Triplex Cinema to Screen Documentary on Sustainable Diets, Host Panel Discussion

Print Story | Email Story
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Triplex Cinema will host a screening of the documentary film "Eating Our Way to Extinction" on April 22, followed by a panel discussion featuring author Ginny Messina, environmental activist Brittany Ebling, and Susan Purser.
 
Narrated by Academy Award-winner Kate Winslet, the film explores the environmental impact of meat production, advocating for the avoidance of animal products as a means toward a sustainable future. The documentary reportedly presents issues such as deforestation, air and water pollution, and resource depletion through a combination of journalism, scientific data, interviews, and investigative reporting.
 
This event marks the beginning of the Triplex 2025 Environmental Series, sponsored by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation and the Lenox-based Roaring Brook Foundation.
 
A reception with food samples from the Berkshire Food Co-op will follow the screening and panel discussion in the Triplex Lobby. Tickets for the event are available for purchase at www.thetriplex.org.
 
"Eating Our Way to Extinction," directed by Otto Brockway and Ludovic Brockway, with Kate Winslet as an executive producer, was released in 2021 and received the Best Documentary award at the 2022 Environmental Media Awards.
 
Ginny Messina, a Berkshire County resident and registered dietician known for her work in plant-based nutrition, will participate in the panel and sign copies of her book, "Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy on a Plant-based Diet," co-authored with Jack Norris. Related materials will be displayed in the Triplex lobby.
 
Gail Lansky, President of the Triplex Board, expressed gratitude to the Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation and the Roaring Brook Foundation for their support of the environmental series. She noted the success of the previous year's screenings in bringing the community together and anticipates a similar outcome this year. Lansky also acknowledged Stephanie Blumenthal for her efforts in organizing the event.
 
The Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation supports initiatives in environmental awareness, alternative health care, and the arts, with a focus on educational projects for underserved populations, particularly young people. The Roaring Brook Foundation supports nonprofits in the areas of climate resilience and environmental stewardship, local food systems and nutrition security, and youth leadership, outdoor education, and liberal arts.
 
Triplex Cinema, Inc., a nonprofit organization, offers a variety of films, including first-run, independent, foreign language, classic, children’s, and documentary features, as well as locally produced films and thematic programming. The Triplex also collaborates with schools and local nonprofits on community-focused programming.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Elevated Mercury Level Found in Center Pond Fish

BECKET, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health has issued an advisory after a mercury-contaminated fish was found in Center Pond. 
 
According to a letter sent to the local Board of Health from the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention, elevated levels of mercury were measured in the sample taken from the pond. 
 
The concentration in the fish exceeded DPH's action level of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million. 
 
"This indicates that daily consumption of fish from the waterbody may pose a health concern. Therefore, DPH has issued a FCA for Center Pond recommending that sensitive populations should not eat chain pickerel and all other people should limit consumption of chain pickerel to 2 meals/month," the letter states.
 
The letter specifically points to chain pickerel, but the 60-acre pond also has largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
 
The "sensitive populations" include children younger than 12, those who are nursing, pregnant, or who may become pregnant.
 
The Toxicology Division recommends reducing intake of "large, predatory fish" or fish that feed on the bottoms of waterbodies, such as largemouth bass and carp. More information on safely eating fish can be found here
View Full Story

More South Berkshire Stories