'Saving Walden’s World’ to Screen in Hoboken NJ

What kind of world are we leaving for the next generation?

In a time of mounting climate anxiety and geopolitical uncertainty, it is easy to feel that the system is failing. But while the headlines focus on extraction and conflict, communities in the places you'd least expect are engineering a Plan B, and a Maine filmmaker went looking for it.

As part of NJ Climate Week, we invite you to join us on Friday, October 2, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in Hoboken for a special community screening of Saving Walden's World, hosted by CREATS International and the Stevens Center for Sustainability.

This film follows Jim Merkel's personal journey from military engineer to father raising his son, Walden, on an off-grid homestead in Maine. Jim traveled to Kerala, Cuba, and Slovenia to investigate how communities there have achieved genuine stability by prioritizing women's literacy, healthcare, and reproductive freedom, and what that means for the rest of us.

Why attend? This isn't just a movie. It is a blueprint for a livable future. Recently accepted for national distribution on PBS via NETA, this Hoboken screening is part of the 100 Rooms. 1 Story. campaign, a North America screening tour bringing the film directly to local communities, with the goal of hosting 100 screenings over the next twelve months.

After the screening, stick around for a live Q&A with director Jim Merkel (joining virtually).

Event Details:

• DATE: Friday, October 2, 2026 | 5:00–7:00 PM ET

• LOCATION: Gateway South, Room 216 (Lecture Room), 531 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

• LOCAL CONTACT: Thushara Elizabeth Tom | thusharaetom@gmail.com

• WEBSITE: savingwaldensworld.org

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/an4LqG9mLlM?si=fnkHeqFoT03B9dKJ