Everything's Cooler - A community engagement campaign by Working Films

Everything's Cool in Theaters This Weekend

2007-11-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

Everything's Cool is Opening for a One Week Run in NY and LA this weekend.

Please spread the word and come out to support this great film.

Downtown LA's Laemmle Grande 4-Plex
345 S. Figueroa Street
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 90048
(213) 617-0268
www.laemmle.com
Showtimes: Fri-Sun: 1:10 PM, 3:20 PM, 5:30 PM, 7:40 PM, 10:00 PM
Mon - Thurs: 5:30 PM, 7:40 PM

NYC's Cinema Village
22 East 12th Street
New York, New York 10003
(212) 924-3363
www.cinemavillage.com
Showtimes: 1:10 PM, 3:20 PM, 5:10 PM, 7:00 PM, 9:10 PM

Special NYC Question & Answer sessions
Fri. Nov 23rd 7:00pm w/ filmmakers Daniel B. Gold, Judith Helfand and Adam Wolfensohn with character Rick Piltz
Sat Nov. 24th 1:10pm w/ filmmaker Judith Helfand and Greenpeace
Sat Nov. 24th 7:00pm w/ filmmaker Judith Helfand
Sun. Nov 25th 7:00pm w/ filmmakers Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand and Green Drinks
Mon. Nov 26th 7:00pm w/ filmmaker Daniel B. Gold and NY League of Conservation Voters
Tues. Nov 27th 7:00pm (limited seating left) w/ filmmakers Judith Helfand and Adam Wolfensohn and NRDC
Thur. Nov. 29th 7:00pm w/ filmmaker Adam Wolfensohn and Hazon

Everything's Cool is a must see for anyone who is wondering whether to change their light bulbs or how to vote.

Visit the website to watch THE TRAILER!

2007-11-02T12:37:00.000-05:00

Going to Power Shift this weekend? This is not only your chance to connect with 5,000 other youth climate change activists, its’ also your chance to catch up with one of the stars of Everything’s Cool and one of the bad boys of the climate change movement, Michael Shellenberger. That’s right the famous, or in some circles, infamous co-author of The Death of Environmentalism will be at Power Shift to talk about his vision for a new energy economy. Thanks to our Friends at Energy Action, you can read a great interview with Michael at the It’s Getting Hot in Here blog. Check out what Michael has to say about the youth climate movement and then find out how to host a screening and watch him and fellow bad boy Ted Nordhaus in action in Everything’s Cool.

You're the Messenger. Make a 60 second spot to save the Earth... And win a new hybrid!

2007-09-10T14:17:00.000-05:00

Ok all you aspiring filmmakers. ..If you've been inspired by the global warming messengers in Everything's Cool, now's your chance to put your filmmaking skills to use and do your part to get the message out about global warming. Current TV's 60 Seconds to Save the Earth contest is your chance to encourage folks to be part of the solution (and for you to win prizes) . You just have to make a spot of 15, 30, 45 or 60 seconds that inspires people to get off the couch and do their part to reverse global warming. For more info on the contest check out the 60 Seconds to Save the Earth page on the Current TV site.

Dan and Judith on the Record: An Interview at the Traverse City Film Festival

2007-08-23T08:38:00.000-05:00

You can get the latest dish from co-directors Judith and Dan in their interview with the Traverse City Record Eagle. Judith and Dan were in town for a screening of Everything's Cool at the Traverse City Film Festival, a relatively new but highly successful festival held in this Michigan city and started by the state's favorite documentary filmmaker Michael Moore. For more information about the goings on in Traverse visit the festival's official website.

Lessons from School House Rock... Make sure clean energy legislation doesn't stay "Just a Bill"

2007-08-13T07:56:00.000-05:00

Remember that School House Rock segment called I'm Just a Bill , where the scroll of paper named Bill talks with a little boy about how he wants to become a law? Well just like the cartoon Bill the clean energy legislation passed by the House and Senate has not quite become law.

