Film visualizing consumption to debut

Rather than bore audiences with gaudy numbers about the ridiculous amount we as Americans consume and leave for the landfill in a lifetime, the National Geographic Channel’s film “Human Footprint” attempts to show viewers the impact one person can make on the environment.

To do that, the filmmakers used 28,433 rubber ducks, 43,371 cans of soda, 12,129 hamburger buns and 3,796 disposable diapers, among other items, to put consumption from cradle to grave into perspective.

To provide an even bigger picture, the film then traces all of those items back to their origins, according to host Elizabeth Vargas.

“Human Footprint does not just tell you how many hamburgers you will eat in a lifetime,” said Vargas in an interview on the cable channel’s blog. “We trace those hamburgers back to the farm where the cattle were raised. The film then shows the resources it took to raise those cows and bring the meat to market. Following the life cycle of these items really opens your eyes to the impact that one hamburger or can of soda or bottle of shampoo has on the world.”

With Earth Day approaching on April 22, it’s a good time to take a hard look at all we as Americans consume and the consequences of things we think we cannot live without. For more on the documentary, click here.

posted [04.11.08]

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