Simplicity Matters Earth Institute

Friends of SMEI Video Lending Library

Updated June 2008, quickly revised June 2010.

See also our list of videos about global warming

Videos are available exploring the topics we discuss in our circles -- simpler living, environmental sustainability, and our bioregion.

Now, thanks to generous people associated with Simplicity Matters Earth Institute (SMEI), you can borrow the videos below and organize a video night at your home.

Or you can borrow a series of them, and organize an entire video discussion circle!

How it works

• Videos are not licensed for public exhibit -- show them in your home, not in a public place.
• Videos are offered as a loan from one individual to another. Simplicity Matters Earth Institute is not part of this exchange other than to make this list available.
• To arrange to borrow a video: E-mail its owner, mentioning your phone number(s) and best time(s) to reach you.
• Loans are based on the honor system. There are no rental fees and no fines for late returns. To keep this going you need to do your part.
• You are responsible for postage both ways.
• Before setting a viewing date, be mindful of the time necessary for the lender to mail the video to you.
• The owner of the video will let you know when to return the video.
• Return the video in a timely manner, in the original mailing box provided. Include a personal check to reimburse the lender for shipping the video to you.

Give back to the community

If you would like to give back to the community by making your videos available to others through this list, please contact Lena <Lena@simplicity-matters.org> or 301-432-8721.

Video List

• Videos are listed in alphabetical order, by name.
• Links will open a new browser window.
• The discussion guides most closely associated with each video are designated in red. To learn more about them visit simplicity-matters.org/guides.  Northwest Earth Institute discussion guides: CSL = Choices for Sustainable Living; DSOP = Discovering a Sense of Place; CO₂ = Global Warming Changing Co2urse; HCHP = Healthy Children, Healthy Planet; MF = Menu for the Future; RE = Reconnecting with Earth; SSW = Sustainable Systems at Work; VS = Voluntary Simplicity.  Different choices: YMOYL = Your Money or Your Life; LPB = Simplicity Lessons; LCD = Low Carbon Diet.

