Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Jasmine Slade
UNC Charlotte
Introduction
Documentary Critique: ‘Sustainable’ 2
The concept of sustainable practices on all facets of life relates to our ability to satisfy our
current needs and wants with respect to the future populations’ ability to do the same. The
central idea within the discussion of sustainable life is how we can leave behind high-quality
living standards for posterity which in turn, brings light to how we exploit resources, invest
funds, and manage technological development. Our current economic norms of consumer
capitalism lead us to a flawed worldview that separates human life from nature. The prevalent
narrative that the sole purpose of nature existing is to only supply us with resources for our
commercial use perpetuates the widespread disrespect for our environment. The film
‘Sustainable’ addresses the environmental issues in the food industry and the remarkable
possibilities of sustainable farming. The film does a good job clarifying the concept and reality
characteristics of sustainable farming, and illustrating how diverse crop rotation can preserve and
The film, ‘Sustainable’ highlights the importance of sustainable farming and how the
practices within it can combat climate change. Organic farming is the method of sustainable
agriculture that is centered on not using harmful pesticides or herbicides in the process of
growth. More often than not, many people believe that organic farming cannot be the sole
agricultural method for supplying the world with food. Studies from the Rodale Institute (shown
in the documentary) show that yields from organic farms are at a higher level than conventional
farms and are also more likely to survive through environmental hardships such as droughts. The
film also educates the viewer on the concept of carbon sequestration which is a plant’s ability to
Documentary Critique: ‘Sustainable’ 3
store carbon from the atmosphere into the soil through its function of photosynthesis. The carbon
can only be preserved in the soil when the microorganisms that hold them are not destroyed by
chemicals and intensive tillage which is why supporters and researchers of organic farming
explain their practices as a way to combat climate change. Another central method of
organic/sustainable farming mentioned in the film is that of diverse crop rotation. This practice
consists of planting a variety of crops which encourages the biodiversity of the ecosystem of
organisms in the soil thus, leading to heightened soil health, increased moisture retention, and
possible rehabilitation of nonarable land. The film incorporates the clever usage of illustrations
to explain the scientific concept of carbon sequestration which shows the intent of the creators to
On the opposite end of the spectrum is conventional farming which produces crops at a
vast industrial level and serves as fuel to many corporations’ production processes. Conventional
farms typically partake in the monoculture of corn, soy, and wheat and are characterized by their
extreme usage of chemicals and disgrace for the health and future of the environment. The
United States’s largest aquifer, The Ogallala Aquifer, is being depleted at exponential rates due
to industrial farms depleting it through excessive irrigation. The financial hardships that
conventional farmers face are explained by the fact that they are functioning in a perfectly
competitive market. A perfectly competitive market is one where sellers cannot influence the
price of their product while the demand for goods may vary. All participants in this market
structure make homogenous products. The amount of industrial farms is extremely vast to the
point where the actions of one farm will not affect the market prices or actions of other farms.
They cannot supply more or less depending on the price level, therefore, the only aspect farmers
can rely on in order to make a profit is the size of their yields. This explains the constant
Documentary Critique: ‘Sustainable’ 4
instances of soil degradation and chemical usage on conventional farms. Industrial farmers make
less per acre compared to organic farmers due to preset prices that are out of their control
combined with the fact that poor harvest seasons can affect them unexpectedly. Considering the
subsidies from the government in order to maintain their existence and make a profit. I think the
film could have elaborated further on the economic differences between organic/sustainable
farms and conventional farms and the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market. I was
only capable of recognizing the market type because of the previous classes in economics that I
have taken. However, the film does a great job of explaining the environmental external costs of
conventional farming that makes it more expensive to conduct than sustainable farming.
Community Unification
Marty Travis, a sustainable farmer and one of the narrators for the film, brings light to
how his farming practices motivate him to have a relationship and passion for farming which
encourages many local chefs and bakers like Greg Wade and Dan Barber -- to name a few-- to
buy produce from Travis’s farm. Chef Wade explains that it inspires him to make more
innovative dishes when the farmers that he purchases from have a meaningful connection with
their food. Strong and long-lasting relationships are developed between Travis and his buyers
which leads to the expansion and preservation of sustainable farming. In order to further push the
expansion of authentic farming in his area, in 2005, Travis founded a cooperative organization
called The Stewards of the Land where local and passionate farmers meet to agree on different
crops to be responsible for to then have their harvests sold at a central location to restaurants and
other buyers alike. This organization helps farmers to continue to do what they love while also
Documentary Critique: ‘Sustainable’ 5
making it easier for buyers to keep track of products. The community unification illustrated in
the film can be connected to the discussion of developing our cultural worldview mentioned in
part one of the Sustainable World Sourcebook. Part one discusses how the norms of consumer
capitalism have encouraged the majority of individuals to have negative worldviews such as the
belief that one person cannot make a difference and that a healthy society depends on a growing
economy. The reading also mentions how we should see ourselves as one with nature and view
an assault on Earth as an assault on ourselves. The growing web of relationships that Travis has
developed with farmers, chefs, bakers, and other people shows how he is spreading
Conclusion
The film ‘Sustainable’ effectively communicates to viewers the benefits and possibilities
of sustainable farming along with the unfortunate reality of industrial farming. The creators and
narrators of the film did a great job of communicating that it is important to keep future
generations in mind when satisfying our current needs and wants which is the main idea behind
sustainable living. After watching this film and seeing how simple and remarkable it can be to
invest in sustainable farming, it immediately inspired me to figure out how I can support local
farmers in my area. I think this film is worthy of everyone’s attention because so many
individuals continue to believe the paradox that sustainable farming cannot feed the world and
future generations.