Dirt! The Movie

1. How do most Americans react to the idea of children playing in dirt? Why do you think they react that way? From what I've seen recently, most Americans don't like the idea of their children playing in dirt because they have the idea stuck in their head that there are a lot of bugs and bad stuff hiding in the dirt. Maybe they react this way because they only see the appearance of the dirt and may not have much knowledge about what dirt really contains in it. In the movie, I noticed that one of the experts on dirt mentioned that he didn't understand the children now in days who don't want to play in dirt or their parents who don't let them because he states that the generations before us grew up in the dirt and it was filled with life.

  3. What is your reaction to hearing about the number of farmer suicides in rural India over the past decade? (The film reports there were 200,000.) If such a thing occurred in this country, what do you think would happen? My reaction to hearing this sadly but true statistic is very disappointing because it shows how much money and power can definitely influence people in such ways as to commit suicide and come to those extreme measures just to get out of a situation in which money and power as well as sustainability has been greatly fought for. If this such thing were to happen here, I think in my opinion everything would just go downhill. It would just come to show that people care more about how to make things fast in order to gain the money they need, but instead the outcome is far worse than expected because during the process a massive amount of natural resources will be cut off, and that would be irreversible.

  7. Keeping in mind the hummingbird story told in the film, do you think doing the best you can is enough to preserve the health of the planet, even if millions of people do their best? What responsibility do governments have to help maintain a healthy planet for future generations? To be honest hearing the hummingbird story really impacted me, not only from the message it gave out but also how the lady was telling it. She had such hope and strength when she was telling the story that it almost made me feel like I wanted to be like the hummingbird as she felt the same way. Maybe the best I can do might not be enough to preserve the health of the planet, but it will bring me satisfaction to know that I tried and was a part of something so beautiful as to continue the cycle of the dirt and later on see what it becomes. As far as to what the government needs to in order to maintain this planet healthy for future generation to come, I think they should encourage programs that give back to the community. Such as the ones in the movie that had kids from schools making their own gardens, and prisoners helping out by planting and cultivating the dirt. Things like those are what the government should encourage and expect form us.