning process that deep cleans
carpeting without chemicals in area homes
and offices. It’s patent-pending “Naturell
Clean” product is available in some
janitorial supply and carpet maintenance
supply stores and is also employed by other
commercial cleaning establishments.
Another alternative for cleaning seriously
soiled carpets is to rent a steam-cleaning
machine. Steamatic and other manufacturers
offer environmentally friendly all-in-one
units that dispense hot water and emulsifiers
(which attract debris) and vacuum up everything
but the carpet fibers and base. Given that
many carpets are laden with unhealthy chemicals
right off the assembly line, steam cleaning
might just get your carpet cleaner than
the day it was installed.
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