Smarter Country, A

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PRODUCT CAN ONLY BE SHIPPED WITHIN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. ANY ORDERS WITH A SHIPPING ADDRESS OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAND WILL BE CANCELLED AND REFUNDED.

In a climate of uncertainty, green pioneers are pushing ahead with their visions of the future.

Many citizens have limited knowledge of the opportunities that will come from taking a more creative approach to renewable energy, ecologically sustainable farming, greener buildings and lifestyles and other innovations. But despite this there is now a whole army of people urgently mapping the future.

This documentary follows four main characters, Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Professor Tim Flannery, Senator Christine Milne, and the young Matthew Wright, founder of Beyond Zero Emissions, as they work to embrace change and educate the public.

It features past American vice President Al Gore, American President Barack Obama, Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott, Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt, and passionate advocates Professor Julian Cribb, Chris Dunstan, Dr. David Mills, Sylvia Tulloch, Al Gore and Cate Blanchett.

Through them we see exciting new possibilities including the Pixel Carbon Neutral Building, Dyesol, the University of NSW Solar PV School, Randwick TAFE, Capital Wind Farm, Liddell solar thermal plant, and the Institute of Sustainable Futures. Architects Richard Francis-Jones and Frank Gehry create aesthetic cutting edge designs, and Michael Mobbs creates a green street growing food in the city.

The documentary also examines our relationships with China and other countries and their efforts to use renewable energy. Australia now has a price on carbon, but proposals for expanded coal mines, coal seam gas and natural gas plants suggest business as usual.

Through A Smarter Country we glimpse a future that moves from old technologies to a world that could be more creative, sustainable and equitable, and the pioneering people who are intent on taking us there.

Classification exempt - Ronin recommends: G

Running time: 55 mins