Selected Videos from the Hazardous Waste Program Library

* Videos marked with this symbol reflect diversity. Females and/or people of color are shown in leadership roles or a prominent position in the video.

Videos for Elementary Students

Water You Doing? 35 min. Grades 4-10. 1991.
The subject matter is our local water. Five short segments discuss the formation of Puget Sound, ecosystems, sources of pollution, household hazardous products, rainfall, watersheds, the water cycle, storm drains, sewage, water treatment plants, point and non-point source pollution, storm drain stenciling. Skits are humorous and include Bill Nye, John Keister, Jacqueline Moscou, the Flying Karamazov brothers, Steve Pool, Jeff Renner and Larry Schick. There is a review at the end. A very good introduction to all these issues. Originally produced for Seattle Public Utilities in 1991 by McKenna Gottlieb Producers, Inc. and reissued by the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County in 2004.

Down the Drain 30 min. Grades 4-5. 1991. *
Focuses on surface water pollution and water cleaning. This video involves the viewer by asking questions about how much water is used to take a shower or flush a toilet. It is humorous and reviews the concepts at the end. It covers physical properties of water and the water cycle, and shows water sample being taken from a helicopter. 3-2-1 Contact and the Children's Television Workshop produce it. Distributed by and available from Sunburst Communications, 101 Castleton Street, Pleasantville, NY 10570. (888) 321-7511

The Rotten Truth 30 min. Grades 4-5. 1991. *
Focuses on solid waste issues. Discusses landfills, the "Garbage Project" from University of Arizona, incineration, nature's recycling, the water cycle, composting, and a recycling factory. A magician tries to "get rid of" items using simple science experiments. It is humorous and uses organizers such as asking questions of the viewing audience. 3-2-1 Contact and the Children's Television Workshop produce it. Distributed by and available from Sunburst Communications, 101 Castleton Street, Pleasantville, NY 10570. (888) 321-7511

The Waste Water Video 11 min. Grades 4-6. Early 1990's.
The focus is wastewater and water treatment plant. Starts with a simple animation of the water cycle. Has actual shots of water treatment plants, interspersed with computer animation. A bit slow, but a good over view of water treatment. Note incorrect science: the video suggests that billions of years ago dinosaurs drinking were water, when dinosaurs lived approximately 100 million years ago. The teacher guides mentioned are no longer available. Produced by Water Environment Federation (formerly Federation of Sewage Workers Association.), 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. (800) 666-0206.

The Adventures of Wayan and the 3 R's 15 min. Grades K-5. 1995. *
The focus is on plastic and reducing, re-using and re-cycling. The setting is Bali and the narrator is a six-year-old boy. Shadow puppets are used to tell part of the story. The information is easy to understand and engagingly explained. A teacher's guide offers good discussion questions and suggestions for making shadow puppets, a mini landfill, and creating a parade. Produced by Sally Bentley and Camille Cellucci. Distributed and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET.

It's All Connected 10 min. Grades 3 and 4. Early 1990's. *
Focus is on how hazardous household products get into drinking water, specifically Lake Michigan. Has visuals of a water treatment plan, shows some alternatives. Has two humorous review sessions. Discusses signal words (caution, warning, danger, and poison). The recipe booklet mentioned is no longer available from the video producers. Class sets of a comparable item (a green clean recipe card) are available free of charge from King County Hazardous Waste Section. Call (206) 263-3050. Video produced by Lake Michigan Federation, 647 W. Virginia Street, Suite 307, Milwaukee, WI 53204.

Wormania! 26 min. Grades 3-8. 1995.
The subject matter is worms: their anatomy, locomotion, reproduction, physiology and effect on the natural world. The method is humorous, singing family interacting with a worm scientist. Lots of interesting close-up footage of worms in action. This video and teaching guide can stand alone or augment the books Worms Eat Our Garbage: Classroom Activities for a better Environment by Mary Appelhof, Mary Frances Fenton and Barbara Loss Harris (Flower Press: 1993) and Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof (Flower Press: 1982). Distributed by and available from Flowerfield Enterprises 10332 Shaver Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49002.

The Surface Water Video 9 min. Grades 4-6. Early 1990's. *
Focuses on surface water, what it is, and how humans interact with it by swimming, fishing, drinking, etc. Brief overview of water cycle. Talks about two ways water is polluted: point and non-point source pollution. The teacher guides mentioned are no longer available. Produced by Water Environment Federation (formerly Federation of Sewage Workers Association.), 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. (800) 666-0206.

