Product Description:
#5573 Transportation Issues - Cars (Run time 23 min.) DVD $69.95
The automobile is inextricably linked with the way we live. Yet we rarely stop to think of how it works or how it is made. In nontechnical terms, this program describes the operating principles of various types of car engines, outlines the main stages of automobile manufacturing, and looks at the psychology of drivers. (23 minutes)
#10503 Transportation Issues - Transportation (Run time 53 min.) DVD $69.95
For thousands of years, travel by foot, horseback, carriage, and sailing ship were the only ways to get around, setting the pace of society and, to a large degree, circumscribing the potential of humankind. But all of that changed with the advent of steamships, trains, automobiles, and airplanes. In this program, Ronald E. G. Davies, curator of air transport at the National Air and Space Museum; historian Ruth Schwartz Cowan; MIT researcher Andreas Schafer; and other authorities investigate the revolutionary impact of modern transportation on society-and on the environment, where pollution is taking a heavy toll. (53 minutes)
#794 Cities & Urbanization - Central City (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
This program provides an overview of the unique characteristics and the complexities of the center city and of the central business district. A comparison is made between Los Angeles, California, and a much older and very different kind of urban center, Manchester, England. Despite their differences, these cities share important, basic features. (20 minutes)
#796 Cities & Urbanization - Aspects of Central Place (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
This program studies how one small city with a population of 100,000 functions as a regional center and provides goods and services to that regional center and to a tourist population of 3 million annual visitors. The program focuses on the medieval English university town of Cambridge and its surrounding areas: industrialization in an agricultural area and the resulting population influx. (20 minutes)
#1949 Cities & Urbanization - Los Angeles: The Making of a City (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
Los Angeles will soon be America's most populous city. This program traces its history and cultural roots, showing the elements that comprise both the myth and the reality of the "City of Angels." (29 minutes)
#2664 Cities & Urbanization - The Mad Housers: Shelter for the Homeless (Run time 48 min.) DVD $89.95
Based on a true story, Richard Kiley and Sam Robards star in this drama about a group of architecture students who take action after an encounter with a homeless man and woman. The real Mad Housers are an Atlanta-based group that has already built nearly 100 huts for the homeless. (48 minutes)
#5043 Cities & Urbanization - The Good Society: Atlanta (Run time 60 min.) DVD $89.95
The groundbreaking book by sociologist Robert Bellah, The Good Society, forms the backbone for this two-part program with Bill Moyers, which looks at two American cities uniquely struggling to make a better society. The first program looks at Atlanta. Often cited as America's most livable city, it is also one of the poorest cities in the nation. In spite of the divisions within the city-rich and poor, black and white-Atlanta is a place where people are coming together to work for a better community. Among those appearing in the program are former President Jimmy Carter, Mayor Maynard Jackson, as well as civic and community leaders. (60 minutes)
#5044 Cities & Urbanization - The Good Society: Los Angeles (Run time 60 min.) DVD $89.95
The second part of The Good Society focuses on Los Angeles and tells the stories of people who have long recognized the need for cooperative action to benefit the community as a whole. This need is even clearer now in light of the recent riots. This program with Bill Moyers features individuals in schools, churches, and grassroots organizations who put forth their ideas in support of building the community in economically devastated urban areas. (60 minutes)
#5588 Cities & Urbanization - The City and the Environment (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
This program focuses on three facets of the urban ecosystem: the underground infrastructure that enables a city to function; traffic and the increasingly complex technologies required to manage it; and the trees in the city and the ongoing effort to protect city trees from the effects of urban pollution. (23 minutes)
#5980 Cities & Urbanization - Across the River: Saving America's Inner Cities (Run time 57 min.) DVD $89.95
Hope is not what most Americans associate with the nation's inner cities, but this program, with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith, offers a rare series of powerful and encouraging portraits of urban heroes who are reviving once-dying neighborhoods. Filmed in Washington, D.C., the program offers an almost unknown face of the inner city-one that contrasts sharply with the typical images of crime, drugs, and violence seen on the nightly news. The program features five different aspects of inner city development: a group of former drug users and criminals, who are now reaching out to juvenile offenders and fathers in prison, to show them how a life of drugs and crime is a dead-end; two school programs that use mentors and extensive job internships to achieve a graduation rate of 94% in an area where a 40% drop-out rate is the norm; a public housing project that is rehabilitating its tenants, not its buildings; a successful effort to attract the middle class back to an inner city area that was decimated during the crack epidemic of the 1980s; and an economic program that has led to the redevelopment of a shopping area, opening up new businesses, creating the services and jobs that anchor a community. (57 minutes)
