Thursday March 1, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Celebrate the Oscars with this special screening of one of this year's Best Documentary nominees - a rare behind-the-curtain look at the Earth Liberation Front, the radical environmental group that the FBI calls America's number one domestic terrorist threat.

For years, the Earth Liberation Front (the collective name for individuals using economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment) launched spectacular acts of arson against dozens of businesses they accused of destroying the environment, including timber companies, SUV dealerships, wild horse slaughterhouses and a $12 million ski lodge in Vail, Colorado.

The film weaves together a variety of clashing points of view using candid interviews and a trove of archival material (much of it never before seen). The result is a nuanced film (that is not rated) that asks its audience to wrestle with questions intentionally left unresolved.

Thursday February 9, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

This second in a series of four monthly discussions co-sponsored by the City of Ann Arbor, centers on "Land Use and Access" and includes discussion on infrastructure, transportation, built environment, public spaces, and land use.

Each of the four monthly sessions will examine past successes and challenges, discuss possible future priorities and feature a think tank of local stakeholders (UM faculty, representatives from community organizations, city commissioners, City of Ann Arbor staff and the public). The ensuing discussions will help guide the city's sustainability planning efforts.

Tuesday January 17, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Are you interested in saving energy by creating a more sustainable home?

Join Doug Selby of Meadowlark Builders for this informative talk and learn more about practical ways to reduce your carbon footprint at home and live a healthier, comfortable life. Doug Selby is a building science expert and managing partner in Meadowlark Builders, a deep green design/build construction firm, and in Meadowlark Energy, a home performance contracting company, both headquartered in Ann Arbor.

Thursday January 12, 2012: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

This is the first in a series of four monthly discussions that examines natural areas, waste reduction, recycling, compost, local food systems, water and air quality. Panelists include City of Ann Arbor staff members, city commissioners, representatives from community organizations and UM faculty.

Each of the four monthly sessions will examine past successes and challenges, discuss possible future priorities and feature a think tank of local stakeholders. Read more for details about this series.

For Ann Arbor's current environmental goals, check out the State of Our Environment Report to read about Ann Arbor's current environmental goals.

Gasland, a film about Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is a Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize Winner and was nominated for a 2011 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

In 2009, filmmaker Josh Fox learned that his home was on top of a rock formation containing natural gas. He was offered $100,000 to lease his land to undergo Halliburton’s controversial extraction process of hydraulic fracturing. He questioned the safety of fracking, and wanted to dig deeper, leading him an a cross-country, truth-seeking mission to answer some questions: Is the process safe? What are the effects on humans and the Earth? Fox learned fracking has caused everything from illness to flammable water. The film is an educational journey that is both disheartening and warm-hearted.

As part of AADL’s ongoing series of Films & Discussions, cosponsored by the University of Michigan Community Scholars Program, Gasland will be shown at the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library on Thursday, November 17, at 6 PM. A discussion led by the faculty and students of MCSP will follow the film. The event is recommended for grade nine to adult.

In this award-winning film, filmmaker and amateur astronomer Ian Cheney starts with the deceptively simple question, Do we need to see the stars? City Dark explores the disappearance of darkness and the myriad implications of light pollution, from the deaths of thousands of animals disoriented by city lights to humanity's more abstract disconnect from the wonder of the cosmos hidden from view behind the orange haze of its cities.

In this thoughtful film, Cheney passes over both environmental rants and nostalgic pleas to engage us in a more meditative reflection on our relationship with the night sky with stunning astrophotography and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians and lighting designers.

The University Lowbrow Astronomers are co-sponsoring this screening and members of the group will be on hand to answer questions following the film.

City Dark | Tuesday, October 11 | 6:30 p.m. | Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room

If you're like me, you can't wait for the Autumnal Equinox on September 23rd to roll around so you can officially say It's Fall! for those that are excited for the cooler weather and changing colors, check out the Michigan.org website for information about the changing colors and where and when to go to get the best view. Also be sure to check our catalog for books about fall/autumn in the aadl.org catalog!

Thursday August 25, 2011: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Have a home improvement that you need assistance with starting or completing? Want to know how to make the improvement energy friendly? The energy efficiency experts at Clean Energy Coalition invite you to this session where they will tell you what to do, how to pay for it and where you can get more help on your project.

Using efficient energy throughout the house ultimately saves money on energy bills, reduces dependency on fossil fuels and cuts pollution. It helps your house and the environment!

Located in Ann Arbor, Clean Energy Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting clean energy technologies as a way to create healthier, energy independent communities.

Start with the Rain Barrel Truckload Sale on Sat., July 30, 9am-3pm at 37137 Marquette, Westland, MI (just east of Newburgh Road). A barrel costs $60, and the sale is sponsored by Alliance of Rouge Communities. Then on Tuesday, August 2, 8-9am, the Huron Watershed Council and Clean Energy Coalition are teaming up at a before work breakfast to teach easy techniques and show affordable tools that can help a family of four save up to $300 annually on utility bills. The event is free with coffee and bagels provided. It takes place at the NEW Center, 1100 North Main St., Ann Arbor. Contact Pam Labadie at plabadie@hrwc.org or 734-769-5123 x 602.

camping

Wednesday, July 13, 2011: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm -- Malletts Creek Branch: Program Room AB

Ever wondered what to do during emergency situations while camping, hiking and exploring out in nature?

Outdoor experts from Ann Arbor's Bivouac Outdoor Clothing and Gear store will give you the basic survival tips and tricks to keep yourself alive if stranded - rain, snow or shine. They'll also talk about extreme survival tips for the most dangerous scenarios.

Be sure to attend and be prepared for your next wilderness adventure!