Planetwalker & SLOW FOOD Film Festival

Presented by The Wallace Stegner Environmental Center
of the San Francisco Public Library

The city of San Francisco will be hosting a special event this Labor Day Weekend – Slow Food Nation. In honor of this event, the San Francisco Public Library will be celebrating our environment and especially food that is sustainable and of benefit to us all. Come to the Library and enjoy an inspirational speaker and view some thought provoking films.

      John Francis, Ph.D., is known the world over as the Planetwalker. In 1971, he witnessed an oil spill in San Francisco Bay. The effects of the spill compelled him to stop using motorized vehicles. Several months later, he took a vow of silence. His non-motorized lifestyle lasted twenty-two years, and his silence seventeen. During that time Dr. Francis walked across the United States earning a B.A., an M.S. and a Ph.D. He later sailed and walked through the Caribbean and then walked the length of South America. During this time he was appointed United Nations Environment Goodwill Ambassador and recently was a speaker at the prestigious 2008 TED conference in Monterey. Dr. Francis will speak of his journey, his unique perspective on the environment, sustainability, and how we can each make a difference in our world. He is the author of Planetwalker. 17 Years of Silence. 22 Years of Walking.

Saturday, August 30, 12 p.m.
Main Library, Lower Level,
Koret Auditorium
100 Larkin Street (Grove)



Copies of the book will be available to purchase for the author to sign.

SLOW FOOD Film Festival
Don’t miss these films about the effect of our food choices on our environment and on our bodies.

Sunday, August 31, 12:30 p.m.
Main Library, Lower Level,
Koret Auditorium
100 Larkin Street (Grove)

King Corn - Directed by Aaron Woolf. (Screening time 12:30 – 2:00 P.M.)
“By growing an acre of corn in Iowa two friends uncover the devastating impact that corn is having on the environment, public health and family farms.”

The Future of Food - by Deborah Koons Garcia. (Screening time 2:10–3:40 p.m. P.M.)
“An in-depth investigation of the disturbing truth behind unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade and an exploration of alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture.”

All programs at the Library are free and open to all.

More information on Slow Food Nation:
Slow Food Nation will be celebrated in San Francisco over the Labor Day Weekend from August 30 – September 1. Many of the events will be at City Center Plaza, Fort Mason Center and the San Francisco Public Library. For more information on the city-wide events go to http://slowfoodnation.org.

After enjoying the free events at the Library, be sure to cross the street and visit the Victory Garden. Located on the former lawn in front of City Hall, it's a peaceful haven of growing plants and vegetables. If the gardeners are there, they're happy to answer your questions. http://slowfoodnation.org/blog/2008/07/14/the-victory-garden-is-planted/