The New Mexico State University OASIS Club - the Organization of Aggie Students Inspiring Sustainability - has announced the lineup for this year's Fall Sustainability Film Series. The five documentary films focus on environmental and social issues: the small farm movement, climate change, happiness and the economics of localization, cancer and the environment, and farming in Cuba.

All films are free and open to the public. Each showing will include a faculty expert as a guest speaker and discussion leader.

"Our film series seeks to bring both the student and Las Cruces communities together to learn about and discuss various environmental, economic and social issues around the world," said Zach Brecheisen, club president. "Our goal is to inform NMSU students and the Las Cruces community of current problems in sustainability and the positive work that people are doing to address them."

The series kicks off Thursday, Oct. 11, with "Small Farm Rising" (2011), a film about the nationwide trend of small, sustainable farms rooted in their local communities. Kulbhushan Grover, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, is the featured speaker.

On Tuesday, Oct. 16, "Out of Balance: ExxonMobil's Impact on Climate Change" (2006) will be shown. The award-winning film focuses on the world's largest oil company as it explores the connection between huge corporate profits and environmental degradation. Constance Falk, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business, will comment.

"The Economics of Happiness" (2011) is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 23. The film explores communities around the world that are developing local and more ecological alternatives to globalization and the power of multinational corporations. Lois Stanford, an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, is the featured speaker.

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, "Living Downstream" (2010) will be shown. The film is based on a book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, who works to highlight links between cancer and the environment. Aaron Rowland, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will speak.

The final film, on Thursday, Nov. 8, is "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" (2006). The film examines the transition in Cuban farming that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union and the resultant shortages of oil and imported food. Alison Newby, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, will provide commentary.

All films will screen at 6 p.m. in the Senate Gallery, Corbett Center Room 302.
The OASIS Club was founded in January 2008 and is probably best known for hosting yearly Earth Day festivals. The fifth such event was held this past April 22 at Young Park in Las Cruces. The tradition is slated to continue, according to Brecheisen.

For more information about the film series or the OASIS Club, email oasis@nmsu.edu.