EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS FILM. Coming from the perspective of someone who knows very little U.S. energy consumption or the politics surrounding it, I found the film extremely accessible, clear, and captivating. It enlightened me on the big picture (which until seeing this film seemed overwhelming and unapproachable), gave me a sense of hope, and empowered me as the average citizen with simple things I can do to be a part of the solution. I was touched and inspired by FUEL and came away with a whole new outlook on the world and life itself!
Synopsis (from the FUEL website): Most Americans know we've got a problem: an addiction to oil that taxes the environment, entangles us in costly foreign policies, and threatens the nation's long-term stability. But few are informed or empowered enough to do much about it. Enter Josh Tickell, an expert young activist who, driven by his own emotionally charged motives, shuttles us on a revelatory, whirlwind journey to unravel this addiction from its historical origins to political constructs that support it, to alternatives available now and the steps we can take to change things. Tickell tracks the rising domination of the petrochemical industry from Rockefeller's strategy to halt ethanol use in Ford's first cars to the mysterious death of Rudolph Diesel at the height of his engine's popularization, to our government's choice to declare war after 9/11, rather than wean the country from fossil fuel. Never minimizing the complexities of ending oil dependence, Tickell uncovers a hopeful reality pointing toward a decentralized, sustainable energy infrastructure. Sweeping and exhilarating, Tickell's passionate film goes beyond great storytelling; it rings out like a bell that stirs consciousness and makes individual action suddenly seem consequential.
Synopsis (from the FUEL website): Most Americans know we've got a problem: an addiction to oil that taxes the environment, entangles us in costly foreign policies, and threatens the nation's long-term stability. But few are informed or empowered enough to do much about it. Enter Josh Tickell, an expert young activist who, driven by his own emotionally charged motives, shuttles us on a revelatory, whirlwind journey to unravel this addiction from its historical origins to political constructs that support it, to alternatives available now and the steps we can take to change things. Tickell tracks the rising domination of the petrochemical industry from Rockefeller's strategy to halt ethanol use in Ford's first cars to the mysterious death of Rudolph Diesel at the height of his engine's popularization, to our government's choice to declare war after 9/11, rather than wean the country from fossil fuel. Never minimizing the complexities of ending oil dependence, Tickell uncovers a hopeful reality pointing toward a decentralized, sustainable energy infrastructure. Sweeping and exhilarating, Tickell's passionate film goes beyond great storytelling; it rings out like a bell that stirs consciousness and makes individual action suddenly seem consequential.