During the 2011 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop attendees got a chance to see the new documentary from Josh & Rebecca Tickell. I first met Josh during a National Biodiesel Conference before he produced his award winning film, “Fuel.” Together with Rebecca they have now produced a film that should open a lot of people’s eyes about the myths surrounding ethanol. It is called “FREEDOM.”
FREEDOM is a one-hour documentary that takes a hard look at America’s perilous and unsustainable addiction to foreign oil. It explores the role that Ethanol plays as a homegrown alternative that will boost the domestic economy, create jobs and reduce our need to rely on dangerous and unstable parts of the world for our fuel. Filmmakers Josh Tickell and his wife Rebecca set out on a journey to take a fresh look at Ethanol and try to separate the myth from the hyperbole.
Following the screening which was viewed in a packed room at the FEW, I spoke with them about their latest project.
Rebecca says the devastation in the Gulf of Mexico last year spurred them to look into more alternatives to oil. So they did some checking to find out the truths about our main alternative fuel source, ethanol, and had their eyes opened when they looked into the myths surrounding the industry and the fuel. They spoke to experts on all sides of the debate including the authors of anti-ethanol studies.
They chose the title, “FREEDOM,” because event though we were promised by our current President in his election campaign that he would bring our troops home from the Middle East, we have actually increased the number of our soldiers there. Developing our own renewable fuel choices would give us freedom from that situation. They also point out the complete lack of a fuel choice at the pump and say that’s not freedom either.
The couple is embarking on a 30-city FREEDOM bus tour to promote their new film and you can see the schedule and find out more about the project on their website. You can watch and purchase the film there. They are producing a 90 minute theatrical version of the film too.
Josh/Rebecca Tickell InterviewYou may want to consider purchasing the film to show to your neighbors and friends or your favorite skeptic. How about sending a copy to your elected leaders? It’s great for generating conversation!
Our coverage of the 2011 Fuel Ethanol Workshop is being made possible by the Renewable Fuels Association.
0 responses to “Buy FREEDOM Learn Truth About Ethanol”
FREEDOM really is an amazing film. I was lucky enough to meet Josh and Rebecca two years ago when they were screening FUEL, and now Josh will be coming to my home town of Duncan, on Vancouver Island in Canada, to screen their new release! Josh’s visit is kicking off an all-weekend event, the Collective Biofuels Conference, which will have bio-enthusiasts from across North America sharing technical information and case studies about producing local, sustainable petroleum-fuel alternatives. Check out this unique opportunity online at http://www.cowichanenergy.org/collectivebiodieselconference.html.
over at ABC they have a series of reports about how buying American helps our country.
I could recommend they talk to Josh and Rebecca about how making 13 billion gallons of ethanol in the U.S. boosts our GDP about $80 Billion. That’s about the best buy American idea I can think of.
In addition to that, what’s the value of the increased energy security of having an additional 10% of our transportion fuel supply being domestically sourced?
We saw FREEDOM yesterday in Sedona, Arizona, and are looking forward to converting our Yukon to run on ethanol. Flagstaff, just north of our city, has been conducting managed burning of forest debris as a fire management tool. This wood could be converted to ethanol (“cellulosic processing” is the term, I think) and then our Sedona skies would not have unhealthy levels of smoke. There are no public ethanol stations here, but we know some cars are currently running on this fuel. They likely get it trucked from either Prescott or Phoenix…and Flagstaff is MUCH closer! It would certainly be a win-win situation if Flagstaff would build a plant.
Heard about this the other day during the KPFK public radio fund drive. Never knew how John D. Rockefeller conspired to kill Henry Ford’s ethanol production for use as fuel for his Model T’s with Prohibition.
I hope this is the beginning of a resurgence of the biomass industry. I am curious, is hemp biomass mentioned?