The Environmental Attackers

September 4, 2014 — Editor’s note: Throughout 2014–15, Tom Miller and Nuin-Tara Key of PrettyGoodProductions will be traveling the world filming the documentary “Our Place On Earth.” The film will be an on-the-ground portrayal of people’s lives as they spearhead climate change initiatives in their own communities. The team will also lead workshops on low-cost video production as a way to help people in the communities they visit share their own stories with the world. During the year, Ensia will feature a series of in-the-field videos and reports from Tom, Nuin-Tara and their team.

The Caribbean is a hotbed of climate change-related activity: costal erosion, rising sea levels, increased storm frequency, longer periods of drought. Island countries such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, are all feeling the effects and working rapidly to adapt.

From July to September, Our Place on Earth traveled throughout the Caribbean, filming, researching and speaking with organizations, ministry officials and community members about how their communities are responding to the impacts of climate change. Each community OPOE visited was actively engaged in building their capacity to respond to climate change and openly discussed their projects, and the challenges and successes related to those projects. Union Island’s all-volunteer organization the Environmental Attackers is a vibrant and unique example of community action.

“For me, human, nature and the environment is interconnected,” says organization founder Katrina Collins. “We work hand in hand with the environment so we can protect it more, and encourage people more to do what’s right. Being an environmentalist means to me, being a true advocate for your society.”