#9318 Cities & Urbanization - America the Ugly: Searching for a Better Way to Live (Run time 22 min.) DVD $89.95
Since World War II, suburbia has taken over broad sections of America, squeezing out Main Street USA in favor of cookie-cutter subdivisions, shopping centers, and business parks. Is the New Urbanism-in which the needs of people, not cars, come first-the antidote for suburban sprawl? In this program, ABC News anchor Forrest Sawyer and correspondent Michel McQueen report on the housing paradigm called "traditional neighborhood developments" with architect and town planner Andres Duany, known as the Pied Piper of New Urbanism and creator of communities such as Kentlands, Maryland, and Seaside, Florida. (22 minutes)
#10599 Cities & Urbanization - Vincent Scully and the New Urbanism (Run time 12 min.) DVD $89.95
He has taught at Yale for over 50 years, his students are a who's who of American architecture, and he has even had an award named after him. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez interviews architectural historian Vincent Scully, a passionate proponent of the New Urbanism. Together they discuss the need to stop designing towns and cities around the automobile. In support of his thesis, Mr. Scully cites issues such as the backlash against high-rise housing, the detrimental effects of the interstate system on viable urban communities, and the American love affair with the single-family home. (12 minutes)
#10631 Cities & Urbanization - Seville (Run time 59 min.) DVD $89.95
The birthplace of artists Diego Velazquez and Bartolome Murillo and a trade hub with the New World during the Age of Exploration, sunny Seville has been a center of culture and commerce for centuries. Shot on location, this ageless program succinctly captures the history of the ancient city, from its roots, when it was known as Hispalis, to modern times. Roman, Moorish, and Christian influences are all discussed. In addition, architectural landmarks including the Seville Cathedral and the Torre del Oro are showcased. An RTVE production. (60 minutes)
#30651 Cities & Urbanization - Recycling City Space (Run time 24 min.) DVD $89.95
As land in urban environments becomes scarcer and more expensive, buildings and areas previously overlooked are being rediscovered. This program looks at some unusual inner-city spaces that have been turned into housing, including a unique loft in London; the Europa housing project in Montreal; and the Brewery Creek project in Vancouver, an industrial site converted into original living spaces. Architects Jerry Kennedy, Barry Hobin, Christopher Ash, and Raouf Boutros and architectural critic Rhys Phillips discuss the successes and failures of these innovative approaches. (24 minutes)
#30905 Cities & Urbanization - Private Property vs. The Public Trust (Run time 60 min.) DVD $89.95
The fictional locale known as Eagle Bay is breathtakingly beautiful. First home to a handful of modest houses, over the decades it has transitioned into a neighborhood of stately mansions-except for one 50-acre parcel, whose owners now want to sell it for subdivision. This Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Harvard Law School's Arthur Miller explores the complexities that arise when a family's freedom to sell its property clashes with their neighbors' and local government's idea of land management. The ten-member panel includes Jane Hague, past president of the National Association of Counties; land use attorneys Robert Freilich and Kenneth Bley; and developer Grady O'Rear. (60 minutes)
#30906 Cities & Urbanization - Endangered: Biodiversity and Economic Development (Run time 58 min.) DVD $89.95
Year by year the tourist trade has dwindled in fictional Pingwah Falls, leaving the town practically bankrupt. When a plan was unveiled for a modern resort, everyone's hopes rose...until they learned the land is home to a threatened species of bird. In this Fred Friendly Seminar moderated by Harvard Law School's Arthur Miller, panelists including former county supervisor Tom Mullen; Christopher Williams, of the World Wildlife Fund; Kieran Suckling, of the Center for Biological Diversity; Thomas McGill, of Michael Brandman Associates; and seven others try to determine what sacrifices should be made in the name of biodiversity-and who should make them. (60 minutes)
#30907 Cities & Urbanization - Sprawl: Inner Cities and Outer Suburbs (Run time 60 min.) DVD $89.95
To at least one resident of the fictional city of Metropolis, a new outer suburb being planned for some pristine farmland sounds like the American Dream come true. His brother, also a Metropolite but an advocate of smart growth, sees it as a nightmare. Moderated by Harvard Law School's Arthur Miller, this Fred Friendly Seminar seeks to understand the housing situation facing the U.S.-a burgeoning nation that creates more than 1.5 million new households per year. The 12-member panel includes Bruce Katz, of the Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy at The Brookings Institution; Stuart Meck, of the American Planning Association; and Harry Alford, of The National Black Chamber of Commerce. (60 minutes)
#33813 Cities & Urbanization - Small Communities and Brownfields Recovery (Run time 33 min.) DVD $89.95
This program focuses on rural and small communities and tribal governments implementing brownfields recovery initiatives. Kathie Atencio, U.S. EPA Region VIII brownfields coordinator, discusses redevelopment projects in the western states-particularly in the Dakotas. In addition, EDA, HUD, and other EPA personnel as well as community leaders and project managers offer insights into proposals being implemented all across the country, drawing case studies from Virginia, Florida, New England, and elsewhere. America's first eco-industrial park, a brownfield-to-brightfield project, and a waterfront redevelopment project are featured. Produced by John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D. (33 minutes)
