The Cool Davis event featured environmental documentary “What the Health”
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
On March 19, Cool Davis, a group of residents, businesses and organizations committed to the City of Davis’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, held a community movie circle at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Yolo County Library. The event was a showing of “What the Health” followed by a discussion about the impacts of diets on the environment. Cool Davis first implemented their Climate Movie Circle events last September, when the program was introduced for community members who are passionate about protecting the environment to have an outlet and opportunity to meet with like-minded people.
The Climate Movie Circle is a space that allows community members to participate in monthly discussions about current topics and environmental issues. These discussions take place on the second Sunday of each month at the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library and are typically structured around a documentary which is then followed by a community discussion.
Leslie Crenna, household engagement campaign manager for Cool Davis, explained the goal of these events.
“Cool Davis has hosted various climate-related movies over the years, and we all really felt it was a really effective way to bring people in that’s kind of low commitment and high learning value so we wanted to continue that and extend it into the future,” Crenna said. “We’re trying to bring together young people and older people in the space […] we’re trying to find ways that the older and younger generation can understand each other and learn from each other.”
Cool Davis has shown films related to eating habits and indigenous perspectives on environmental issues. The group hopes to cater to a younger audience for the next upcoming showing. Mabel Del Aguila, a fourth-year Spanish major, is a college student who already attends these circles.
“I like that it is a bunch of like-minded people that also care about the environment and bounce ideas off of each other and learn new things, too,” Del Aguila said. “I like that it is a little community I have where I can talk to people who also care.”
The agenda of the recent discussion centered around the popular documentary “What the Health” directed by Kip Anderson, which explores the connections between diet, health and the environment. This past week’s discussion also included a free vegan meal provided by community member Jon Bgornstad with a wide host of options to fit all dietary needs and restrictions, with menu items ranging from lentil loaf to vegan parfaits. A participant at the recent circle, Rena Nayyar, reflected on the experience.
“I wish more people would come because there is so much good information that helps people know what choices they have to make improvements,” Nayyar said.
The next Climate Circle will take place on April 23 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mary L. Stephens Library in the Blanchard Room and will highlight 10 of the best collections from the One Earth Youth Film Contest.
Written by: Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org
