How to Save The World
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How to Save The World

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Ratings: 7.62/10 from 21 users.

How to Save The WorldWhat does an environmentally friendly biodynamic food system capable of feeding everyone actually look like? This film is a blueprint for a post-industrial future. It takes you into the heart of the world's most important renaissance.

The outcome of the battle for agricultural control in India may just dictate the future of the earth. Modern industrial agriculture is destroying the earth: Desertification, water scarcity, toxic cocktails of agricultural chemicals pervading our food chains, ocean ecosystem collapse, soil erosion and massive loss of soil fertility.

Our ecosystems ore overwhelmed. Humanity's increasing demands are exceeding the Earth's carrying capacity. A simple recipe to save the world? One old man and a bucket of cow-dung. Are you crazy?

Modern agriculture causes topsoil to be eroded at 3 million tons per hour. (that’s 26 billion tons a year) Human mass is replacing biomass and other species. The carrying capacity of the earth is almost spent. To maintain our comfort zone lifestyles we will soon need five earths to sustain us in the style to which we have become accustomed.

The mantra of free trade has failed the world’s poor. There is a better way. Biodynamic agriculture may be the only answer we have left.

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Katherine Green
Katherine Green
7 years ago

Hello all,
I applaud the filmmaker, and I ask everyone to recognize that , no matter how truthful and important a message is, no movie is made without money, usually lots of it! If you are honest, you know this.
I also believe that the most important things in life, including access to valuable information, ideally, should be free.
Somehow these truths must be reconciled, like so many others that we humans are currently wrestling with.
From my perspective there is an answer, but it requires integrity, too often a missing quality in human behavior.
Don't download someone's work for free if you can afford to pay for it! That is stealing. If you absolutely cannot afford to pay for it, if you download or stream nonetheless, you incur a debt. Then find a way, someday, somehow, to give back!
If we all lived this type honesty, the filmmakers of quality work will still be able to create, and those who are in need, will still be able to receive. And other problems will benefit from the same solution.
People, and communities, and cultures that have lived sanely and successfully, in harmony with themselves, each other and the natural world, have always shown the capacity to self-regulate.
Take nothing, without giving back. Not from yourself, your neighbor, or from mother earth. It's really that simple.
In a world of increasing population, most caring and intelligent women should choose to have one or two children. This is happening in many countries.
We need to plant 2 trees for each one we cut down. Grow food everywhere!, as the one movement recommends.
The tough one is reigning in our corrupt govenments, the war machine, and the coal, gas, oil, and nuclear power lobbies.
That will take all of us! The earth provides so much, clean fresh air, pure water, an abundance of food and natural resources.
We must wake up, and protect what we have here. Our beautiful, crystal blue and green gem, the living planet earth.
Make it clear to every govenmental or corporate entity you interact with or give your money to, that nothing matters like this. And remove your support from those who are unwilling to change their behavior to that which is sustainable. That which gives back!!

scott_of_the_rock
scott_of_the_rock
13 years ago

Birth control sounds like a good answer to me but i dont think id feel so good about it if my wife and i were the ones being told "no kids for you".
There are countries around the world where the majority of the population are malnourished or dont get anywhere close to a healthy amount of food for the masses. And then there are countries like the US, which have the fattest population on earth and the excesses which the US accept as the norm would be seen as pure gluttony by most cultures.
Here's and idea, stop eating so much! Your not big boned, you dont have a glandular problem, your just spoit and have no self control. Instead of upsizing your double quater ponder meal with fries and coke, put a quater in a charity jar and feed the world and not stuff your face.

habler
habler
14 years ago

420 vision, I will not give up my computer just so that I can hear the misguided ramblings of a loud mouth uneducated old f@#$ in the guise of 'discussion'. I might discuss with a friend but not some i@#$% i just happen to be sitting next to in your communal hall.

I watch documentaries to avoid the corporate, lowest common denominator c@#$ thats promoted on the TV these days.

I believe in individual freedom , not the pseudo Nazi society you seem to be promoting.

Jeff
Jeff
14 years ago

Ugh is right. It is not working me either.
that's two in a row.