#33814 Cities & Urbanization - Voluntary Brownfields Cleanup Programs (Run time 27 min.) DVD $89.95
In this documentary, environmental regulators share their knowledge about voluntary brownfields cleanup programs. Linda Garczynski, director of the U.S. EPA Office of Brownfields, explains how regulatory flexibility and memorandums of agreement facilitate the cleaning up of polluted sites for redevelopment. Arizona brownfields coordinator Ren Willis-Frances covers different ways to address cleanup activities. And Stan Hitt, brownfields administrator from U.S. EPA Region VI, analyzes approaches that have worked in the past. Many before-and-after shots-from Houston, to Phoenix, to York, Pennsylvania-illustrate properties restored to productive use. Produced by John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D. (27 minutes)
#33817 Cities & Urbanization - Economic Development of Brownfields (Run time 29 min.) DVD $89.95
Job creation, tax base expansion, neighborhood improvement, and sustainable development are only four of the many themes covered in this documentary as it presents the economics side of infill development using examples drawn from the Northeast and Southwest. The EDA's Dennis Alvord and David Sampson, environmental engineering and management specialist Ira Whitman, and a host of other experts discuss how communities are using strategies including tax increment financing to redevelop nonperforming assets such as the Bethlehem Steel site, in Pennsylvania. Produced by John W. Sutherlin, Ph.D. (29 minutes)
#39195 Cities & Urbanization - The Sears Tower, Chicago (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
For 25 years it was the tallest building in the world, and it still holds that title in the United States. However, when the $175-million Sears Tower was completed in 1973, it broke boundaries not only in height but in design and construction methods as well. This program examines architect Bruce Graham's innovations and their intended results-including better light, better ventilation, and better conditions for workers. Viewers are introduced to 1960s-era developments in steel and plate glass technology, replacing the heavy masonry walls of earlier skyscraper designs. The nearly crippling financial costs of funding such an iconic tower are also explored. (28 minutes)
#39196 Cities & Urbanization - The Turning Torso, Malmo (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
What happens when a city loses its trademark industry and the trademark architectural icon that goes with it? That was the problem facing the Swedish shipbuilding city of Malmo when the Kockums Crane was dismantled in 2002. This program illustrates the city's radical solution-a dramatic reinvention of its skyline and its socioeconomic image with the Turning Torso apartment building. Viewers will learn about the tower's unique sculptural origins, its twisted cube-stack shape, its unusual slanted windows, and its role in creating Malmo's post-industrial identity. The civic controversy that frequently accompanies daring building design is also explored. (28 minutes)
#39197 Cities & Urbanization - Seven World Trade Center, New York (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
No setting is more important in the history of office tower design than the famous skyline of Manhattan. After the 9/11 attacks scarred the cityscape, architects began to rethink the priorities involved in dramatically vertical building design. This episode profiles 7 World Trade Center, the first building to be constructed on Ground Zero. Viewers will encounter the structure's surprising shape-a result of changes in its downtown environment-and discover how the building has taken occupant safety to new levels with a thickened concrete core, stairwells 50 percent wider than code requirements, and a lobby with a blast-resistant glass facade. (28 minutes)
#39199 Cities & Urbanization - Eureka Tower, Melbourne (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
As globally recognized landmarks go, the Sydney Opera House is tough to beat. But the city of Melbourne has impressive features of its own. This program looks at the high life while going down under-exploring Melbourne's 300-meter Eureka Tower, the tallest residential building in the world and the most exclusive address in the southern hemisphere. Featuring interviews with architect Nonda Katsalidis and developer Benni Aroni, the episode provides an in-depth tour of the dynamic structure and shows how its design is aimed at Australia's high-flyers. Viewers will learn about the building's exterior color scheme, a tribute to the Victorian Gold Rush, and its relationship to the interior shapes and decor. (28 minutes)
#39200 Cities & Urbanization - Torre Mayor, Mexico City (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
One of the strongest buildings on the planet, Torre Mayor is constructed to withstand seismic movement that would obliterate the average skyscraper. Built in the wake of Mexico City's devastating 1985 earthquake, the tower is both a monument to engineering and a haven of safety in one of the world's most active seismic zones. This program focuses on the brilliant safety solutions behind Torre Mayor's innovative design. Viewers are introduced to its double-triangle diamond pattern, an ultra-solid combination of bracing and dampers, and the building's concrete-encased steel columns-all resulting in a tower that does not sway significantly during a quake. (28 minutes)
