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true cost

before the flood

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens and Academy Award®-winning actor, environmental activist and U.N. Messenger of Peace Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world due to climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet. Beyond the steps we can take as individuals, the film urges viewers to push their elected officials in supporting the use of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power. “We need everyone to demand bold action from their political leaders and to elect representatives who have their best interests at heart, not the interests of corporations to perpetuate a cycle of greed and destruction,” says DiCaprio. “This documentary shows how interconnected the fate of all humanity is — but also the power we all possess as individuals to build a better future for our planet.”

true cost

This is a story about clothing. It’s about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the industry is having on our world. The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story and asks us to consider, who really pays the price for our clothing?

Filmed in countries all over the world, from the brightest runways to the darkest slums, and featuring interviews with the world’s leading influencers including Stella McCartney, Livia Firth and Vandana Shiva, The True Cost is an unprecedented project that invites us on an eye opening journey around the world and into the lives of the many people and places behind our clothes.

a plastic ocean

In the center of the Pacific Ocean gyre our researchers found more plastic than plankton. A Plastic Ocean documents the newest science, proving how plastics, once they enter the oceans, break up into small particulates that enter the food chain where they attract toxins like a magnet. These toxins are stored in seafood’s fatty tissues, and are eventually consumed by us.

To download A Plastic Ocean - Education and Discussion Guide, click here
​

In Pursuit of silence

In Pursuit of Silence is a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence, sound and the impact of noise on our lives. Beginning with an ode to John Cage’s ground-breaking composition 4’33”, In Pursuit of Silence takes us on an immersive cinematic journey around the globe– from a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, to the streets of the loudest city on the planet, Mumbai during the wild festival season – and inspires us to experience silence and celebrate the wonders of our world.

the devil we know

The Devil We Know is the story of how one synthetic chemical, used to make Teflon products, contaminated a West Virginia community. But new research hints at a much broader problem: nearly all Americans are affected by exposure to non-stick chemicals in food, drinking water, and consumer products. With very little oversight on the chemical industry in this country, we invite you to learn more about the problem and how you can protect yourself and your family.​

An Inconvenient sequel:  Truth to power

​Former American Vice President Al Gore continues his tireless fight, travelling around the world to train an army of activists and influence international climate policy. Cameras follow him behind the scenes, in moments both private and public, funny and poignant, as he pursues the inspirational idea that while the stakes have never been higher, the perils of climate change can be overcome with human ingenuity and passion.

dark waters

This film is inspired by true events of environmental attorney from Cincinnati, Ohio, Robert Bilott. Mark Ruffalo plays Bilott, who reveals the cover-up of Dupont Corporation plant in West Virginia as it knowingly dumped the dangerous chemical known as PFOA into water and landfill systems.

The extent of corporate greed in this film upset me. However, I did find inspiration in the illustration on how one person can make a difference. I also appreciated the positive Catholic references in the film, as we see Ruffalo saying grace with the family before meals, attending Mass, and sending his children to Catholic schools. 

The film illustrates the relevance our Church social teachings of "Care for God's Creation". When we degrade the environment it has an impact on the human person. 
​
"Industrial waste and chemical products utilized in cities and agricultural areas can lead to bioaccumulation in the organisms of the local population, even when levels of toxins in those places are low. Frequently no measures are taken until after people's health has been irreversibly affected."
Pope Francis, Laudato Si' #21
Our Mission
To advance Catholic Social Teaching by educating and preparing parishes to work for social justice. 
​The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry
of the Archdiocese of Hartford

467 Bloomfield Ave. Bloomfield, CT 06002
Phone: 860-242-5573 

  info.ocsjm@aohct.org
© 2015 The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry
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