Gyn
Gyn
14 years ago

To Barbara Sumner Burstyn and her audience:

As an artist I understand how important it is to find the balance between having your work available to as many people as possible, while trying to earn a living. We must accept that money is the fuel of our society at this point. We must all try to work with that fact.

By financially supporting films such as this one (which I haven't gotten to see bc it has been deactivated), we are contributing to the betterment of our people and our world. This is the role if not duty of the audience: to ensure that the right people get funding.

The duty of the artist is to get the work out there regardless of obstacles.

I understand that you want your money, Barbara, but at what cost? People need to know. Please don't hinder that knowledge, our progress. There are other documentaries out there, other interested parties that are willing to make the sacrifice. That is a part of our lot.

Many people do not have the money to buy every piece of informative work, yet they are the ones that need to watch it most. This is one of the paradoxes of our society; this is why things are so slow to change, bc the people who need the information most don't have the means to obtain it.

Please reconsider this choice. You don't have to. I'm not demonizing you. I'm just asking you to give a little more.

As for the audience... if the artist cannot pay her bills, feed herself or her family, or pay for equipment, there will be no documentaries like this. Or they will be developed by the wrong kinds of people. Do we really want to continue allowing mainstream efforts and disinterested parties to manipulate us through propaganda films and misinformed documentaries and commercials? Re-channel your money. Instead of going out to dinner one night or watching that box office hit, send it to people like Barbara. We can't even hope to maintain a balance if we don't even have one yet. Help of find a balance.

We all need to give a little more.

Reasons Voice
Reasons Voice
14 years ago

3 – show respect for the beliefs of others

4 – do away with any religious beliefs that teach self centered agressive behaviour. My God is better than your God. Encourage open discussions of spiritual beliefs and ideas for the origins of life and our universe.

I see an inconsistency here am I allone?

Bryan
Bryan
14 years ago

I know, heather. I can't get it to play either. And I really want to watch it. Ugh.

Heather
Heather
14 years ago

What's wrong with this documentary? Nothing happens when I press play.

Kurrrt
Kurrrt
14 years ago

Since we are only just guests on this planet and this planet acts like we have became a virus. Because perhaps the controlling factors have displaced their population thoughts into their massave pockets of greed. Every home built on the planet could have had their own garden, their own power, and water sorce, enough to supply each and every family.

420 Vision
420 Vision
14 years ago

10 ways to improve human society and life on earth

1 - introduce FREE standardized universal education and health care, everyone gets a full education, and the best medical care possible.

2 - promote mass cooperation amongst all nations, focus on the complete elimination of the military industrial complex. Treat offenders of societal law with respect, and provide councelling to teach them how to improve their behaviour and achieve a positive role in society.

3 - show respect for the beliefs of others

4 - do away with any religious beliefs that teach self centered agressive behaviour. My God is better than your God. Encourage open discussions of spiritual beliefs and ideas for the origins of life and our universe.

5 - Share resources equally amongst all nations, grow and feed healthy organic food - do away with GMO crops and factory farms.

6 - dispense completely with the monetary system, develope a resource based economy.

7 - teach children to respect all life, and consider any creature as equally important as themselves.

8 - integrate regular social activities, such as festivals, public debates, gatherings, music, sport and dance. Do away with the home based television set, make these devices available only within social gatherings where viewers can debate and discuss what is televised.

9 - teach the sciences such as; astronomy, cosmology and mathematics to all, provide everyone with an understanding of the universe.

10 - do away with patents, copyrights and land ownership

I think it is disgusting that our species has the ability to destroy not only ourselves, but millions of other independant species which equally deserve life on planet Earth. If we do not end war, war will end us.

Tracy
Tracy
14 years ago

great. now I cannot see this.... : (

GTO
GTO
14 years ago

lol!! dont worry guyz birth control is already effective.. in america the death rate already surpass the birth rate. that why futurist scientist said that in the future large space where no one live will be the norm.. and thats the reason why the white is slowly being surpass in numbers by the other race in america..lol... their the most effective in birthcontrol!!!!

