Saving Walden's World Screens with Permaculture Class and Public, UMaine, Orono

PAX 590: Intro to Permaculture presents:

Award-winning Documentary Details Permaculture Solutions

As the world teeters on the edge of a sixth mass extinction, is there still hope for sustainable solutions? The film Saving Walden’s World says yes—and shows us how. The Belfast-based director, Jim Merkel just returned from an extensive screening tour in India -- after the film traveled by electric vehicle across the US and by sailboat along Maine’s coast this past summer. To date the film has been accepted to 15 international film festivals and won 8 awards. A screening is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, at 5 PM at the UMaine Welcome Center, Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, 75 Long Road, Orono, ME.

The event’s host, Joline Blais, is an Associate Professor of New Media at UMaine who uses permaculture in her courses and projects to support regenerative communities & ecosystems. This film amplifies Joline’s work by sharing cross-cultural sustainability innovations with UMaine and the greater community. In an increasingly polarized world, this film specifically sought out low-income societies that were prioritizing happiness and well-being over material accumulation. In a resource constrained context, such as Kerala, Cuba or rural Maine, out of the box solutions emerge.

Can we save ourselves from ourselves? What are we leaving for the next generation? These are the questions at the heart of Saving Walden’s World. The film follows Jim Merkel, a one-time military engineer turned author and sustainability champion, as he raises his son Walden in an off-the-grid homestead. Recognizing the peril on the planet, Jim seeks answers in societies meeting or exceeding the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set for 2030. The film takes us to Cuba, the state of Kerala in India, and Slovenia where decades of programs have ensured universal access to healthcare and higher education. The film asks, “Are there dividends to society from ensuring all have a decent life.”

Women’s Empowerment is a Common Thread in Building Resiliency

The film began as a study, seeking solutions, asking questions, and developing a pattern of research and exploration. During the filmmaking process, a uniting characteristic became apparent — societies prioritizing women’s status attained a high level of human development.  Gender equality accelerated poverty reduction and led to higher rates of women finishing college. From Kerala's cooperative farms to Slovenia's gender-inclusive education system, Saving Walden’s World reveals that women's empowerment is key to building resilient societies. This single cultural orientation significantly contributes to well-being, by ensuring that a 16-year-old girl can realize her dreams of becoming a doctor, engineer, teacher, or businesswoman. Discover the process that enabled these changes while journeying to rarely-visited destinations on the screen in this beautifully produced film.

A Q&A session with the Director and Joline Blais will follow the film's screening. Joline will draw insights from recent permaculture courses and Jim will bring new ideas to the conversation from Kerala, India, where he traveled with retired UN Diplomat Saji Thomas of the Kerala Forum on United Nations Academic Impact (KFUNAI). They presented the film to over two dozen universities and government organizations in India during October and November.