The good news is that the hard work of activists like us assured that the House version of the bill included a renewable energy standard (RES) that requires utilities to get at least 15% of their electricity from clean, US based, renewable energy sources by 2020, and the Senate version included an increase in CAFE, or fuel efficiency standards for vehicles. The bad news is that the differences between the two bills have to be hammered out in conference committee and then, just like we learned from School House Rock, the final version must be signed by the president. For this clean energy bill to have the same happy ending as the school house rock Bill, who does become a law, we must keep up our pressure on President Bush and our Congressional representatives. Read more about the legislation at It's Getting Hot in Here, a blog by youth climate change activists, and then find the find and write your elected officials to tell them you want both increased CAFE standards and the RES in the final version of the bill.

Focus The Nation Wins MySpace Impact Award

2007-07-27T12:01:00.000-05:00

Focus The Nation, a Campaign partner of Everything’s Cool, won the MySpace Impact Award for Environmentalism. Focus The Nation is a major educational initiative that is coordinating teams of faculty, students and staff at colleges, universities and high schools in the United States, to collaboratively engage in a nationwide, interdisciplinary discussion centered around the theme of Global Warming Solutions for America on January 31, 2008. This award honors MySpace members for the positive impact they’ve had on our culture and it includes a $10,000 prize and a month of exposure on the site.

Past winners of the MySpace Impact Awards include Skate 4 Cancer, Surfrider Foundation, Invisible Children and ONE.

Global Warming goes Mainstream: NPR Climate Connections Series

2007-07-26T08:08:00.000-05:00

Want to know what's happening to farmers on the Cape Verde Islands because of global warming? For info about how these islands off the coast of Africa, along with the rest of the world, are being affected by human fueled climate change you can tune into National Public Radio (NPR). On both their morning and afternoon news shows they are is doing a year long series called Climate Connections that features stories about "how climate changes people and how people change climate." In addition to the radio stories the Climate Connections website features interactive games and tools for learning more about your own carbon footprint and an archive of past stories.

Exxon Mobil - Still Funding the Nay-Sayers

2007-05-23T08:21:00.000-05:00

BusinessGreen blog gives an update -- Exxon Mobil is still funding global warming deniers.

Research from Greenpeace gives the full story: "We have found that, despite the rhetoric, ExxonMobil continues to fund the majority of the organizations which have been central to the global warming denial campaign the company has run for the past decade or more."

Check out the blog: View from the States: Exxon Mobil - The Rest of the Story
May 22, 2007

Scientists Warn of Severe Effects of Global Warming

2007-05-07T09:13:00.000-05:00

From time to time Working Films finds interesting news articles we want to share with you.

Check out this article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the testimony of experts witnesses who shared their concerns about the impact of global climate change with Congress. Also take a look at the responses of Congressional Representatives who don't believe the scientists. This article reminds me how much work there is to do. Like the global warming messengers in Everything's Cool we all have to keep up the pressure to make sure that more of our leaders understand the reality of global warming.

Scientists warn of global warming doom; skeptics scoff
By BOB DART
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/27/07

"Mexican butterflies fluttering around Austin, Texas, could be harbingers of a global apocalypse caused by climate change, scientists warned a congressional committee Thursday.

Global warming is reaching a point at which flooding, pestilence, fire, disease and starvation could threaten human existence, academics told the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Earth is approaching "tipping points of the system with the potential for irreversible deleterious effects," said James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies..."]

Read the entire article here.

Pope urges world leaders to fight global warming

2007-05-04T15:35:00.000-05:00

Working Films is always on the lookout for new developments in the news about global warming. This is the first in a series of future posts highlighting interesting news articles we think you might like to have a look at.