RocioC
RocioC
14 years ago

Has this film been deactivated? I and non of my friends are able to view it. If so, why?
Could it be that Big Tough Guy Monsanto (Mondiablo) has objected?

kim
kim
14 years ago

to all the people who are so willing to tell barbara that "any monetary considerations must be secondary".
Do you really think that is unresonable for her to ask that she be paid for her hard work? Don't be so idealistic that you are no longer realistic. I am an organic farmer, i work hard because I feel that we are doing the right thing, i also do it so that I can earn a living, if someone was to tell me that i was a "capitalist" my response would be to say that I too have to live in this world, I have bills and expenses, what I am doing is making a diference but if i can't pay my bills i would have to get another job.
Nothing is perfect, try to keep an open mind and support those who are making a real difference.

I wouls also like to add that I own a copy of this dvd.

Linda
Linda
14 years ago

The farmers in the U.S. are probably becoming 'owned' by agrip-business too. What we can do is buy organic; fair-trade; NON GMO, etc. The chemicals in our food (since 1940's) has been slowly killing us. That's why so many of us get sick here. We 'buy' our food from god knows where and just eat up. Our farmers need to 'love/feed' their soil as in this documentary. After all, we are from the soil.
Love to all

sven
sven
14 years ago

@ "Film maker"

seems you missed the point of you own documentary,
you are thinking like Monsanto. If Holistic is what it matters then sharing your knowledge and art will benefit all and you.

CanopyJones
CanopyJones
14 years ago

Agriculture should be taught in schools.

Mira
Mira
14 years ago

This documentary made me want to start my own vegetable garden in our back yard :)

Eff
Eff
14 years ago

NOTE: To the FILM-MAKER. You mean you actually make money from doing this? Sheesh! All these years I have given my music and literary madness to the world for FREE!

Look at it as BIG KUDOS for you...and stop whimpering... It's only money... And if that's your main concern? Get a real job sister! Otherwise? You are sending the wrong message....

Life.Is.The.Alien
Life.Is.The.Alien
14 years ago

I think using a shovel and gloves would be my method when working with compost ^^. I have hypersensitivities so my skin would most likely break out in rash... About unscientific or rather generalist (non-minimilistic) methods.. I say do what ever works and try different things... you do not need to know every organism or chemical in a piece of matter to farm well. The key is to always remain experimentalist, that is, when trying something new isolate as many variables as you can and change only one of them (if possible) from the control. The more you are able to understand and control the variables - and understand matter at the minimal level (light, tidal (gravitational) forces, chemicals, genes, species) the more certain your understanding/science/technology/methods will be.

The memory of water and the effectiveness of homeopathic concentrations has been relegated to psudoscience now though... although there are two chemical geometric forms of water; hexagonal and octagonal. Octagonal water forms naturally from spinning in spiral form like a water twister and works even better when a current or magnetic lines of force move the water in the spiral form.

Genetics is an extremely powerful field of study - and it is foolish to release modified agents into the natural environment and expect they stay in one place. All genetically modified crops should be kept separate from the outside environment - isolated so that they can not spread to natural areas of vegetation or cross-breed. Maybe in a 100 years when we finally understand how genes interact precisely to define an organism and organisms form environments that form macro environments - when we understand ecology and are able to reverse a destroyed environment to exactly it's previous state- when we finally begin to grasp the emergent properties of complex systems - then we can start to use GM technology - and even then it would be wise to leave large preservations of natural unmodified plant life for future reference.

So let it be known that knowledge of genetics is not the problem - Monsanto and other unscrupulous organizations with their wanton disregard for the health and natural balance / biodiversity of the environment, and by extension the health of world civilization - in the name of cornering the food market in order to make ever greater short term profits for the elite.

The global chemical poison frankenstein agribusiness industrial complex designed to create chronic dependence of a population and enslave them via dept... is simply evil
Where does true power lie? Follow the trail of money to those who have the power to regulate the quantity of money in the economy.

I like this - great minds think alike because I came up with this insight all on my own ... the underlying principle of unlimited growth on a finite planet is ultimately an impossibility eventually no matter how advanced technology becomes (and the limit will appear much faster with technological stagnation).

Life.Is.The.Alien
Life.Is.The.Alien
14 years ago

Barbara people that make films like these should only be concerned with the message of their film and how to get it to as many people as possible - any monetary considerations must be secondary... this is how the world will improve - People putting financial gain second to a clear goal that is to be achieved, and through the free flow of digital information that doesn't operate according to the same laws as 'physical property.' Increasing the amount of common knowledge - knowledge that can be accessed by anyone anywhere virtually for free Is a key factor in the cultural development of civilization, the advancement of science, and truth.

