The University of Portland and Neighbors for Clean Air(NCA) will present a screening of the film“A Fierce Green Fire: Stories of the Environmental Movement,” followed by a question and answer session with environmental activist Lois Gibbs, on Saturday, April 27, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., in Buckley Center Auditorium. The screening and Q & A session are free and open to all.
Directed and written by Mark Kitchell and narrated by Robert Redford, Ashley Judd,Van Jones, Isabel Allende, and Meryl Streep, the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2012. It has won acclaim at festivals around the world, and in 2013 begins its theatrical release as well as educational distribution and use by environmental groups and grassroots activists.
Lois Gibbs began her work in environmental causes in 1978 when she discovered that her 7-year-old son’s elementary school in Niagara Falls, NewYork was built on a toxic waste dump. Subsequent investigation revealed that her entire neighborhood, Love Canal, was built on top of the dump. Gibbs organized her neighbors and formed the Love Canal Homeowners Association, leading her community in a battle against the local, state, and federal governments. After a three-year fight, Gibbs’ leadership led to the relocation of 833 Love Canal households.
The screening and Gibbs’ appearance are cosponsored by Opal, the Sierra Club, and Groundwork Portland. For more information contact Steven Kolmes, environmental science, at ext. 7291 or kolmes@up.edu.