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Earth Focus

Urban Ark Los Angeles


Published as part of an environmental storytelling partnership with the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS) at UCLA, with extensive contributions from faculty and MFA students in UCLA’s documentary film program in the School of Theater, Film and Television. The second storyline considers how Los Angeles has inadvertently become a sanctuary city for non-native animal species that are sometimes endangered in their native habitats.

A documentary exploring intriguing questions about human-created urban ecosystems, biodiversity and opportunities for creating sanctuaries for endangered species, including the origin and relocation of the beloved red-crowned parrot in Pasadena.

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Season
The Fight to End Oil Drilling in Los Angeles
25:36
South L.A. fights urban oil drilling as one former site becomes housing and green space.
Examining the Impact of Sound on Marine Life
27:34
Rising ocean noise threatens marine life as scientists study its impact off Catalina Island.
LA’s Stadiums Confront Their Environmental Impact
24:44
LA stadiums tackle climate impact with smart waste, water, and energy innovations.
Earth Focus Season 6
26:16
Rising heat is causing communities to plant trees in their neighborhoods to cool off.
San Clemente Island: Protecting Land & Sea
23:36
Endangered species and critical naval activities harmonize on San Clemente Island.
The Cost of Fast Fashion
24:09
“Fast fashion” waste is examined, recycled and reimagined.
Rewiring California: Outages & Innovation
26:36
Upgrading outdated energy infrastructure in California to prevent power outages and wildfires.
Earth Focus Season 5
26:40
Diablo Canyon ignites conversations about nuclear power in the state’s energy future.
Loving Joshua Tree
26:40
Love for Joshua Tree endangers the local life—both people and ecosystems.
The Tortoise, the Raven, and Us
26:40
Ravens threaten Mojave Desert tortoises, and solutions call on shifts in human behavior.
Transforming the Los Angeles River
26:40
A transformed L.A. River is envisioned by the communities that live at its edge.
Reimagining the Los Angeles River
26:40
The L.A. River is reimagined through explorations of history, hydrology, and architecture.
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