Renewable energy in the media
November 21, 2007 2:47 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for representations of renewable energy sources in (i) movies from any country or (ii) any UK mainstream media including TV ads.

Any renewable energy technology will do, including solar cells, solar thermal, wave, biomass, etc though I expect wind turbines will be the most common. I have started a list, but I can't watch everything, please don't worry about giving examples which seem obvious, I may well have missed them anyway!

The reason: I'm planning some academic work about the way in which the technologies are represented, the qualities that are implied, etc. I'm a proper academic and everything - this isn't homework! If I ever get the time to write the paper then you'll be helping to push the boundaries of human (geography) knowledge.
posted by biffa to Society & Culture (13 answers total)
 
Response by poster: Just to clarify: I'm not including nuclear in my definition of renewable, nor any fictional energy sources as in 'Chain Reaction' or 'The Saint'.
posted by biffa at 2:52 AM on November 21, 2007


EON
http://www.eon-uk.com/media/thewindofchange.aspx
posted by SpacemanRed at 3:16 AM on November 21, 2007


Mr. Fusion.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:19 AM on November 21, 2007


Tom and Barabra generate their own electricity in part from burning animal waste in The Good Life, episode 5, series 1. He's seen repairing and tinkering with the generator in various other episodes.
posted by methylsalicylate at 4:29 AM on November 21, 2007


In the US, potato chips. I'm not sure how long they'll take to make it to the UK.
posted by anaelith at 4:48 AM on November 21, 2007


UK building design and architecture tv programmes such as Grand Designs feature microgeneration not infrequently. I remember watching a programme/series on the construction of BedZED.

Hasn't BP been running television ads with wind turbines?
posted by boudicca at 6:57 AM on November 21, 2007


Response by poster: Just to emphasise, it can be any movies, however they're used, some examples:

Wind turbines on multiple PowerGen ads
Wind turbine in film “The Postman”
Large wind farm in film “Mission Impossible 3”
Wind farm in film “Rain Man”
Wind farm in film “Terminal Velocity”

Solar energy in film “Gattaca”
posted by biffa at 8:27 AM on November 21, 2007


Response by poster: Thanks for the ones so far!
posted by biffa at 8:27 AM on November 21, 2007


The BioEnergy in bardertown in the second MadMax movie.

Wind power in Waterworld (or were you after renewable electricity only?).

Practically any wilderness, western or frontier movie features use of wood burning for heating, cooking and transportation.
posted by Mitheral at 9:09 AM on November 21, 2007 [1 favorite]


This is pretty fucking great.
posted by genghis at 9:49 AM on November 21, 2007


- Kind of self link -
Act Responsible has a collection of ads (print, Tv) related to sustainable development. I'm sure they have a bunch for renewal energy.
- /Kind of self link -
posted by McSly at 9:53 AM on November 21, 2007


Best answer: Michael Sheen skipping with the shadows of the wind turbine blades at Royd Moor in Heartlands.

The BWEA used to keep a catalogue of this sort of thing.
posted by scruss at 10:03 AM on November 21, 2007


The current Barclaycard Oneplus ads on the Tube of a future London include a poster of Battersea Power Station with windturbines instead of chimneys. I can't find a picure online though...

There's also been an ad for the Politics Show on the BBC recently that has included windturbines.

And gah! why can you never think of these things when you need them! That's all I've got for now...
posted by Helga-woo at 2:05 AM on November 22, 2007


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