The Environmental Minute project is designed to increase public awareness and sensitivity to environmental issues, so that our conduct as consumers, voters and members of the body politic contributes to the achievement of a sustainable society. Hosted and written by Peter A.A. Berle, "Environmental Minutes" are 2-3 minute video segments, for broadcast by Public Television in the intervals between regular programming. Each segment deals with a separate environmental issue and suggests how the viewer, through his or her conduct, can promote a sustainable solution.

As one example, diminishing populations of songbirds in America are linked to the destruction of tropical forest for coffee production in Central America. Coffee grown in the shade under the forest canopy does not induce deforestation. An "Environmental Minute" introduces the viewer to the bird, the rainforest, a coffee plantation and a cup of shade-grown coffee at a suburban coffee shop in Washington D.C. Other segments in the initial series deal with water, fisheries, lumber, garbage and climate change. "Environmental Minutes" are a product of Sky Farm Productions, Inc., which received a challenge grant from the Foundation to initiate the project.

For more information email: pberle@audubon.org

All rights reserved © Copyright V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation 2006