Have you or someone in your life caught affluenza*? “The painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.”

* “Affluenza” doesn’t make this kind of playful sense in Portugese! There it means influenza.

For those concerned about the economic and moral health of our society, and our individual lives as over-extended consumers, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 23, presents several great opportunities for education and conversation — and, in a sense, conversion. I have met John de Graaf, the film maker, and have found him to be both deeply insightful about what it means to live a life less caught up in “affluenza,” and a readily approachable radical. I am always inspired by his message that we are so much more than the things we own (or that own us). Our spiritual lives long for richer fare than mere possessions. De Graaf (along with Dartmouth’s James Merkel) points us in the right direction.

Hope you’ll come to at least one of Wednesday’s events organized by Jim Merkel, Dartmouth’s Sustainability Coordinator. I don’t think you’ll regret it. Below is Jim’s description of the day.

Pastor Michael Thomas

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EVENT SCHEDULE:

May 23rd, Dartmouth Campus, Both events on North Main Street, Hanover, NH.

On Wednesday, May 23rd, the Dartmouth Sustainability Initiative, the Women’s & Gender Studies Program, and the Dartmouth Progressives present three events with documentary filmmaker John de Graaf and Laura Pacheco

12-1 pm in Collis 101: “Affluenza” and “Escape from Affluenza.” John will discuss consumerism in America with, community members, students, faculty and staff (brown bag).

4:30-5:30 in Silsby 028: “What’s the Economy for Anyway?” Talk by John de Graaf.

7:30-9:30 in Silsby 028: Producer John de Graaf’s documentary “The Motherhood Manifesto” will be shown and introduced by John de Graaf and Laura Pacheco.

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BIO — John de Graaf

John de Graaf is the national coordinator of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME, an organization challenging time poverty and overwork in the U.S. and Canada (see www.timeday.org) and a frequent speaker on issues of overwork and over-consumption in America. He is often a guest lecturer on college campuses. John is the co-author of the best-selling AFFLUENZA: THE ALL-CONSUMING EPIDEMIC (Berrett-Koehler, 2001/2005-now published in eight other languages as well.). He is the editor of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME (Berrett-Koehler, 2003) and of the children’s book, DAVID BROWER: FRIEND OF THE EARTH (Henry Holt, 1992). He also wrote the first chapter (”Childhood Affluenza”) of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ seminal book on childhood, ABOUT CHILDREN (2004). His articles have been published in dozens of magazines.

John has worked with KCTS-TV, the Seattle PBS affiliate, for 24 years, as an independent producer of television documentaries. More than 15 of his programs have been broadcast in Prime Time nationally on PBS. He is also the recipient of more than 100 regional, national and international awards for film-making, including three Emmy awards. He produced the popular PBS specials, RUNNING OUT OF TIME, an examination of overwork and time pressure in America, and AFFLUENZA, a humorous critique of American consumerism. His other national PBS specials include FOR EARTH’S SAKE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DAVID BROWER; VISIBLE TARGET; A PERSONAL MATTER: GORDON HIRABAYASHI VS. THE UNITED STATES; BEYOND ORGANIC; ESCAPE FROM AFFLUENZA; IT’S UP TO US: THE GIRAFFE PROJECT and CIRCLE OF PLENTY.

He recently completed three new documentary films, SILENT KILLER: THE UNFINISHED CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUNGER; BUYER, BE FAIR: THE PROMISE OF PRODUCT CERTIFICATION; and THE MOTHERHOOD MANIFESTO.

Prior to his work in TV, John was Public Affairs Director for KUMD Radio in Duluth, Minnesota. He has taught documentary film production at The University of Washington and The Evergreen State College. He has also taught on Time, Consumerism and Sustainability issues at Evergreen. He is the founder of the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival and former president of the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Network. He is also the recipient of the Founders of a New Northwest Award for his work in environmental media. The de Graaf Environmental Filmmaking Award, named in his honor, is presented annually at the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Nevada City, California.

He is also a member of the steering committee for the Simplicity Forum, a national think tank for the Voluntary Simplicity movement. In 2005, he was the World Food Day George McGovern lecturer at the FAO in Rome. He is a member of the Balaton Group on International Sustainability, which meets annually in Hungary, and a member of the steering committee of the Forum on Social Wealth.

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BIO — LAURA PACHECO

Producer, director LAURA PACHECO recently directed and co-produced the film THE MOTHERHOOD MANIFESTO with John De Graaf, and is currently co-producing a two hour PBS special on the emerging faith-based environmental movement in North America. She has produced and directed for the PBS Science series NOVA for the past four years, working most recently on the Global Health Series RX FOR SURVIVAL. In addition to her work with NOVA, she has worked with Frontline and Frontline World, National Geographic, The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel. Working in over 30 countries, she’s committed to stories that challenge expectations and raising awareness of voices and movements that often go unheard. She works continually with outreach campaigns, often screening films for community groups and on Capitol Hill, and is active in speaking out on many of the issues tackled in her films. In addition to freelance producing for television, Laura works closely with women’s and community groups in the US, Mexico, Guatemala and India teaching filmmaking as a tool for organizing toward social justice.

James S. Merkel
Sustainability Coordinator