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Videos for Middle and High School Students

Cleaning Up Toxics at Home 30 min. Grade 6 through adult. 1990. *
This video offers general information about household hazardous products. It shows label reading, signal words, and a hazardous waste "round-up." Professional female cleaners demonstrate safer alternatives, such as using a plumber's snake or a flea comb. Produced by the League of Women Voters of California. Distributed and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET.

We All Live Downstream 29 min. Grade 9 - Adult. 1990. *
Over half the industrial toxic waste discharged into our lakes and streams in dumped directly into the Mississippi River. This video follows the river from its headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico, speaking with citizen activists along the way. The focus is on pesticides being dumped into the river. Produced by GREENPEACE, 1436 U Street NW, Washington DC 20009. (202) 462-1177. Distributed by and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET.

Fat of the Land 56 min. Grades 9 - Adult. 1996.
Quirky and informative. The adventures of five young women who drive across the United States in an unmodified diesel van powered by used vegetable oil - biodiesel. See them gather the oil from fast food restaurants, "transesterify" it, and pour it into their van. See them interview politicians, scientists and people on the street. Hear a brief history of petroleum discovery, automobiles, the Clean Air Act and biodiesel. Be inspired: there are low technology alternatives to gasoline. Produced by Niki Cousino, Sarah Lewison, Julie Konop, Florence Dore, and Gina Todus. Distributed by and available from www.lardcar.com

GREENplans 56 min. Grades 10 through adult. 1995.
We visit Holland and New Zealand to see their efforts to bring publicly derived solutions to conflicting economic and environmental interests. In Holland we see how a heavily populated and industrial land plans for the future through a variety of measures, including car and building recycling. In New Zealand, the focus is on preserving natural resources such as forests and rivers. In both countries there is an emphasis on all stakeholders being "at the table," rather than on confrontation. Produced by John deGraaf and Jack Hamann with KCTS. Distributed and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET..

Household Hazardous Waste 13 min. Grade 10 through adult. 1991.
Discusses setting up mobile and stationary hazardous waste collection sites. Rather dry with some tedious financial comparisons. Nice because the focus is the Seattle-King County area and the history of household hazardous waste collection here. All the sites shown, including the Wastemobile are all local, as are all the people. Shows lots of handling of hazardous wastes with people in protective gear. Produced by the City of Seattle.

Your Toxic Trash 30 min. Grade 6-adult. 1993. *
This is an overview of hazardous household. It uses a quiz throughout as an organizer, has snappy demonstrations, and is narrated by Ed Bagley Jr. Can begin a classroom discussion based on the point/counterpoint discussion between a chemical company representative and a consumer advocate. Some is shot is Seattle and shows our local Wastemobile, water treatment plant and a local consumer advocacy group. Comes with a study guide. Produced and distributed by KERA TV, 3000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75201. (214) 740-9290.

When the Salmon Runs Dry 51 min. Grades 8 - Adult. 1991.
The great salmon runs of the Columbia teeter on the edge of extinction. All sides of the controversy are heard from in this program: environmentalists, farmers, fishers, hydropower managers, biologists and Native Americans. This is a classic tale of the conflict between development and preserving endangered species. This video presents timely issues as more of our state's salmon, including the mighty king salmon, are disappearing and may be listed under the Endangered Species Act. Produced by Ben Saboonchian for KIRO-TV.

Tina's Journal 17 min. Grade 6- 11. 1996.
This is an overview of solid waste issues from the point of view of a teenager in San Francisco. We travel with Tina as she visits a landfill, transfer station, hazardous waste collection center, grocery store, restaurant and family home. We see her environmental club and the video she prepares for her journalism class. This is a drama, not a documentary. A teacher's guide is included, which compliments the video by focusing on journal writing and video production. Produced by San Francisco Recycling Program.

Growing Like a Weed: The Case for Chemical Free Lawns and Gardens 29 min. Grades 10 - Adult 1992.
Mixing mildly humorous skits, personal stories and practical advice, this program presents the case against chemical gardening. Suggests methods of organic lawn care. Featured are toxicologists, landscape architects and those affected by herbicides, including 6th grade students whose protests led to a moratorium on spraying at their school. Although produced for Toronto Environmental Alliance, most information is relevant to Washington. Produced by Naomi Robinson. Distributed by and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET

Make a Smart Choice 16 min. Grades 10 - Adult. 1997.
This video gives lots of information on reading labels of Hazardous Household Products, proper use and disposal, and some alternatives. The information is presented in two well-done humorous skits as consumers attempt to purchase hazardous products. Almost all the information is universal, even though this was produced for the City of Santa Monica. This is a verbal video; there are no visual organizers. There is a separate segment at the end of the video, which discusses disposal options in Santa Monica and need not be shown. Produced by Cinegroup Production.

