The Sundance Channel is one of those channels that proves you can be family safe and still present mature, interesting programming. Last week, they premiered their second season of “The Green,” a programming segment featuring shows about the environment and ways we can help.
So, while we were Turning Off our TVs, Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living made its debut at 9 p.m. and tonight is the second episode. Hosted by David de Rothschild, the show looks at common objects and foods from their origins to their finish and offer alternatives. We’re talking about simple things, like gold rings or cotton t-shirts or even salmon.
You could also call it Guilt Trip, because the impact of growing cotton on the environment is not pretty, and I’m a mass offender because I don’t like paying very much for my cotton fabric. And I wear a lot of cotton, thanks to my skin sensitivities.
Fortunately, de Rothschild is good at pointing out that there are alternatives, and while he does make organic farming seem like a total panacea for the environment (it does present some problems), common sense will tell you organic is a lot better than mass pesticide spraying. Yuck.
But the bottom line is living green ain’t easy and will require sacrifices. The good thing about Eco-Trip is that it did get me thinking about how I can reduce the impact of conventionally-grown cotton (and other stuff) by making better choices about what I buy. Of course, it also means I need to learn how to darn socks because my beloved spouse tends to wear through them. Ah well.
It’s a fun and interesting show that might be a little beyond your early elementary-age kids. But third-graders should be able to handle it. And maybe you can teach them to darn your socks. Can’t hurt to try.
Anne Louise Bannon
Your Family Viewer
