1. Plastic Bag (short)/ Bag it!  

Panel Topic: The Problem with Plastic

Panel Participants:

• Suzan Beraza, Director Bag it!
• Lisa Boyle & Amy Blout Lay, Plastic Pollution Coalition
• Ginny Freites, Project coordinator Center for the Development of Agriculture and Forestry (CEDAF)
• José Miguel Martínez, Director of Sanitation for the National District city government
• Patricia Cardona, director Ejecutiva de la Fundación Vida Azul
• Ingrid Fernandez, Executive of the Santiago Corporation for Hygiene (CASA)
• Marcelo Ferder, artist

Wednesday, September 7, 9:00AM
2011 Pedro Mir, UASD, Santo Domingo

Wednesday, September 7, 2011: 6:00PM
Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes, Santiago (Opening Night)

Thursday, September 8, 2011: 10:00AM-1:00PM
FUNGLODE (followed by both panel and beach cleaning activity)

Plastic is versatile, durable, waterproof, convenient and very cheap. But with all these benefits comes a long list of nagging issues - the most problematic being that plastic waste is virtually indestructible.

The campaign against plastic bags has been gathering steam in the environmental community, and though the issue of flimsy plastic bags may seem more trivial on the list of environmental challenges facing the world, its ramifications are more than aesthetic. Discarded plastic bags disrupt waterways, clog sewers, and choke soil.

Some countries, like China have pledged to put a stop to its 3bn-a-day plastic bag habit, and ban the use of free and flimsy bags by introducing levies. As of June this year, plastic bags must be paid for, and they will be banned from all public transport terminals, airports and scenic places. Should plastic bags be banned outright or will forcing consumers to pay for them alleviate the increasing threat to the world environment?  These questions, as well as other issues related to the subject, will form the subject of this fascinating panel.  


2. Luchando por la Vida - Una historia del Mar (short)/Wild Ocean

Panel Topic: The Importance of Biodiversity
Panel Participants:  

• Eleuterio Martinez, Presidential Advisor for Environmental Affairs
• Oswaldo Vásquez, Marine Consulting and Technology (ATEMAR)
• Yolanda León, INTEC/Grupo Jaragua

Thursday, September 8, 2011
Pedro Mir, UASD: 9:00AM

Sunday, September 11, 2011
Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes: 10:30AM

"Biodiversity" is the term used to describe the wide variety of living things that comprise the planet's biological infrastructure and that provide us with health, wealth, food, water, fuel and many vital services.

The world has yet to fully appreciate the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and how much is at stake in biodiversity loss.  Several reports, including last year's Global Biodiversity 3, show that policy decisions and failures to enforce regulations have put the biological infrastructure in jeopardy.

Decisions taken today that change the biosphere will have profound implications for humanity's welfare.  The subject of what we are doing today to minimize the negative impact we have on the environment, in particular on the planets oceans, are the focus of this panel.   How significant of a threat does pollution pose to marine life?  What role does global warming have on fish reproduction cycles?  These and other related questions will be discussed.


3. Parque Nacional del Este: Refugio de la naturaleza y cuna de la cultura

Panel Topic: The History & Future of Nature Documentary Films in the DR
Panel Participants:    

• Adolfo López Belando, Director Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism
• Roberto Llerena, Director of the Nautilius project

Thursday, September 8, 2011
Pedro Mir, UASD: 6:00PM

In a in-depth examination of the past, present & future of nature conservancy documentary production in the DR, panelists Roberto Llerena, General Director of the Nautilius Project & Nautilius Group,  and Claudio O'Shea will explain how this medium plays a vital role in changing attitudes and promoting environmental conservation efforts both on land and at sea.


4.  The Story of Stuff (short)/Play Again

Discussion Topic: Nature and Education
Special guests:      

• Karen Pannocchia, Executive Director Reef Check Dominican Republic
• Rose Lord, Make Gardens not war

Thursday, September 8, 2011: 6:00PM
Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes, Santiago

Friday, September 9, 2011
FUNGLODE, Santo Domingo: 10:00AM-1:00PM
Followed by Creacion de huerto comunitario

We are at present in a situation where the planet's ecology is not coping with all the pollution because of a huge, continuously increasing, consumer demand. This excessive demand for consumer products has created most of the current environmental imbalances. These imbalances have already caused ecological disasters in different places all over the world, with many more to follow.

For the filmmakers of Play Again, the focus is how -- one generation from now -- most people will have spent more time in the virtual world than in nature. New media technologies have improved our lives in countless ways and Information now appears with a simple click.

But what are we missing when we are behind screens? And how will this impact our children, our society, and eventually, our planet? This thought-provoking panel examines what can be done to minimize the impact of mass consumerism, and explores the changing balance between the virtual and natural worlds. Is our connection to nature disappearing down the "digital rabbit hole"?


