Distinguished Panel Follows “The Electricity Fairy” at 7 p.m., Thursday, September 22

Floyd, Virginia – The audience at SustainFloyd’s (www.sustainfloyd.org) 7 p.m. screening of an award winning documentary tonight (Thursday, September 22) at the Floyd Country Store will see more than a great film, “The Electricity Fairy.”  There will be an array of delicious home-baked goods available for donations and the Association of Energy Conservation (AECP), one of the sponsors of the event, is helping to organize a panel of knowledgeable speakers to discuss the documentary.  The doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

“We will offer for purchase such unusual desserts as a pie made with Floyd’s own Concord grapes, Reese’s Pieces, and dark chocolate, as well as old favorites, such as apple cake, brownies and chocolate chip pecan cookies,” says Becky Pomponio, who is coordinating the SustainFloyd Fall Film Series. “We’ll also have locally-roasted Red Rooster Coffee, as well as popcorn and soft drinks for donations.”

“After we screen this terrific documentary, folks may stay for a discussion of our nation’s addiction to fossil fuels and what we can do about it in Floyd,” says Billy Weitzenfeld, AECP Executive Director and a SustainFloyd Board Member.  “We invite the audience to ask questions.”

Among those on the panel will be Weitzenfeld, a green construction and energy conservation professional, as well as Radford University Professor Bill Kovarik.  Kovarik, a journalist and historian who teaches environmental science, also writes for “Environmental Health News,” “Appalachian Voice,” “New River Voice,” and other environmental and science publications.

SustainFloyd is presenting three award winning documentaries in its 2011 Fall Film Series at the Floyd Country Store.  The first film, “The Electricity Fairy,” to be shown tonight at 7 p.m., examines the current construction of a coal-burning power plant in Wise County, Virginia, amid citizen protests.   Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The Fall Film Series will serve as a fundraiser for SustainFloyd.  Tickets will be $5 at the door.  Popcorn, soft drinks, home-baked goods and locally-roasted Red Rooster coffee will be offered for donations.

The second film to be screened at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening, November 3rd, 2011 at the Floyd Country Store will be “Dirt! The Movie.” Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.  Narrated by actress Jamie Lee Curtis and directed and produced by Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow, “Dirt! The Movie” takes you inside the wonders of soil. This beautiful film tells the story of Earth's most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility – from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation.  Popcorn, soft drinks, home-baked goods and locally roasted Red Rooster coffee will be available for donations.  A panel discussion will follow “Dirt! The Movie.”

The third documentary in SustainFloyd’s Fall Film Series, shown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at the Floyd Country Store, will be “The Economics of Happiness.” Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.  The holiday season can be stressful, as people have less time for friends and family and face mounting pressures at work. “The Economics of Happiness,” which has won numerous awards, describes how globalization and the consolidation of corporate power have not created a happier life for many of us.  This film celebrates communities, which are coming together to re-build on a more human scale, with ecological economies based on localization.  Popcorn, soft drinks, home-baked goods and locally roasted Red Rooster coffee will be available for donations.  Following the screening, a panel of experts will discuss ways to make our lives – and the holidays – more meaningful. 

Created in 2009, SustainFloyd is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that assists the community of Floyd County,Virginia in sustainable, local growth. Our vision is a mix of the past and the future – we work to develop new ideas that will support the next generation of our rural community, while preserving our local traditions and history. To learn more about SustainFloyd and its mission, go to www.sustainfloyd.org.