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Newsletter
12 / november 2008
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November 25, 2008
‘Southern Star’ is peacefully gliding along Baja California, in Mexico. This is the 12th leg of the expedition ‘Around North America’ and it should end in Acapulco on December 7. Polar furs and woollies have been put away and shorts have made their appearance on deck ! From now on, the crew will be seeking protection from the sun. The low temperatures of the Great North and the steep swell of the high latitudes all of a sudden seem very far away. At the time of writing, ‘Southern Star’ has sailed 11,419 nautical miles of the anticipated total 18,000 miles of the journey.
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Port of calls :
Since the expedition reached temperate climes on the West coast, stopovers have taken on an entirely different turn. Big cities are the ideal opportunity to present and discuss the polar part of our journey to a public that is eager to learn about the changes observed up there. The stopovers in Vancouver and San Francisco were particularly busy, as there was no question we would sacrifice any of the field investigation and filming linked to the themes we are developing.
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The Vancouver and San Francisco stopovers brought to the fore just how much these cities are attached to the environment. An increasing number of the local political, industrial and private actors are seeking and finding solutions to reduce the human impact on nature, while keeping within sight economic reality. In this respect, Silicone Valley, in California, can be cited as an example. We visited workshops within which young engineers are developing new generation solar panels, windmills and electrical scooters, integrating the newest technologies, for the well-being of all.
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It was also interesting to set foot in an America which had just elected Obama. He carries much hope for the future of U.S. environmental policy.
Our first -- and short -- stopover in Mexico did not allow us to take the environmental pulse in this part of the world : our stay was too short and its principal purpose was to make our official entry into the country. We are can’t wait to begin investigating in Acapulco.
Themes and program :
Alternative energies were the theme of the San Francisco stopover. San Francisco has been, by far, the first city in the U.S. to promote an aggressive policy in terms of alternative energies. On November 10, Governor Schwarznegger announced, in Sacramento, a 50% increase in goals to be reached in matters of alternative energies. Green Business is doing well here, and the profit of companies comitted to this challenge has grown in spite of the economic downturn in America.
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The documentary
Thierry Robert, the director of the series « The climactic odyssey of Southern Star », is planning five 52-minute episodes for the series. Injam Production is presently looking for coproducers and distributors with a view to optimize the scope of filmmaking opportunities, and especially to support the filming of underwater images during our journey through the Tropics at the end of 2008-beginning of 2009.
This first episode of the series (Tromsø-Ilullisat) is finished ; the second episode (Ilullisat/Dutch Harbor) is being edited ; the third episode (Dutch Harbor/San Francisco) is in the box and we are starting on the filming of the fourth episode (San Francisco/Miami). The fifth episode will, of course, cover the last several legs of the expedition from Miami to Tromsø.
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Copyright
Text & Pictures: Olivier Pitras (except other mentions)
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