Earth Day Entertainment: Fargo Theatre screens ‘Cowspiracy’

Cinema | April 16th, 2015

By Suzanne Hanson

Spring is a time when we look forward to the future and plant the seeds for growth, which is no doubt why it seems a natural fit that we celebrate Earth Day every April 22.

According to Earth Day Network, Earth Day was founded by a group of students in New York in 1970 as a means to draw attention to pressing environmental concerns and the need for proactive public policy and change.

Nearly half a century later, we’re not doing so hot, or rather, quite the opposite. We continue to break heat records every year and face super-storms across the globe. There’s no shortage of depressing statistics on the damage we inflict on our planet every day. We’re losing acres of precious rainforest every second, and our oceans are full of “dead zones,” aquatic areas where things have gotten so out of whack there is no oxygen left to support life.

Many places in the world lack clean water to drink. Some places are just lacking water, period (looking at you, California). The list goes on and on.

Yet just like that eternal optimism of a spring day, all hope is not lost. We know there are things we can do to remedy these issues.

We’ve all heard the advice to take shorter showers, carpool and use energy-efficient lightbulbs. But what if I told you that you could do something much more effective? Something that would improve air quality, water quality and reduce greenhouse gases. Something that would restore natural habitats, reduce suffering and improve your health. Something you can do right now, even as you read this. So what is this magical and elusive thing that can accomplish all of this? It’s as simple as choosing the meatless option at your next meal.

That’s right, adopting a plant-based diet could save the world. This is the central premise of the film ”Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,”as well as the conclusion of a 2010 United Nations report and recent recommendations from the U.S. government on diet and the corresponding environmental impact. This is no doubt a hot-button issue, especially in the heart of an area known for its agribusiness sector.

To be sure, this isn’t the most comfortable conversation to have, but we need to have it nonetheless. The facts are out there, and it’s our job as stewards of this planet to educate ourselves and make our choices accordingly. For those who are interested in learning more about this issue, FMVeg is hosting a free screening of “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret”on Earth Day, April 22, at the Fargo Theatre from 6 to 8 p.m.

During this screening, attendees can sample some of the food featured in the film, such as Beyond Meat and Just Mayo. Beyond Meat has the backing of Bill Gates and the founders of Twitter. It mimics the taste and texture of meat products without the same level of environmental impact.

At a previous screening of “Cowspiracy,” participants were served Beyond Chicken Salad. FMVeg’s lead volunteer organizer, Kathleen Keene, said the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Many people commented they would have never known the product was meatless without being told so. Recipe sharing abounded as people discovered that plant-based food can, indeed, be quite delicious.

FMVeg hopes you’ll attend this great screening and sampling event. Also, look for HPR’s vegan column in coming weeks for other events, products, recipes and information on plant-based eating in the F-M area. The planet will be glad you did.

Happy Earth Day!

IF YOU GO:

“Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret”

Earth Day, April 22, 6 to 8 p.m.

The Fargo Theatre

IF YOU GO:

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