#39201 Cities & Urbanization - Q1, Australian Gold Coast (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
Once a trendy haven for beach bums, Surfers Paradise is fast becoming the Miami of the southern hemisphere, thanks to developers aiming to make it a resort for the rich and famous. Surfers' skyline is changing too, with the massive Q1 Tower now dominating the landscape. This program looks at the imposing structure from more than one angle, studying its extraordinary design elements while asking: how has its pristine environment been affected? Viewers will learn about Q1's massive exterior canopy, its honeycomb core that reduces weight while maintaining structural strength, and the system of 26 supporting piles that had to be buried in the sandy soil beneath the tower. (28 minutes)
#39202 Cities & Urbanization - Cira Center, Philadelphia (Run time 28 min.) DVD $89.95
It is an increasingly common scenario: a developer wants to build a tower in a depressed urban area, and must fill half the building before permits are issued. What's the ace in the hole? A superstar architect who brings media attention to the project. This program recounts such a story, in which Petronas Towers and Canary Wharf creator Cesar Pelli waved his magic design wand over the Cira Center project, making it stand apart from other Philadelphia high-rises. In addition to the building's design features, the program reflects on the question: are celebrity architects over-hyped and overpaid, and what-if any-public benefits exist to offset their staggering paychecks? (28 minutes)
#39468 Cities & Urbanization - Update on the Kids from Camden: Keeping Hopes and Dreams Alive (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Returning to three young at-risk citizens of Camden, New Jersey, and their stories of hardship and hope, this ABC News program illustrates the conditions many children face in urban America. How have the lives of Ivan, Billy Joe, and Moochie developed since their stories were captured in Waiting on the World to Change? (item # 39467). As Diane Sawyer reports, Billy's family underwent a dramatic shift in its standard of living; Ivan finally has a place to call home, although his dreams aren't completely fulfilled; and one woman from New York City became a mentor to Moochie. In addition, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine sits down with Sawyer and the Camden kids to discuss the problems of the city. (28 minutes)
#39557 Cities & Urbanization - Barcelona-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
From its pre-Roman origins to its 21st-century status as a truly global city, Barcelona has given birth to an array of beautiful landmarks. This program gives students an information-rich tour of the Catalonian capital. With visually dynamic footage devoted to the buildings of Antonio Gaudi, the program introduces viewers to La Casa Mila, La Sagrada Familia, Parq Guell, and other works. Explorations of the Eixample grid pattern, the 1929 International Exhibition Pavilion on Montjuic, and the Agbar Tower help to illuminate the work of Ildefons Cerda, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Jean Nouvel. Libraries, museums devoted to artists Picasso and Miro, and sites created for the 1992 summer Olympics-a milestone in Barcelona's development-are all studied. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. (Spanish, 60 minutes)
#39559 Cities & Urbanization - Valencia-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Valencia is Spain's third-largest city, the birthplace of renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, and the urban jewel of the Costa del Azahar, or Orange Blossom Coast. This program enables students to learn more about Valencia by way of its historical landmarks and present-day public spaces. Juxtaposing the medieval heritage of the city with its baroque elements, the program explores the Cathedral of Valencia, including the chapel dedicated to the Virgin de los Desamparados, and the Monastery San Miguel de los Reyes, now a technologically sophisticated library. Modern buildings-including those designed by Calatrava, Felix Candela, and Sir Norman Foster-are studied, while Valencia's Water Tribunal is also shown in session. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. (Spanish, 60 minutes)
#39561 Cities & Urbanization - Cartagena-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
From its Carthaginian birth to its role as one of Spain's naval headquarters, Cartagena has maintained powerful ties to the sea. This program illustrates the importance of the city's maritime foundation, guiding students through prominent features of Cartagena and its fortified harbor. The Navy's diving school, its submarine fleet base, and the National Museum of Marine Archaeology are all explored, along with the Sea Music festival, Holy Week events, and colorful reenactments of Punic war battles. A tour of the city's modernist architecture reveals a rich progression of beautiful facades and decoration, while antiquated military batteries along the coast further highlight the city's naval heritage. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. (Spanish, 30 minutes)
#39564 Cities & Urbanization - Pamplona-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
The seat of power in the former kingdom of Navarre-and, at one time, a virtual city-state itself-Pamplona is now famous for its Festival of San Fermin and the Running of the Bulls. This program guides viewers through festival sites, monuments, and buildings that make up Pamplona's historic landscape and modern identity. Visiting the city's 14th-century Gothic cathedral as well as other medieval structures, the program provides spectacular aerial views of the massive star fort which creates much of Pamplona's urban pattern. Parks, social hubs, sports centers, libraries, and two universities highlight the cultural life of the city, while its industries and economic viability are also emphasized. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. (Spanish, 30 minutes)