Increasingly a diverse set of constituencies is lining up to fight global warming, and one of these constituencies is the world's Catholics. At a recent Vatican conference on climate change Pope Benedict said that scientists, religious leaders, and political leaders should "respect creation" while "focusing on the needs of sustainable development." To find out more about how the Catholic Church is responding to global climate change read this article that we found in London's The Guardian newspaper.

Protect God's Creation: Vatican issues new green message for world's Catholics
John Vidal and Tom Kington in Rome
Friday April 27, 2007
The Guardian

Read the entire article here.

Reaching Out on Global Warming

2007-04-26T13:46:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, April 15th Everything’s Cool co-director Judith Helfand and Robert West, co-founder and executive director of Working Films, participated on a panel at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival about using film to support the movement to end global warming. Working Films is coordinating the two-year audience and community engagement campaign for Everything’s Cool. The panel was sponsored by the Fledgling Fund and moderated by Fledgling’s founder Diana Barrett. Diane Weyermann and Lisa Day of Participant Productions were also on the panel speaking about An Inconvenient Truth.

The panel emphasized the need for filmmakers to listen to the needs of organizers in order to form a campaign that will effectively support the movement. Robert and Judith illustrated Working Films’ methodology for the audience by discussing their partnerships formed around the Everything’s Cool world premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Audience members asked: What comes first, the film or the movement? The panel made it clear that it has to be a reciprocal relationship. Robert said, “the environmental movement – like all strives for justice – needs the skills of filmmakers, crafting the stories that will incite and ignite audiences. Film and video hold unique power to move audiences to action.” Judith explained that it is helpful to get feedback early on in the production process in order to create a movie that can be used as a tool for the movement. By working in close partnership with the organizations and activists on the ground, filmmakers are able to connect their stories to current campaigns and initiatives which take the film and audience to another level of engagement – action.

Everything’s Cool is Stepping it Up at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

2007-04-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

In support and recognition of Step It Up events happening nationwide on April 14th, Working Films and Toxic Comedy Pictures compiled the Everything's Cool activist preview DVD for Step It Up organizers and volunteers.
This limited release activist DVD features selected scenes and characters from EVERYTHING'S COOL includes Dr. Heidi Cullen, whistle blower Rick Piltz - and very cool coverage from Sundance, including news casts and behind-the-scenes footage of the 1000 school kids' aerial message that launched Step It Up.

Everything's Cool will premiere in the Southeast on April 13th at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. After the screening, Step It Up organizers will be inviting the audience to participate in the Raleigh event on the state capital ground. In addition, the filmmakers and Wroking Films will also present a panel with The Inconvenient Truth on Sunday, April 15th at noon: "Reaching Out on Global Warming".

Wondering what to do AFTER your Step It Up event? Work with EVERYTHING'S COOL and keep the momentum going - Order your copy of the ACTIVIST PREVIEW DVD now!

Everything's Cool Photos on Flickr

2007-01-29T16:23:00.000-05:00

Photo by Chris Pilaro

In order to share more of our Sundance world premiere experience with everyone, Working Films and Everything's Cool producer Chris Pilaro have created Flickr photosharing accounts. If you have any relevant photos, you can create an account and tag your photos with Everything's Cool Sundance to make them searchable with ours.

In the mean time, see what everyone is toasting to.

Bish Goes to School

2007-01-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

Bish Neuhauser, a character in Everything's Cool, was motivated to make biodiesel for his car, and eventually succeeded in pushing the ski resort where he worked to run their vehicles off of biodiesel. After a special screening for high school students, Bish made a visit. Check out what was catalyzed:

Can't see the video? Download Quicktime 7
Video by Jeremy Levine, music by Atwood.

Light Bulbs, Get Your Light Bulbs

2007-01-29T10:12:00.000-05:00

Can't see the video? Download Quicktime 7
Video by Jeremy Levine

Our video above (heavily featuring Everything's Cool producer, Adam Wolfensohn) shows the delivery and distribution of over 3600 energy-saving compact florescent lightbulbs generously donated by IKEA at Sundance.

