[March 09, 2011]

Participant Media Teams with Center for Ecoliteracy to Bring Food, Inc.-Inspired Discussion Guide to 3000 U.S. Schools

As part of the Social Action campaign for the award-winning 2009 documentary Food, Inc., Participant Media and the Center for Ecoliteracy have created an educational guide that will be distributed with DVDs of the film to approximately 3000 schools nationwide. The 108-page Food, Inc. Discussion Guide provides a series of questions to facilitate thoughtful discussions for audiences high school age and older about the issues presented in the film, including animal welfare, workers' rights, health, and sustainability. It also offers ideas for extending learning beyond the classroom. The guide is currently available for download in both English and Spanish at http://foodincmovie.com/spread-the-word.php.

John Schreiber, EVP of Social Action and Advocacy for Participant Media, said, "We're excited by the opportunity we have of reaching hundreds of thousands of our country's children with our Food, Inc. Discussion Guide and inspire them to make more thoughtful choices about food, participate in a maningful public dialogue about food and food systems, and take action to address food-related issues in their own lives."

"Our nation's educators play a vital role in addressing the challenges posed by our current food system," said Zenobia Barlow, cofounder and executive director of the Center for Ecoliteracy, a nonprofit dedicated to schooling for sustainable living. "We are grateful that Participant Media is helping to support them by distributing this important film and educational resource."

The Oscar-nominated Food, Inc. was one of 2009's highest-grossing documentaries. Participant's Social Action campaign initiatives included advocacy programs designed to address the alarming rise in child obesity and promote Congressional passage of a reauthorized Child Nutrition Act as well as Food Safety and Security legislation, both of which were ratified this past December.

Participant Media is an entertainment company that focuses on documentary and narrative feature films, television, publishing, and digital content about the real issues that shape our lives. For each of its projects, Participant creates social action and advocacy programs to transform the impact of the media experience into individual and community action. Participant's online Social Action Network is TakePart (takepart.com). Founded by Chairman Jeff Skoll in 2004, Jim Berk serves as CEO and Ricky Strauss as President. Participant's films include The Kite Runner; Charlie Wilson's War; An Inconvenient Truth; Good Night, and Good Luck; The Visitor; Food, Inc.; The Cove; The Crazies; Countdown to Zero; Waiting for "Superman"; and Fair Game.

The Center for Ecoliteracy (Ecoliteracy.org) is best known for its pioneering work with school gardens, school lunches, and integrating ecological principles and sustainability into school curricula. The Center offers books, teaching guides, professional development seminars, a sustainability leadership academy, keynote presentations, and consulting services.

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