#39565 Cities & Urbanization - Segovia-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $89.95
Between the Eresma and Clamores rivers in northern Spain, an ancient city sits atop a long, narrow headland. Viewers of this program will take a journey through Segovia's multifaceted urban atmosphere. Examining the city's spectacular aqueduct, perhaps the best-preserved example of Roman architecture on the Iberian peninsula, the program also showcases Segovia's 12th-century alcazar, its Gothic cathedral, and several Romanesque churches. Other hubs of cultural heritage, such as the Festival of San Frutos, the house of the poet Antonio Machado, and the Esteban Vicente Museum of Contemporary Art, provide additional insight into this urban jewel. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. (Spanish, 30 minutes)
#5534 Transportation Issues - Transportation Safety (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
Science is constantly seeking to improve the speed, efficiency, and safety of our means of transportation. Around the world, automobiles are now subjected to many rigorous tests to see how they perform in the event of an accident. This program takes us into a major testing center to show how one of these tests is conducted. We also witness the step-by-step construction of an airport in the far north, and the amazing reconstruction work involved in consolidating a bridge requiring repair. (23 minutes)
#5569 Transportation Issues - Transportation by Sea (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
This program covers various aspects of maritime science, such as the principles of flotation, propulsion, and ship-building. It also deals with modern submarines, the latest innovation in naval technology, and with sailing ships. Although these vessels represent the classic form of the ship, the modern design of sailing ships requires the most advanced computer and hydrodynamic technology. (23 minutes)
#5572 Transportation Issues - Modern Transportation Management (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
At a time when more people are traveling further than ever, transport management and control systems must be constantly upgraded. This program deals with the increasingly complex technology in use to ensure the safety and efficiency of modern transport systems, particularly air traffic control and rail traffic management. Captivating sequences also outline the main stages of one of the boldest transportation projects of the century: the Chunnel. (23 minutes)
#5576 Transportation Issues - Navigation (Run time 23 min.) DVD $89.95
The ocean may be the last frontier, but modern navigation and marine exploration techniques are pushing this frontier back. This program looks at canal locks, aerial analysis of ice movements, and electronic mapmaking, which enable navigators to overcome natural obstacles. Marine maps are another tool used to facilitate navigation. The program also draws back the curtain on a few of the secrets revealed by the exploration of the ocean floor. (23 minutes)
#5816 Cities & Urbanization - The Tower Without Ends (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
A glittering new tower will soon be scraping the skies over Paris. Transparent and thin as a pencil, it will challenge the laws of nature. But will it snap in a storm or collapse like a house of cards? Our host for this program is Tony Fitzpatrick, a dynamic engineer who has built some of the world's most flamboyant skyscrapers. In addition to examining this new tower in Paris, the program traces the dizzying history of skyscrapers and our quest to build to the heavens as we struggle to defy wind and gravity. (29 minutes)
#5817 Cities & Urbanization - Someone to Watch Over Us (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
Our cities are gripped by fear, the streets increasingly seen as dangerous, with inadequate security for their citizens. The all-seeing eye of the surveillance camera seems to offer an answer. But are there hidden dangers to the rapid rise of mass surveillance? This program follows an innovative prison warden, Dr. David Wilson, as he traces the implications of the rise of surveillance cameras in our communities. From a maximum security prison in England, the program travels to Los Angeles and London, confronting us with harrowing real-life violence as we explore whether the city itself is increasingly becoming a prison. (29 minutes)
#5818 Cities & Urbanization - A Big Stink: City Sewer Systems (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
Odorless, hygienic, and sanitized-although that's how most of the western world's city sewer systems would be described today, it wasn't always so. Using London as an example, this program looks at the history of the city and its sewage, and the development and effect on cities of indoor bathrooms and toilets and the sewers built to cope with them. Once considered a wonder cure which made cities cleaner and healthier, the convenience of the modern toilet may yet prove dangerous. (29 minutes)
#5819 Cities & Urbanization - Lights, Lines, and Heavy Fines (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
Every day our cities are swamped with a logjam of cars, trucks, and buses. Behind this chaos, though, lies a master plan which struggles to keep the modern city on the move. This program explores the age-old battle between the city and its traffic as we follow a colorful London cabby on his journeys throughout the city. The program explains the origin of traffic signals, examines the American grid plan, speaks to the man responsible for all traffic management in London, visits Scotland Yard's Traffic Control Center, and follows the London cabby back in time to contrast traffic and planning in Victorian London with today's city. (29 minutes)
