environment

Right in our own backyard, the Colorado River is the focus of a stunning piece of work from photographer Peter McBride. The Colorado River: Flowing Through Conflict book was released last fall, and now we're welcoming the film version of the project, Chasing Water, to this year's festival.

The project took McBride three years, documenting the river by land and by air.

Outside Magazine has an exclusive interview with McBride where he shares more about the project and what his hopes are for his work:

I think my most objective goal is to create a conversation. I'm not a water lawyer. I'm not a water engineer. I don't consider myself an expert. I'm just a curious person that followed a beautiful river. The goal for me would just be awareness—to get peple to stop and go, Wow, Really? I didn't know the river stopped. How did this happen? Let's fix this.

We're excited to announce that Hilton Kelley, one of this year's special guests, has been named a recipient of the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prize, the world's largest prize honoring grassroots environmentalists.

"I speak up for the disadvantaged because it is my duty, it is the duty of all mankind to help those in need, those who have no voice, no way of helping themselves. Having compassion for others in adverse situations is the very thread that creates a civilized and just nation, a just society," says Kelley.

Kelley was helping evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans find clothing, shelter, and food as Hurricane Rita bore down upon his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas. He was inspired to return home and found Community In-Power and Development Association, a group that is working to improve conditions in the once-thriving city that is now faced with severe economic and environmental degradation.

As part of our photo contest, we’re featuring some of our favorites here on the blog. Every week we’ll be bringing you another photo that in one way or another reflects our mission statement: educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving and conversations worth sustaining. We chose this photo because it’s a clear demonstration of the terribly fragile balance between the environment and human consumption and waste.