“Water Blues, Green Solutions” – Penn State documentary explores innovative green solutions
Director of photography Mark Stitzer of Penn State Public Media films scientists from the San Antonio River Authority testing for water quality. (Photo credit: Penn State Public Media)
Documentary Looks at Cities Using Natural Systems to Improve Water Supplies
A new interactive documentary created by film makers at Penn State University’s Public Media explores how cities across the country are adopting innovative green solutions for their water blues such as out-of-date water infrastructure, rainwater / stormwater runoff and record-breaking droughts.
“Water Blues, Green Solutions” is a 60-minute documentary that originated from a simultaneous understanding of what was going on with the landscape architecture and design professions and the changing regulations for storm water management. This paralleled a significant program in the Penn State College of Arts & Architecture.
Value of Ecosystem Services
Faculty members Stuart Echols and Eliza Pennypacker were awarded an United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to look at the public perception and acceptance of “green” infrastructure. After talking with landscape architecture and civil engineering faculty, and meeting with The American Society of Landscape Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council, Penn State Public Media took on the project.
“The key concept driving this project is the value of ecosystem services,” said Tom Keiter, executive producer of the documentary. “In a place like New York, it can be more cost-effective for a construction project to use natural system designs for water management.”
“Water Blues, Green Solutions” takes viewers on a journey to cities like Philadelphia, Portland, San Antonio, and the Bronx showcasing communities that are using green infrastructure — land conservation, green roofs, rain gardens, porous surfaces, and other methods — to remedy the challenges of flooding, pollution and scarcity.
The film has been distributed to public broadcasting stations across the United States. “We want Water Blues to attract a national audience to move people to think differently,” said Frank Christopher, the film’s director, producer and writer. “I want people to ask the question, ‘Why aren’t we doing that?’”
To Learn More:
Penn State Public Media has launched an in-depth website that allows visitors to create their own virtual experiences of the film’s locations and themes. For more information about the documentary, including telecast dates, visit the “Water Blues, Green Solutions” website at www.waterblues.org.
In addition, click on Penn State’s Sustainability Institute, Public Media at work on “Green Solutions”.