People
Of The Feather (2011/First Run Features DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: A Documentary: C+
The
life of the Inuit is changing, with changing weather patterns and
modernization has changed their Eco-systems and the wild life in the
arctic. Their first notice was the sudden disappearance of the Eider
duck, not only do they starve, all the other wild animals are as
well. One single species and yet with it's disappearance has caused
a shift in the arctic life. The shifting sea ice patterns have
changing due to human influences and caused more changes than the
organization responsible would care to admit in Joel Heath's People
Of A Feather (2011).
The
Inuit once relied on the Eider ducks to survive, and so did all the
other wild life in the arctic, but dams and hydroelectricity have
been dumping fresh water into the arctic sea, the Fresh water causes
the sea to freeze much earlier, faster and for longer periods of
time. This, in turn, makes it harder for the Eider duck find water
holes or arctic oasis, find food and survive. While most Inuit have
modernized, it is not possible for them to return to their old ways,
instead they are finding animals becoming scarce in their lands.
This raises questions about human, their machines and technologies,
should we use them without consideration to the rest of the world and
it's lifeforms?
This
was an eye opener, even with clean energy, without considering what
we are doing we can still change, even destroy the environment,
thousands years of evolution all destroyed for just a year's worth of
power. It raises the ironic question ARE humans are creating an
environment in which they cannot survive without technology and big
industries don't care as long as they are making a profit. The
picture and sound are understandably a little rough, but the extras
more than make up for in including short films, Eider studies,
history, locations, behind the scenes and more.
-
Ricky Chiang
