By R. Kurt Osenlund, Pennington Post

Aptly named “Sustainable Sundays,” the month-long film series will feature four documentaries and reps from local organizations.

Pennington Environmental Commission member Tom Adelman says he and his fellow green gurus in Hopewell Valley have attended the nearby Princeton Environmental Film Festival (PEFF) in the past (this year’s fest was held in January), each time comparing notes but lamenting the fact that they didn’t get to take in as many green films as they’d hoped. Soon came the notion of presenting the same kind of environmental cinema in a more local, accessible setting – a setting like the Pennington Public Library.

Along with representatives from the library, specifically volunteer coordinator Tara Russell, Adelman began devising ways to bring a taste of PEFF to Pennington. The collaborators got in touch with Susan Conlon, longtime organizer of PEFF, who agreed to help curate the local series.

Adelman, Russell and Conlon came up with four recent, popular PEFF titles, which will be screened every Sunday of this month in the Pennington Borough Hall meeting room, next door to the library.

Dubbed “Sustainable Sundays,” the free and family-friendly film screenings will take place each week at 2 p.m., providing the library the opportunity to host an activity on a day when its main facility is closed, and serving as the first endeavor of a planned series of adult programming – grown-up versions of the children’s programs and workshops already offered at the library. Adelman says the time slot should also be ideal for attracting large audiences.

“The idea is to find the hole in the weekend where people are willing to sit down and watch a movie,” Adelman says. “And this is a way that movies can bring the community together. We can share this with our neighbors rather than watching DVDs at home by ourselves.”

Another draw is that each screening will be hosted by a local organization whose own sustainable practices are highlighted by the film in question. Each organization will hold a post-film Q&A, and provide information about what they do in the area. On March 7, reps from the Pennington branch of Worldwater Solar Technologies will be present for the screening of “Blue Gold: World Water Wars,” a documentary directed by Sam Bozzo and focusing on the global water crisis and the fight for fresh drinking water. Worldwater Solar Technologies specializes in solar-powered water pumps that bring near-immediate relief to ravaged areas in dire need of water and power. The company recently provided aid in Haiti, which Adelman says will be discussed during the Q&A.

On March 14, the series will continue with director Melissa Kennedy’s documentary “Garbage Moguls,” which offers an in-depth look at the rise of the Trenton-based company TerraCycle as one of the premiere businesses in the nation to practice “upcycling” – transforming non-recyclable plastics and the like into hip, consumer-friendly products. A TerraCycle official will be on hand at the March 14 event to talk about, as Adelman says, “the values of eco-capitalism and the hazards of our trash problem.”

Director Sharron Bates’ “Strong Coffee,” a film about Café Femenino, the first coffee beans grown entirely be female farmers, will be shown on March 21 and feature an appearance by David Waldbaum of the upscale Rojo’s Roastery in Lambertville.

A Fair Trade certified roaster and brewer, Waldbaum will address his relationship with independent coffee producers, and how all of his coffee comes from “single origin” beans. Complimentary samples of Rojo’s Roastery coffee will also be offered.

The final “Sustainable Sundays” movie will be “Ingredients,” a documentary about the nation’s thriving local food movement that’s come as a result of rising food costs and obesity rates. Directed by Robert Bates, the film will be accompanied by a presentation from Real Food for Thought, a grassroots organization aiming to institute healthier food options in Hopewell Valley schools.

“We chose these four movies because they represent the right range and diversity of issues for this area,” Adelman says, acknowledging that water, in particular, is a big concern in Mercer County. “It’s kind of a crash course in sustainability – over four weekends, you can learn the latest information about water scarcity, power, plastics, garbage, Fair Trade, globalization, local food and organics.”

According to Adelman, a projector and screen will be set up in the borough hall meeting room, and a buffer will be used to shield the dais from view. Free popcorn will also be provided, courtesy of Steve’s Organic Popcorn in Ringoes.

“The goal of ‘Sustainable Sundays’ is to have everyone be energized and activated,” Adelman says, “and to not just be aware of what’s going on, but also to affect what’s going on.”

To learn more, contact Tara Russell at or tarakrussell@msn.com.