Free downloading is the best thing that has happened in my poor life.

If you are concerned about supporting creativity the solution is both investment, donations, and a culture tax. The tax would be levied as an additional portion of the income tax, and the funds would be assigned on the democratic basis of total popular rating (adjusted for number of voters as well) via a system similar to IMDB - e.g a 5 star would receive more money than a 4.5 star. A system of providing loans with no compounding interest (watch the Secret of Oz) would allow creative talents the tools they need and the lure to take risks.

sonny corbi
sonny corbi
14 years ago

barbara spoken like a true capitalist! The hell with the world and how to save it, "i want my money"! Just like a damn -----!

American Student
American Student
14 years ago

Isn't it ironic that what some have passed off as mere conspiracy theory is actually happening. Yeah, genetically modified seed from Monsanto is just a coincidence. Wake up people. Watch the 'Esoteric Agenda'. Yeah it's mostly hippie, new age rhetoric but I believe that there is truth even in a lie.

SimontheSorceror
SimontheSorceror
14 years ago

Birth Control ! Yes you are right @MrMajestik

bo
bo
14 years ago

@barbara
We are not downloading it we are streaming it and this page simply links it. How can a film maker not know the difference? Besides that I've tried to purchase many of the docs I loved and most are hard to find! I've purchased many Items based on what I've seen from one author or film maker. Like Hardy said, complain to google they should take care of it.

Hardy
Hardy
14 years ago

@Barbara: This is simply a video embedded from Google-video to this site. If you want to complain, tell Google-video.

Barbara Sumner Burstyn
Barbara Sumner Burstyn
14 years ago

Do you realise this is an unauthorised free-downloading. As the filmmaker - we rely on income from sales to recover the cost of making this film and to pay for the making of more films like this. While it's great that lots more people get to see it, it also means the end of important films like this. If this type of content matters to you please don't download for free.

Roy Wright
Roy Wright
14 years ago

It is really insperational what this man is doing over in India! I really want this to become more widespread!

Eff
Eff
14 years ago

What was once a farmer's field is now a golf course for the elite so they can whack a ball into a hole and amaze themselves, or else that field has become another Wal-mart parking lot. We need to look at community gardens and raising our own chickens etc. New world order, has plans to kill us off with disease the same way Americans (Europeans) conquered and decimated the Native original peoples. eg: smallpox. Perhaps Mars will be terra-formed and habitable by the time we allow our planet to become destroyed by greed. Pass the salad dressing...this oily sea-weed salad needs it!

Jenn
Jenn
14 years ago

how do you save the world? BIRTH CONTROL, that's how!

MrMajestik
MrMajestik
14 years ago

Until we address population there is no saving anything!!! I know it is taboo to put a limit on "God's instruction to be fruitful and multiple" but 9 Billion by 2050 is not sustainable even if you can feed, house, and find jobs for all of them. The planet resources will not provide that much material for all of us. Thank god I live in a imperialist country...I and my 5 yr old son should at least be on top of food chain for a few more years. I haven't even seen this doc yet, but Soylent Green (food production) is not all that important when we are looking at destroying the ecosystem on which we live! Drill Baby Drill! Ya that is sarcasm!

Steven
Steven
14 years ago

80% of corn failed to produce food in South Africa in 2009. GM crops controled by one company is a potential weapon. Why didn't GM corn fail in the USA. I applaud all organic and alternative farmers. We must wrestle the world back from the for profit only types.

sonny corbi
sonny corbi
14 years ago

It will come to that in the end anyway, at one time we were all farmers maby that's the best way......it's unhealthy being so unatached from the earth in the first place. We are the only animal on the planet that has to have a perpous, a destiny, (excuse my spelling), maybe we don't need a perpous a goal considering the final outcome of each and ever eliment to disemenate, futile indever i say. I have lived a wonderful fully charged life and i am greatful. I trust there will be a positive answer to the human condition, to many wonderful miricles happen to us all for that not to be so. That's not to say we don't have a butt wippen coming first!