Urban Youth for the Environment 18 min. Grades 8 - Adult. 1993. *
A video created by EcoSound 93, a project sponsored by former Metropolitan King County Councilmember Ron Sims. It encourages urban youth to be more aware of their environment through educational experiences and the performing arts. Video includes local youth performing songs, raps, dances and skit discussing composting, pollution, energy, recycling, tree planting, storm drain cleaning and stenciling, and litter pick up. Excellent teen performers. Produced by Brian Hallet and Lawson Productions, Inc.

Let's Talk About the People 28 min. Grades 8 - Adult. 1994. *
An environmental justice documentary and music video, written and performed by the EcoSound Class of 1994. Sponsored by former Metropolitan King County Councilmember Ron Sims. Travel with local teens and hear local activists discussing pollution in the Duwamish River, daylighting a stream in the South Park area, how pesticides affect farmworkers in orchards in eastern Washington, the effects of nuclear waste from Hanford on native lands. Inspiring and well performed original songs; raps and dances are interspersed. Good information about local issues. Produced and directed by Brian Hallet.

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People Take Action

This section includes videos of young people and adults taking environmental action.

Affluenza 60 min. Grade 5 - Adult. 1997.
Affluenza is a one-hour television special that explores the high social and environmental costs of materialism and over consumption. It examines the high cost of of achieving the most extravagant lifestyle the world has ever seen. It also explores the strategies used by marketers to sell products to young people. Affluenza is a product of KCTS/Seattle and Oregon Public Broadcasting. To order your own VHS copy of Affluenza, contact Bullfrog Films at 1-800-543-FROG.

Escape from Affluenza 60 min. Grade 5 - Adult. 1998.
Escape from Affluenza is a one-hour PBS special providing practical solutions to the problem of "affluenza": an epidemic of stress, waste, over consumption and environmental decay. Escape from Affluenza shows how some Americans are calling a halt to keeping up with the Joneses and abandoning the consumer chase. The program is a sequel to the popular special, Affluenza. To order your own VHS copy of Escape from Affluenza, contact Bullfrog Films at 1-800-543-FROG.

Get it Together 28 min. Grades 8 - Adult. 1993. *
Produced by and for youth. Several organizations of young people are profiled: groups working to improve America's inner cities, groups that build low-income housing, and groups fighting pesticide exposure among farm workers. Highlights include tips on how to organize, attract and keep members and how to fundraise. High energy, fast moving, and inspiring. Also somewhat disjointed. Comes with a simple study guide and a poster. Produced by John L. Jackson, Jr., and Melissa Brockett. Distributed by and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET.

No Time to Waste 30 min. Grades 4-8. 1990. *
A documentary style video with some singing and graphics interspersed. Focuses on real students, mostly in North America, as they go through a process of research, public relations and negotiation on a local environmental issue of their choice: fast food packaging, school and community garbage clean up, and an environmental fair. Shows students researching, debating, interviewing the public, attempting to put an initiative on the ballot, and talking with public officials. An excellent video to show to motivate students prior to beginning a lengthy environmental project. Inspiring through understatement. Produced by Slim Goodbody Corporation for Greenpeace International.

Our Most Precious Resource 8 min. Grades 8 - Adult. 1992.
A brief look at the Puget Sound region's storm and waste water issues. Discusses water treatment plants, storm water, wastewater, hazardous household products, monitoring, and sedimentation. Mentions ways people can get involved, through community action grants and citizen's advisory committees. Attractive images with a low-key style. Produced for the former METRO by Alpha Video.

Witness to the Future 50 min. Grades 10 - Adult. 1996. * 
Powerful portrait of everyday people turned environmental activist by necessity. Three diverse communities are studied: Hanford, Washington, down wind from the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the San Joaquin Valley and pesticide exposure of farm workers, and Louisiana's "Cancer Alley." Inspiring, informative and well done. Produced by Branda Miller. Distributed by and available from The Video Project, 200 Estates Drive, Ben Lomond, CA 95005. 1-800-4-PLANET.

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