5. Once Upon a Tide (short)/Where the Whales Sing

Panel Topic: Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic
Panel Participants:    

• Andrew Stevenson, Director Where the Whales Sing
• Oswaldo Vásquez, Marine Consulting and Technology (ATEMAR)
• Idelisa Bonnelly de Calventi, President FUNDEMAR

Friday, September 9, 2011
Pedro Mir, UASD, Santo Domingo: 9:00AM

The Dominican Republic has long been a forerunner in the Caribbean basin for establishing and providing marine oriented protection, guidelines, regulations and educational workshops for the preservation of its inland and coastal ecosystems. With the formation of National Marine Parks, Coral Reef and Marine Mammal Legislation and numerous research and conservation organizations, the Dominican Republic is constantly improving its methods of protecting oceans.

This panel will focus on marine mammals and their integral role in the ecosystem.  Particular attention will be given to the DR's Silver Bank Sanctuary, which, in 1996, was enlarged & renamed "The Sanctuary for the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic".  As home of the largest population of humpback whales in the world, the Sanctuary now encompasses Samana Bay and the Northern and Eastern coastline of the Dominican Republic, a frequently traveled area of the North Atlantic Humpback Whale while enroute to various breeding and calving locations in the Antilles.


6. The Polar Explorer

Discussion session: Scientific Exploration
Panel participants:        

• Mark Terry, Director The Polar Explorer
• Phillip Lehman, explorer and documentary film maker
• Adolfo López Belando, Director Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism

Friday, September 9, 2011
Pedro Mir, UASD, Santo Domingo: 6:00PM

Recently, researchers have shown an increased interest in environmental issues. Global warming, which is an increase in the temperature of earth's atmosphere and leads to climate change, is one of them.

The controversy about scientific evidence for climate change facts has raged unabated. There are many factors that affect global warming such as overuse of technology and lack of social awareness.  

This panel explores the scientific process, how measurements are taken and how experts assess the major signs of climate change in the region, its physical impacts (such as environmental damage and a rise in diseases), as well as calculating current levels of greenhouse gas emissions and possibilities for mitigation.


7. Journey to Planet Earth- Plan B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

Panel Topic: Climate Change, Challenges and Solutions
Panel participants:    

• Sylvia Earle, Marine biologist and Expolorer-in-Residence at National Geographic Society
• Omar Ramírez, Executive vice president of the National Council for Climate Change
• Ruben Torres, President Reef Check Dominican Republic

Friday, September 9, 2011
FUNGLODE: 6:00PM

Temperatures are rising on Earth, which is heating up the debate over global warming and the future of our planet.  This panel discussion asks whether or not what may be needed most to combat global warming is a greater focus on adapting to our changing planet. Adapting to the changing climate by building resilient societies and fostering sustainable development would go further in securing a future for humans on a warming planet than just cutting gas emissions. But how does humanity adapt?  What alternative sources of energy can mankind start using to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels?  These and other timely questions will form the focus of this important panel discussion.   

8. Vanishing of the Bees

Panel Topic: (Un) Sustainable Agriculture  
Panel Participants:  

George Langworthy, Director Vanishing of the Bees
Maryam Henein, Writer and Producer Vanishing of the Bees
Santiago Rivas, Coordinator of the Dominican Beekeeping Network
Sésar Rodríguez, Executive Director Dominican Environmental Consortium (CAD)
Pedro Luis Castellanos, member of the Technical Committee of the Dominican Beekeeping Network

Friday, September 9, 2011
Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes: 5:00 PM

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Pedro Mir, UASD: 6:00PM

Bees, in particular honeybees, a keystone species vital to sustaining our ecosystem, are mysteriously disappearing across the planet at an alarming rate.

Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries, almonds and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that provide one out of every three bites of food on our tables.

As scientists puzzle over the cause to this harrowing mystery, organic beekeepers indicate alternative reasons for this tragic loss. Conflicting opinions abound and after years of research, a definitive answer has not been found.

Following the screening panelists George Langworthy and Maryam Henein will share the innermost thoughts and feelings of beekeepers and scientists as they fight to preserve the honeybee and offer a platform full of solutions to encourage audiences to be the force of change they want to see in the world.

9. The Story of Stuff (short)/The Economics of Happiness

Discussion Topic: Sustainable Development: Glocalization
Special guest:     

• Karen Pannocchia, Executive Director Reef Check Dominican Republic

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes: 5:00PM

This panel discusses a new phenomenan "glocalization" which has been termed as an answer to the problems of globalization and "increased happiness". Just as the word itself is a melding of "global" and "local," glocalization involves the managed meeting of the growing global arena with localized, everyday life. Glocalization's goal is to ensure a globalized world is a stable and integrated place, while also protecting the sustainability of cultural heritage of local areas.

10. CLOSING NIGHT: The Last Lions

Panel Topic: The importance of environmental documentary filmmaking
Panel Participants:    

• Francene Blythe, Director All Roads Film Project at National Geographic Society
• David Guggenheim, Marine Biologist
• Mark Terry, Director The Polar Explorer
• Roberto Llerena, Director of the Nautilius project

Sunday, September 11, 2011
FUNGLODE: 6:00PM

The world faces immense environmental challenges and powerful, emotive, and affecting images and films can play a key role in raising the importance of conservation and bringing about change. Following the screening of the film, there will be a discussion about the importance of Environmental Documentary Filmmaking and how this innovative media serves to train filmmakers to produce films and new media that effectively strengthen the global constituency for conservation.