Last night I watched Dirt!, a documentary that considers many perspectives on the uses for and value of dirt. Some parts felt far-fetched (e.g., I’m sure some other planets have dirt; we’ve analyzed so few to know), but most parts were thought-provoking. Even some sections that seemed pointless (paving dirt on the Indian floor every day) actually speak to ways of life that I believe will outlast modern industrial farming and all that goes with it.
You can watch it on Hulu for free or stream it “instantly” on Netflix.
Some of the topics in the film reminded me of three articles I’ve read recently:
- Debating the Local Food Movement (Emily Badger, The Atlantic, 3 July 2012)
- Brazilian City Offers Vegetables in Exchange for Trash (Stephen Messenger, TreeHugger, 16 July 2012)
- The world is closer to a food crisis than most people realise (Lester Brown, Guardian, 24 July 2012)
A Better World 