Solar Energy Saved By The Sun (NOVA/WGBH)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Main Programs: B
With the awful environmental policies of the U.S.
since 2000 and failure to implement innovations in the 1970s to begin with, is
it too late to reverse any trends that contribute to either global warming,
thermal pollution or just plain waste?
That is the question asked by a recent installment of NOVA now coming to DVD entitled Solar Energy Saved By The Sun.
In its tight nearly hour-long length, the show
traces the history of attempts to implement solar energy, the early history of
expensive cells, the rollback of any attempts to implement the technology in
the 1980s to date, new advances in solar electric-capturing devices and what
other countries are doing (like Germany) to take advantage of the latest
innovations. All one can ask is why
cant the U.S. be in the lead on such things anymore? The program does not directly ask, but you
will when you see this excellent program.
The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image is not bad and is
cleanly shot in HD, but WGBH never anamorphically enhances these releases and
the result holds back the sources potential once again. The Dolby Digital 2.0 is simple stereo and
just fine, especially in this case where it is nicely recorded. DVD-ROM printable materials are the only
extra.
- Nicholas Sheffo