#5820 Cities & Urbanization - Going Underground (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
A railway through the underworld? The idea required a leap of technology as well as a leap of faith for its riders when first introduced. This program traces the history and development of subways, using unique techniques to bring old drawings and photographs to life, to dramatize the building of the first subways. The program explores the role of the subway today, peeling back the pavement to reveal the rattling metal trains which play such an integral role in the transportation network of the city. (29 minutes)
#5821 Cities & Urbanization - Bright Lights, Big City (Run time 29 min.) DVD $99.95
This program explains the surprisingly strong effect that street lighting has on our cities. In addition to being a powerful tool to prevent crime, more and better lighting has improved the sense of well-being and added new dimensions to the business and social activities of the city. But as a whole new world was created from lighting the darkness, the problem has turned from quality of light to the quantity. What are the consequences of too much light in our cities? Once we found our way by the stars. Does it matter that we can't see them anymore? (29 minutes)
#8617 Cities & Urbanization - Understanding Urban Sprawl (Run time 47 min.) DVD $129.95
In this program, scientist and environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki examines the social, economic, and environmental implications of "sprawl," the low-density development that spreads out from the edges of cities and towns. For decades suburban housing has carried the promise of paradise, but the need for continuous infrastructure development and the intensification of sprawl-related ecological issues, which are eroding health and quality of life, are making the true impact of suburbia painfully clear in the areas surrounding Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Vancouver, British Columbia. However, Portland, Oregon, has become a model of what can be accomplished when administrators, businesses, and residents commit themselves to slowing sprawl and reestablishing the amenities that make for a happy and healthy community. (47 minutes)
#10212 Cities & Urbanization - The City (Run time 53 min.) DVD $129.95
Early cities emerged from trading posts and fortresses; they were generally accessible by water and easily defended. This program examines the metamorphosis of the city from fort and trading post to cultural epicenter and beyond. Ancient cities are discussed and Athens and Rome are compared. Modern cities including New York and Paris are also presented, with a focus on Paris' attempt to re-create itself in the 19th century by razing slums to build monuments and boulevards. City planning and public services are examined as well, along with the middle-class exodus from, and recent return to, many American cities. (53 minutes)
#35284 Cities & Urbanization - Crime in the Cities: Public Safety at Risk (Run time 31 min.) DVD $129.95
Why do urban crime rates soar in some wealthy countries while dropping in others? This program analyzes that question using data-mapping to find telltale patterns in Japan and the United States. With the Japanese crime rate increasing in 90 percent of the nation, a data map based on locations and peak times of criminal activity sheds light on deteriorating conditions in city outskirts. Opposite patterns are observed in New York and Los Angeles, where crime rates have fallen dramatically over five years-partly as a result of improvements in municipal services and environments. Use this program to demonstrate links between crime rates and civic responsibility. (31 minutes)
#7204 Transportation Issues - Divided Highways (Run time 85 min.) DVD $129.95
It has altered our sense of space, fueled our mega-economy, knifed into the hearts of thriving city neighborhoods, and changed the lives of millions of people in the 40 years it's taken to build. This program about the Interstate Highway System combines archival material, newsreels, and interviews to describe the impact of what has been called the world's largest public works project. The Interstate's effect on community, culture, regionalism, and freedom is considered, as are the ideals, motives, and methods of its builders who helped bind a nation together. (85 minutes)
#1950 Cities & Urbanization - The Merchant of Los Angeles (Run time 29 min.) DVD $149.95
The history of Los Angeles is mirrored in the life of Harris Newmark, an immigrant who arrived in 1853, became a successful merchant, was instrumental in bringing the railroad to the city, helped found its Chamber of Commerce, and, 60 years later, wrote the story of the city's dramatic growth. Theodore Bikel plays Newmark in this dramatization. (29 minutes)
#32375 Cities & Urbanization - Housing America: Demographics and Development (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
As the 21st century unfolds, how are Americans adapting to urgent issues involving sustainable growth, quality of life, and community planning? Segment one of this NewsHour program examines the effect of urban sprawl on Atlanta's population, job and housing markets, the environment, and commuters. Segment two addresses the need for affordable housing in Burlington, Vermont, where the disparity between wages and real estate prices is on the rise. Segment three assesses urban renewal efforts in the old neighborhoods of Philadelphia. And segment four studies an experimental community system in Virginia known as co-housing. (64 minutes)
