At a glance
“We are delighted to host the film’s director at this event. We invite the public, not only to come view the movie, but to come with their questions and concerns, and talk to Josh Fox about this complex and potentially divisive issue,” said Spencer Peavey, Alfred State College director of student activities and orientation.
Alfred State College and Alfred University will each screen the movie Gasland at their respective campuses in April.
On Tuesday, April 26, Alfred State will present the movie at 8 p.m. in the Orvis Activities Center auditorium, and Alfred University will present it, also at 8 p.m., in the Nevins Theater.
On Wednesday, April 27, Alfred State College will offer an encore presentation at 6 p.m. in the Orvis auditorium, followed by a discussion with the film’s Oscar-nominated director Josh Fox.
“We are delighted to host the film’s director at this event. We invite the public, not only to come view the movie, but to come with their questions and concerns, and talk to Josh Fox about this complex and potentially divisive issue,” said Spencer Peavey, Alfred State College director of student activities and orientation.
In the debate over energy resources, natural gas is often considered a "lesser evil." While it does release some greenhouse gases, natural gas burns cleaner than coal and oil, and is in plentiful supply. But a new boom in natural gas drilling, a technology of high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’), has unlocked a veritable ‘Saudi Arabia of natural gas’ just beneath us. But is fracking safe?
When filmmaker Josh Fox was asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarked on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies, and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called Gasland. Part vérité travelogue, part exposé, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown—that is GASLAND.
Filmmaker Josh Fox comes to Alfred State to talk about Gasland, his Sundance award-winning documentary on the surprising consequences of natural gas drilling. Fox's film—inspired when the gas company came to his hometown—alleges chronic illness, animal-killing toxic waste, disastrous explosions, and regulatory missteps.
He warns that the lessons learned in Dimock, PA, should not go ignored in New York.
"Energy companies [are] coming in where they can take their resources out, but it's up to the citizens to deal with the pollution later," Fox has said. “We will be continuing to do the work necessary to have the film seen as much as possible and to offer the Gasland team’s expertise as we move forward,” he added.
GASLAND will be broadcast on HBO through 2012.