Gasland

(M) Madman DVD

Are you an effective steward of the planet God has given you to look after? More importantly, do you even care if you are an affective steward of what God has created for our sustenance and enjoyment?

New York theatre manager and banjo hipster Josh Fox unexpectedly found himself becoming a documentary crusader after his backyard was threatened by corporate interest.

Fox was suspicious when offered $100,000 by a natural gas company who sought permission to explore his lush property. Grabbing a video camera, he set off to interview people impacted by “fracking” (an underground process used to extract natural gas). Fox encountered everything from poisoned animals to corroded land – and tap water which ignites when lit.

As is also an issue across Australia, drilling for natural gas might sound more environmentally friendly than it is. But, unlike shock-doco maker Michael Moore, Fox doesn’t set out to belittle opponents or smugly ram his message down our throats.

His evident concern about the preservation of our planet should be a powerful rebuke to any of us who bemoan the state of things, yet do nothing about it. Fox takes action, rather than simply worrying about tomorrow.

Ben McEachen