#32968 Cities & Urbanization - Death and Dying in Varanasi (Run time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
Situated by the bank of the holy Ganges, Varanasi, also known as Kashi and Benares, is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Founded approximately 3,000 years ago, the city is the religious and cultural capital of India-considered by many to be the holiest place on earth. Every year Hindus in great number go there to die, believing that cremation in that place of renewal provides an immediate entry to heaven. Shot on location, this program celebrates life and death, examines the Hindu beliefs and rituals about life and death, and discusses how these forces have sustained Varanasi through history. (53 minutes)
#33300 Cities & Urbanization - Water, the Lifeblood of Kyoto (Run time 53 min.) DVD $149.95
Kyoto's immense underground spring has nourished Japan's former capital for more than a thousand years. This program illustrates how Kyoto's incomparable spring water has been integrated into the flow of the city's culture and industry, adding its purifying touch to the tea ceremony, festivals and religious rituals, the disparate arts of kimono-making and tofu-making, and the landscaping of the city's Imperial residences, temples, and shrines. But as urbanization causes the water table to drop, how much longer will Kyoto's spring-oriented society survive? (53 minutes)
#36461 Cities & Urbanization - The Lost City of New Orleans: A Case Study (Run time 50 min.) DVD $149.95
Throughout the world, sea levels are rising, coastlines are crumbling, and the intensity of hurricanes is increasing. Is the situation in New Orleans a glimpse into the future of all cities that exist near major bodies of water? Filmed six months after Katrina, this program analyzes why New Orleans flooded so catastrophically and asks whether the city-constructed on a steadily subsiding floodplain and losing coastal barrier land at the highest rate in the U.S.-should be rebuilt at all. Louisiana State Climatologist Barry Keim; Harry Roberts, director of LSU's Coastal Studies Institute; hurricane expert Ivor Van Heerden; Colonel Richard Wagenaar, of the Army Corps of Engineers; and Hassan Mashriqui, who is developing coastal hydrologic/hydraulic modeling capabilities for the LSU Hurricane Center, are among the experts featured. Original BBCW broadcast title: The Lost City of New Orleans. (50 minutes)
#37419 Cities & Urbanization - Going Green: Real-World Solutions for the Environment (Run time 45 min.) DVD $149.95
It's easy to talk about environmental stewardship, but quite another matter to practice it. This compilation of 12 ABC News stories shows how governments, businesses, and individuals around the world are taking concrete, eco-friendly action. Each engaging example of "going green" offers an opportunity for class discussion, further study, and perhaps even genuine change. The episodes are... * Businesses Going Green: Additions to the Manhattan skyline, such as the Hearst Corporation headquarters and the Bank of America Tower, reveal a growing corporate interest in recycling and solar energy. Texas Instruments' Dallas offices and the Atlanta home-building market take the discussion further. * Interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger on Global Warming: California's governor emphasizes the need to become environmentally proactive and insists that going green is not an anti-business stance. A second segment, More on Businesses Going Green, looks at eco-friendly initiatives from General Electric, WalMart, DuPont, and FedEx. * Electric Cars Encouraged in a Small California Town: Citizens of Lincoln, CA, share their enthusiasm for NEVs, or neighborhood electric vehicles. These golf cart-sized automobiles won't set any speed records, but they can dramatically reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions. * Solar Power Usage: Will Silicon Valley become "Solar Valley"? Companies like Solar City, Miasole, and SunPower represent a new direction in high-tech-one that fuses state-of-the-art technology with the rapidly growing green consumer market. * With the Olympics Looming, China Goes Green: A visit to Beijing illustrates the city's intensifying efforts to clean up air and water quality in anticipation of the 2008 games. Beijing's scarcity of water is also discussed. * Buying the Right to Pollute? The practice of issuing "carbon offsets" raises questions about enabling, rather than preventing, pollution. One expert compares carbon offsets to the granting of indulgences by the medieval Church. * Japan Goes Green: A visit to a Tokyo family's energy-efficient apartment demonstrates devices that many Japanese citizens use to lower fuel and electrical consumption. * Biofuel Usage for Airplanes: Richard Branson, former CEO of Virgin Atlantic airlines, discusses his development partnership with Boeing. Its goal: to offer viable commercial flights that produce zero emissions. In addition, GE engineers describe the challenges of creating biofuels that won't freeze at high altitudes. * San Francisco Goes Green: This story highlights improvements to Giants Stadium, Grace Cathedral, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Public Utilities Commission building-all examples of green architecture or energy-efficient heating and lighting. * Going Carbon Negative: Two American consumers are profiled-one whose lifestyle leaves a big carbon footprint, and another whose footprint is steadily vanishing as a result of many ongoing changes. * A Family Goes Completely Green: Can an American household neutralize its environmental impact for an entire year? Colin Bevins and his wife explain their attempt to do so-no small feat for a family of three accustomed to life in New York City. 45 minutes.
