Urbanized, luxurious lifestyles and climate change have led to serious strains on our energy supplies. Dandelions are popping up in the lawn on Thanksgiving, the Great Lakes at their lowest levels in a long time, and our summers are characterized by smog, numerous violent flash storms, and record-breaking melts of the polar ice caps. This is the hurting but real state of our Toronto, our Canada, and of our World.

It's within our own community that action seeds action on a wider scale. With this is mind, blogTO is a proud media sponsor for the upcoming Internationally-acclaimed Planet In Focus Environmental Film & Video Festival

Planet in Focus promises to deliver a profound collection of inspiring films spanning a wide range of themes including: Aboriginals, Children, Displacement, Energy & Climate Change, Food, Health, Nuclear & Industrial Accidents, War, Polar Visions, Urban Worlds, Water, and Wildlife & Interspecies Relationships.

But the festival is much more than film screenings.

Interesting, interactive panel discussions are also happening throughout the week, including topics such as gun violence in Toronto, sustainable practices in film production, the book GreenTOpia, and the future of Canada's Arctic.

A silent auction is also already open for bidding, with great items up for grabs including eco-friendly food, wine, hotel accommodations, and chances to meet some serious movers and shakers. All proceeds go towards keeping the PIF organization and the festival running.

There's also a fantastic (and free!) program for children on Saturday.

Planet In Focus 2007 runs October 24th-28th.
Tickets, program, and venue details are available on the festival's comprehensive website.

Photography by Jerrold Litwinenko.