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WSIU and Carbondale Public Library Host Virtual Community Conversation on Renewable Energy

Jonathan Scott's Power Trip Poster
Courtesy of Neil Berkeley
/
Courtesy of Neil Berkeley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Contacts:
Beth Spezia, WSIU Educational Outreach Coordinator, (618) 453-5595, beth.spezia@wsiu.org;

Additional Media/Photography | Click Here

Carbondale, Ill. – WSIU Public Broadcasting, a public media service of Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Carbondale Public Library will present a free virtual community conversation inspired by the Independent Lens film Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip, which explores energy choices across America. 

The virtual community conversation, scheduled for Sunday, December 6th at 2:30pm, kicks-off the 2020-2021 Indie Lens Pop-Up film season. Participants in the online gathering will watch short video presentations of local solar installation projects. Guest discussion leaders include SIUC Physical Plant employee Justin Harrell; First Christian Church pastor Karen Knodt of Carbondale; and Cobden resident Gwen Hall-Grosshenrich. WSIU and Carbondale Public Library have a longstanding partnership to deliver the Indie Lens Pop-Up film and discussion series. This season the partners are producing the series as virtual community conversations to support public interaction during the pandemic.  

“We are looking forward to a lively Q & A session and exchange of ideas about alternatives to fossil fuels. We welcome citizens throughout the region to join in the discussion with SIU students, faculty and staff,” says Beth Spezia, WSIU Educational Outreach Coordinator. “We’ll hear and see first-hand examples of solar energy in action right here our region.”

The public is encouraged to attend this free event. Registration is required. Visit carbondalepubliclibrary.org or wsiu.org/indielenspopup to RSVP. After registering on either website, participants will receive an email link to the virtual community conversation. Call WSIU at (618) 453-5595 or Carbondale Public Library at (618) 457-0354 for more information or assistance. The Indie Lens Pop-Up virtual film screenings and community conversations series will continue through winter and spring of 2021.

The full episode of Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip is available for streaming at pbs.org and via the PBS Video App until December 16, 2020. The television broadcast on WSIU TV is sponsored locally by AES Solar and Thad Ellet Plumbing

About the Film: Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip
The key to environmentally friendly, cost-effective renewable energy is shining down upon us. In sun-soaked Las Vegas, Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott harnesses that power by installing solar panels on his own home. But when his local public utility commission takes every possible opportunity to suppress that type of competition, Jonathan sets out to answer “Why don’t more Americans have the choice to go solar?” On his journey to learn about clean energy, Jonathan talks with members of the Navajo Nation, who built a utility-scale solar plant; farmers struggling to make ends meet in Georgia; coal workers ready for new, clean jobs in Kentucky; religious leaders fighting to meet their community’s energy needs in North Carolina; and politicians at the forefront of renewable energy throughout the country.

Credit Neil Berkeley
"Power Trip" director Jonathan Scott inspects the wall of a former coal mine in Lynch, Kentucky.

About the Filmmaker
Filmmaker Jonathan Scott grew up on a rural farm where he was raised to respect the environment and understand the importance of preserving it. It’s a commitment he’s carried into his career as a licensed contractor along with his twin brother Drew, the co-host and executive producer of several hit HGTV home renovation series, including Property Brothers, Property Brothers: Forever Home, and Celebrity IOU. Jonathan’s pursuit of environmentally responsible construction and his efforts to help families access the freedom to power their lives has taken him from America’s front porches to the hallways of Capitol Hill. In addition to remodeling more than 400 homes for families across North America, Jonathan serves as an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity as a Habitat Humanitarian, the international housing organization’s highest honor. Jonathan is making his directorial debut with his film, Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip.

About WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting is licensed to the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University Carbondale in partnership with the Office of the Chancellor and the College of Mass Communication & Media Arts. The WSIU stations reach more than five million people across six states and beyond through five digital public television channels (WSIU/WUSI TV – Southern Illinois, WSEC/WMEC/WQEC TV – greater Springfield-area), three public radio stations (WSIU 91.9FM Carbondale, WUSI 90.1 FM Olney, WVSI 88.9FM Mt. Vernon), a radio information service for the blind (Southern Illinois Radio Information Service/ SIRIS), a website, and an education and community outreach department. 

WSIU's mission is to improve the quality of life of the people they serve. The WSIU stations partner with other community organizations to promote positive change and to support the academic and public service missions of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Learn more and get the latest station news online at wsiu.org and on WSIU's Facebook and Twitter pages. 

WSIU's programs and services are partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens?Pop-Up?is a neighborhood series that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's?Independent Lens, Indie Lens?Pop-Up?draws local residents, leaders, and organizations together to discuss what matters most, from newsworthy topics and social issues, to family and community relationships. Make friends, share stories, and join the conversation. For more information, visit pbs.org/independentlens/indie-lens-pop-up.

About Independent Lens
Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing on PBS on select Monday nights at 9pm CST. The acclaimed series features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by Independent Television Service, the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding from PBS and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens. Join the conversation at facebook.com/independentlens and on Twitter @IndependentLens.

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