Interview with local filmmaker Arlen Slobodow about In The Air, a documentary about the air pollution, our health, and the environment in Tampa Bay
June 19, 2009 at 8:00 am by Matt De Vlieger
Below, is an interview I just conducted with Arlen Slobodow, a local filmmaker who just completed a documentary about air pollution caused by fossil fuels in the Tampa Bay area and how it affects our health and the health of our planet. Also, see my last post which goes more in depth about the film.
The following interview was conducted by phone on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2009.
Matt De Vlieger (M): How did you get involved in documentary filmmaking?
Arlen Slobodow (A): I have always been interested in social change work and have found mass media a good way to accomplish that.
M: What motivated your research on air pollution in the Tampa Bay area?
A: I produced an hour documentary called Tampa Bay: Living Legacy, looking at the ecology of the Bay from an historic perspective and this was a follow-up to that. I found that in the case of air pollution, there are people concerned about public health impacts, and people concerned about the environmental impacts, but you can’t really understand the issue without bridging the health concerns and the environmental concerns. Carbon emissions are another form of air pollution. Meeting the challenge of climate change also provides an opportunity to better protect the health of the bay and the air we breathe.
M: From what you learned in making the documentary, what are some of the things we can do to reduce fossil fuel emissions and greenhouse gasses locally?
A: The big areas are power consumption, and transportation. We need mass transit in this area. Aside from Detroit, Tampa is the only large metropolitan area in the nation without mass transit. We need transportation alternatives– it is essential. In terms of energy consumption, we need to change the model of the big private utility companies that don’t have much incentive to reduce energy use. For instance, TECO does not offer rebates for solar energy.
I am getting a solar hot water system for my home this week and I’d love to get off the [energy] grid. If you saw the train of coal cars that go into TECO every day and the implications for the environment—the sooner you get off the grid, the better.
M: What do you want people to learn from your documentary?
A: Rethink your energy consumption and transportation use. How can you reduce the use of polluting technologies? Aside from your role of a consumer, think about your role as a citizen. Get involved and make your voice heard.
M: What are other ways, beyond voting, for our neighbors to get involved?
A: Attend hearings regarding energy policy and tell elected officials how you feel. Florida’s energy plan about the use of renewables has been the subject of much debate, but the State Legislature accomplished very little. There are energy and pollution issues on all levels of government and people need to be aware of what’s going on and try to get involved.
M: This documentary, In the Air, was inspired by a previous documentary you worked on. What’s your next step?
A: I’ve been trying to do a program about solar [power] in Florida called Where is Solar in the Sunshine State? but I am still trying to raise money to do it. Once you convert to solar 
energy, you have a one-time cost and you basically have the energy of the sun. It could be a significant energy source in Florida. People try to compare the cost of solar to other energy costs, but we don’t know what those costs will be in the future. We know the electric grid will cost more, but how much more? Ten percent a year? With solar once you’re installed you don’t have to worry about inflation, corporate greed, or carbon taxes. From an economic perspective and from and environmental perspective, people need to be aware of the alternatives and take action on them.
M: Let’s say it’s 30 years or so from today. What do you hope future generations, our grandchildren, will say about our generation and the legacy we leave for them regarding the environment?
A: We recognized a problem, we took it to heart, and then we took action to preserve our future and our fragile planet.
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To get in touch with Arlen Slobodow (especially if you want to help him fund his next project) you can reach him at Public Media Productions, ajs@publicmediaproductions.com, 813.968.4200, www.publicmediaproductions.com.
To get involved with Greenpeace in Tampa Bay, contact me, Matt De Vlieger, at matt.devlieger@greenpeace.org, or 813.443.516, www.greenpeace.org/usa, or catch our group on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99003395438.
I also want to let you know that if you’d like to get involved with Greenpeace’s work in the Tampa Bay area, we are having a meeting this evening, Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 7pm, at the John F. Germany Library in Downtown Tampa to discuss our ongoing Climate Rescue campaign.
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