Lighting accounts for about 15 percent of household energy use. If you swap the five standard light bulbs you use most for energy-saving compact fluorescents, you can save roughly $60 each year on electricity. Make sure you use EnergyStar compact fluorescents, which are tested for quality and longevity. Visit the Natural Resources Defense Council website to learn more ways to save energy and decrease your carbon footprint.

Step It Up, a call to action on global warming

2007-01-25T16:50:00.000-05:00

Working Films teamed with John Quigley of Spectral Q to direct a human aerial image encouraging the growing community concerned with the perils of global warming to take immediate action by stepping up our responses. This event launches a two-year audience and community engagement campaign organized by Working Films for the Sundance Film Festival film "Everything's Cool."

Approximately 1000 middle and elementary school students, along with the production team of Everything's Cool and some of the main characters in the film, formed a message with their bodies, spelling out "Step It Up." The image contains a circle with bear paws, representing carbon neutral footprints and a word in Inuktitut meaning: "I hear you and I am doing something about it."

Park City's students were sending a message back to the Arctic Inuit Community, where, as captured in Everything’s Cool, residents and activists on Earth Day 2005 lay on the Arctic Sea ice in 30 below temperatures sharing the ancient wisdom of their elders and warning the world about the devastating impact the melting arctic will have on the rest of the world.

"The themes and messages of this film arrive at such a critical moment in our struggle to see action on the issue of global warming," said Robert West, co-founder and executive director of Working Films. "The image we're created today demonstrates that each individual is a necessary part of the chain for change; by linking together, we can create a call to action."

Working Films, Spectral Q and Cucolaris – who specialize in social messaging – jointly coordinated the event. This is part of a series of aerial images linked to the STEP IT UP Day of Action; the next will be created in Greenland in May of this year to encourage individuals and corporations to go carbon neutral.

Photo credits: top left: John Quigley, Spectral-Q; middle right: Working Films and Chris Pilaro

Can't see the video? Download Quicktime

Video by Jeremy Levine

Everything's Cool Sundance Audiences Curb Their Carbon

2007-01-24T14:55:00.000-05:00

Activities surrounding Sundance are keeping us busy! Keep posted to find out what's going on and how you can be involved! Check out our video of audiences taking action to counter global warming:

Can't see the video? Download Quicktime 7
Video by Jeremy Levine, music by Atwood

As the curtains close after Everything's Cool screenings at Sundance, audience members are signing postcards to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – urging Congress to STEP UP their commitment to address global warming. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Energy Efficiency Tip cards are being distributed with over a thousand IKEA compact florescent light bulbs.

Everything's Cool and Working Films are also offsetting over 300 pounds of the carbon emissions generated from travel to Sundance - Cool Tags are being sported by each Everything's Cool audience member. To counter the CO2 emitted by the cars, planes, and other transportation used to get to the festival, Clif Bar Cool Tags represent an investment in the Alaskan Native Village Wind Project. Take the next step and offset your own carbon with NativeEnergy.

Climate expert, Heidi Cullen stands up to "stop the spin".

2007-01-20T22:33:00.000-05:00

Can't see the video? Download Quicktime 7

In our video above, climate expert Heidi Cullen responds to recent controversy around one of her blog posts. She explains that the Weather Channel, backed by more than a century of scientific evidence, has a responsibility to report to the public on Global Warming.

You can see more of Heidi's response here:
Video
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Messengers meet over dinner with the filmmakers

2007-01-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

Global Warming messengers meet over dinner and filmmaker Daniel B. Gold shares the intention and hope of EVERYTHING'S COOL

Everything's Cool Sundance World Premiere

2007-01-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

Everything's Cool will premiere at Sundance 2007, where we are collaborating with Utah Clean Energy, NativeEnergy, Clif Bar, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the League of Conservation Voters to bring intentional and strategic activities to the film screenings. Check back for videos and photos.