#37573 Cities & Urbanization - Architects at Work (Run time 54 min.) DVD $149.95
City planning that puts people before cars, sculptural museums that are as artistic as the masterpieces they contain, commercial spaces that redefine retail-these are some of the paradigm-shaking ideas of today's architects at work. This compilation of recent NewsHour segments introduces viewers to Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, Vincent Scully, and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, visionaries in the world of architecture. Episodes include... • Frank Gehry on the Guggenheim Bilbao: Elizabeth Farnsworth talks with architect Frank Gehry about the process of designing and building the Guggenheim Bilbao. Segment also sold as a part of Pritzker Prize-Winning Architects. • Vincent Scully and the New Urbanism: Ray Suarez and architectural historian Vincent Scully discuss the rethinking of urban form through city planning that de-emphasizes cars and focuses on community. Segment also sold individually. • Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and the New Urbanism: Ray Suarez interviews Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, coauthor of Suburban Nation, on the New Urbanism as exemplified by the Kentlands, a housing development in Gaithersburg, Maryland. • Rem Koolhaas and the Architecture of Shopping: Using the Prada store in Manhattan's SoHo district as a springboard, Ray Suarez talks with architect Rem Koolhaas about a new approach to designing commercial space. • Daniel Libeskind on the Denver Art Museum: Jeffrey Brown and Daniel Libeskind discuss the Denver Art Museum and the Rocky Mountains, from which the architect drew his inspiration. (54 minutes)
#30904 Cities & Urbanization - Building America: Land Development Issues in the 21st Century (Run time min.) DVD $269.85
When it comes to suburban and rural development, more and more Americans are showing interest in greener building practices, better resource management, and biodiversity. There is also a growing desire to redevelop America's urban centers. But alongside these movements are the core principle of free enterprise, the cherished right to buy and sell property, and the ongoing need to create housing for an ever-increasing population. Can all of these divergent points of view be reconciled? This three-part series of Fred Friendly Seminars explores these critical issues. 3-part series, 60 minutes each.
#5815 Cities & Urbanization - Metropolis (Run time min.) DVD $599.7
This series explores the history and the future of the key feats of technology and engineering that have shaped today's large cities-skyscrapers, underground trains, sewer systems, traffic control, lighting, and surveillance. The programs reveal how the ever-expanding city has pushed back its boundaries, becoming more and more dependent on machines as it thrusts itself into uncharted realms-moving higher into the sky, plunging deeper through the earth, moving faster along busier streets. As well as exploring the science of the city, the series reveals its social impact. As cities expand, bringing in more and more people, they are becoming increasingly artificial environments. The series shows how we have created this artificial world and where it may be heading. 6-part series, 29 minutes each.
#39556 Cities & Urbanization - Spanish Cities: A 21st-Century Exploration-in Spanish (Run time min.) DVD $1079.4
The cities of the Iberian peninsula present vast opportunities for studying Spain's history and culture, the Spanish language, and Spanish architecture and urban planning. This 10-part series transports viewers into the midst of major Spanish cities, revealing centuries of development, a wide range of building styles, and cultural influences from around the world. With a powerful mix of aerial and on-the-street footage, this series helps build an appreciation of Spain's magnificent past, its vibrant present, and its wide-open future. Not available in French-speaking Canada. An RTVE Production. Spanish, 10-part series, 30-60 minutes each.
