Mary J. Proteau and Judith Vogelsang have produced an excellent half hour program available on DVD, which, although geared toward children 9-18, grades 4 through 12, is a great family film for all ages that delivers eco-living basics to your door. Narrated by multiple Emmy Award winner Tony Shalhoub, GoingGreen tours Eco-Home with middle school kids who discover firsthand simple, inexpensive ways to become more earth friendly. Guided by eco-home pioneer Julia Russell, the children (and audience) learn how to conserve water through drip irrigation, soaker hoses, graywater systems and drought-tolerant, “California friendly” landscaping. They discover why and how to compost, what household hazardous waste may lurk in their homes, and how the sun’s energy can light, heat and power their own homes with sun pipes, solar hot water heaters and solar panels. This is an outstanding teaching tool for people of all ages and presented in a format that is enjoyable to watch and simple to understand. The DVD comes with a Discussion Guide to enrich conversation regarding topics covered in the video. All of us living on earth are being called upon to make changes in our lives if we and our children are to survive as a species. The best place to start is with our own homes. Imagine, if all homes were Eco-Homes, we would not be in the alarming situation we have arrived at today.
contact goinggreenprods@aol.com
If you live in or visit Los Angeles, the Eco-Home is open for visitors every second Sunday. We highly recommend this guided tour to see for yourself how we can all participate and make a difference in simple, inexpensive ways. http://www.ecohome.org



Julia Russell, Eco-Home Pioneer and founder of Eco-Home Network. Photograph on right: Tim Clark, RIBA-USA founder and Past Presiding Chair with Julia Russell at Eco-Home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles

Photography: Caroline Davies © 2006 riba-usa.

www.greenplanetfilms.org/
www.ecohome.org