1. A Quiet Revolution, (26 min). VHS available from Lore. (CSL)
2. A Sense of Place, Foundation for Global Community (29 min). VHS available from Gina. (DSOP)
3. Affluenza (1 hr). Includes Viewer's Guide. VHS available from Lore, Marney. (LBP, VS)
4. American Mania: When More is Not Enough, Seeds of Simplicity, (? min). Audio CD available from Lore. (LBP, VS)
5. An Inconvenient Truth (96 min), DVD available from Lena. (CO₂, CSL)
6. Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh (60 min), VHS available from Jamie. (CSL, DSOP, RE, LBP, VS)
7. Architecture to Zucchini (2 hrs, in segments). DVD available from Lena. (CSL)
8. Black Gold (77 min), DVD available from Jamie. (CSL, GiC, MF)
9. Blue Planet, IMAX, (42 min.). Subtitles in English. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, DSOP, RE)
10. Broken Limbs: Apples, Agriculture, and the New American Farmer (55 min). VHS available from Lena. (CSL, MF)
11. Buyer be FAIR, KCTS (1 hr?). DVD available from Lena. (GiC, MF)
12. China Blue (88 min), DVD available from Jamie (GiC)
13. Circle of Plenty, Bullfrog Films (27 min). VHS available from Lena. (CSL, GiC, MF)
14. Clutter: Treasure or Trash? (59 min). DVD produced by the City of Greenbelt, available from Lore. (LBP, VS)
15. Colonial House, PBS (8 hours, 8 episodes in 2 DVDs). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, DSOP, LBP, MF, VS)
16. Diet for a New America, John Robbins (60 min). Closed captioned. VHS available from Lena. (CSL, MF, VS)
17. Dig It!, John Jeavons (30 min), VHS available from Lena. (CSL, MF)
18. Earth on the Edge, with Bill Moyers (2 hrs). VHS available from Lore. (CSL)
19. Escape from Affluenza (1 hr). Includes Discussion Guide. VHS, available from Lore, Marney. (HCHP, LBP, VS)
20. Exploring a New Cosmology, Foundation for Global Community (2:28 hrs). 2-DVD set available from Gina. (CSL, RE).
21. Fast Food Nation (114 min). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, MF, VS)
22. Fed Up! (58 min), Wholesome Goodness Productions. Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, MF)
23. Fighting Global Warming-One House at a Time, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (25 min). VHS available from Marat. (CSL, CO₂)
24. Frontier House, PBS (6 hours, 6 episodes in 2 DVDs). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, DSOP, LBP, VS)
25. Global Banquet: Politics of Food (two 28-minute segments), VHS available from Jamie. (CSL, GiC, MF)
26. Global Warming: The Signs and the Science, PBS (60 min). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, CO₂)
27. Greenbelt: A Model of Cooperation (15 min?). VHS available from Marat. (DSOP)
28. Harvest of Fear, Frontline/NOVA, PBS (120 min). VHS available from Lena. (CSL, GiC, LBP, MF, VS)
29. Hooked on Nature, Earthome, Inc. (9 min). DVD available from Lore. (HCHP)
30. Hot Planet, Cold Confort, Scientific American Frontiers (30 min). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CO₂, CSL)
31. Introduction to the Northwest Earth Institute (20 min). VHS available from Lore. (All NWEI topics)
32. Is Wal-Mart Good for America? Frontline, PBS (60 min). DVD available from Lena. (LBP, VS, YMOYL)
33. Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America, (55 min). VHS avaiable from Marney, DVD available from Lena. (CO₂, CSL)
34. King Corn (90 min). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, MF)
35. Life and Debt (86 min), DVD available from Jamie (GiC, MF)
36. Life After People, History Channel (94 min). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CSL)
37. Maquilopolis (60 min). DVD available from Jamie (GiC)
38. More Fun, Less Stuff, Center for a New American Dream (30 min). Download a Discussion Guide (PDF). VHS available from Lore, Lena. (HCHP, LBP, VS)
39. Next Industrial Revolution, Earthhome (55 min). Discussion Guide. DVD available from Lore; VHS available from Marney. (CSL, HCHP)
40. Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation, Frontline, PBS (97 min). DVD available from Lena. (RE, LBP, VS)
41. Power Shift (26 min). DVD available from Lena. (CO₂, CSL)
42. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, American Experience, PBS (55 min). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, LBP, MF)
43. Recyclin' (45 min). Powers Philms. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, DSOP)
44. Red Alert! The Washington Region Fights Unhealthy Air, Sierra Club (9 min). VHS available from Lore. (CSL)
45. Secret History of the Credit Card, Frontline, PBS (60 min). DVD available from Lena. (LBP, VS, YMOYL)
46. Silent Killer: The Unfinished Campaign Against Hunger, Bullfrog Films (57 min). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (CSL, MF)
47. Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska, Season 1, Simple Living America (8 30-min episodes) 2-VHS set available from Lena. (All topics) Associated resource list
48. Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska, Season 2, Simple Living America (10 30-min episodes). Closed captioned. 3-DVD set available from Lena and from Marney. (All topics) Associated resource list
49. Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska, Season 3 , Simple Living America (8 30-min episodes). Closed captioned. 2-DVD set available from Lena. (All topics) Associated resource list
50. Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska, Season 4 , Simple Living America (13 30-min episodes). Closed captioned. 2-DVD set available from Lena. (All topics)
51. The 1900 House, PBS (4-episodes, 220 minutes total). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, LBP, VS)
52. The 1940 House, PBS (180 minutes total, separated into several scenes). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, LBP, VS)
53. The Cost of Cool, (26 min). Includes Discussion Guide. VHS available from Marney. (HCHP, LBP, VS)
54. The Elegant Universe, NOVA, (180 minutes, 2 in 2 DVDs). Closed captioned. DVD available from Lena. (RE)
55. The Future of Food, Lily Films (approx 125 minutes in 1 DVD). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, DSOP, GiC, MF, VS)
56. The Merchants of Cool, Frontline, PBS (60 min). VHS available from Lena. (HCHP, LBP, VS)
57. The Motherhood Manifesto, MomsRising.org. (1 hr). DVD available from Lena. (HCHP, LBP, VS)
58. The Persuaders, Frontline, PBS (90 min). DVD available from Lena. (CSL, HCHP, LBP, VS, YMOYL)
59. The Story of Stuff - you can view it now! -Tides Foundation, with Annie Leonard (20 min). Downloadable Discussion Guide (PDF). (CO₂, CSL, GiC, HCHP, LBP, VS)
60. The True Cost of Food, project of the Sierra Club (15 min). Downloadable Discussion Guide (PDF). DVD and VHS available from Marney and from Lena (CSL, MF)
61. The Unfolding Story, Foundation for Global Community (29 min). VHS available from Gina. (RE)
62. Time Management from the Inside Out, Julie Morgenstern, PBS (60 min). Closed Captioned. DVD available from Lena. (LBP, VS)
63. We Are All Smith Islanders, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (35 min) VHS available from Marat, Lena. (CSL)
64. Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price, Brave New Films (97 min, and condensed 20-minute version). Closed Captioned. DVD available from Lena. (GiC, DSOP, LBP, YMOYL)
65. Winged Migration, Jacques Perrin (98 min). Subtitles in English. DVD available from Lena. (All topics)
66. World Population, Population Connection (6 min). VHS available from Lore. (CSL, GiC)