Savinar and Sundance Deliver On Documentary “A Crude Awakening”

Savinar and Sundance Deliver On Documentary “A Crude Awakening”

A friend to Groovy and always ready with an interesting comment or two, Matt Savinar is reaching out through your television in The Sundance Channel’s THE GREEN. This new three-hour block of television premiering this Tuesday features a wide range of high-quality programming covering issues of sustainability and green ideas. I received a few screeners a couple weeks back and have been pouring over the shows with great interest; after all, this is a guy without television and I was happy not to miss out on the series.

I launched into a full review over at the green entertainment site, Ecorazzi, but I wanted to put a little more emphasis on this week’s 90 minute documentary, A Crude Awakening. Obviously, this piece covers the issue of Peak Oil and does a masterful job of slowly easing into the topic in such a way that makes the dire consequences that much easier to grasp. We’re given phenomenal access to historical video footage of oil boom towns that now look like derelict theme parks and even Marion Hubbert (the father of the theory of Peak Oil) presenting his concept on television in the early 50s mid-70s. Commentary from several notable geologists, politicians, and energy experts adds impressive information (as well as warnings) to the visuals.

Of all those involved, it was great to see Matt Savinar (from lifeaftertheoilcrash.net) giving a big screen performance on the dangers we face from a world without oil. I didn’t pick up on it till later, but I found somewhat amusing the set Sundance featured Savinar on. Behind him are supplies of fresh water and knapsacks of various sizes. I’m not sure if this is Matt’s personal bunker or just a prelude to what we can all expect to be stocking. Either way, Savinar’s commentary added a great sense of weight to the pressing issues we can expect from Peak Oil.

If you get cable (and you’re also one of the few that gets Sundance), please check out THE GREEN’s premiere this coming Tuesday at 9pm EST. You most definitely will not be disappointed. My only worry is that Sundance is a niche channel and these important topics will not reach the audience that’s needed to become informed and create change. Let’s hope DVDs of the series are not too far away. Below is the first three minutes to A Crude Awakening. Hit THE GREEN’s official site for more information.