SEAD (Scottish Education and Action for Development)

A great way to begin talking with your community about climate issues is to show a film and have a discussion. You can do this in your living room or in your local town hall – it depends how ambitious you are feeling!

Here are some films we think you might find useful. Most of these are available under a special license for educational public screenings, but check the downloadable guide to public screenings by clicking the link in the box.

An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore’s gripping and passionate examination of climate change and the environment. A useful way to reach out to people that are not really interested and don’t know anything about climate change.

Go to ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

The Power of Community

How Cuba survived their oil crisis. An inspirational story about how life changed drastically without cheap energy, but how the community pulled together to find solutions that have brought many unexpected benefits.

Go to ‘The Power of Community’

Baked Alaska

President Bush began the process to drill for oil in an Alaskan wildlife refuge. Native Alaskans are divided in opinion on this: The Inupiat people want jobs and money, but the Gwitchin people fear it will destroy their reindeer. Alaska’s environment is being destroyed by climate change.

Go to ‘Baked Alaska’

The Convenient Solution

Britain’s use of energy is currently very inefficient. Nuclear power does not appear to be a suitable solution. It would be too little too late (as well as producing nuclear waste). Energy production can be more efficient, clean and secure. This film includes case studies of how decentralised energy has been successfully implemented by others in Europe.

Go to ‘The Convenient Solution’

Peak Oil: Imposed By Nature

Introduces the energy crisis that we are facing. Its relationship to climate change is that the solutions to climate change are the same as the solutions to tackling peak oil. Moving away from dependence on an unsustainable energy resource.

Go to ‘Peak Oil: Imposed By Nature’

Carbon Connection

Two communities affected by the new global trade in emissions permits: in Scotland, a town polluted by oil and chemicals; in Brazil, water and land swallowed up by destructive eucalyptus plantations. Through sharing video diaries, the communities discover the connections they have with each other and the film follows them on this journey.

Go to ‘Carbon Connection’

End of Suburbia

Cheap oil has driven our societies’ development for the last century. Suburbia, with its huge energy needs, has embodied the American Dream. But with the decline of fossil fuel supplies upon us, what can be done as energy prices skyrocket?

Go to ‘End of Suburbia’