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What:<\/strong> 17th Annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation\u2019s Capital<\/p>\n Where:<\/strong> 52 venues citywide<\/p>\n When:<\/strong> Today, March 11\u2014Sunday, March 22<\/p>\n Why:<\/strong> This month, a New York Times<\/em> op-ed writer expressed concern about Mother Nature and Father Greed hitting the wall<\/a>, a luxury hotel brand is joining one billion globally in shutting off their lights for a full hour, and Disney will release its version of Planet Earth<\/em> (to be called Earth). And with a spirit of \u201cYes We Can,\u201d more then 24,000 filmmakers are proving why everyone should prick their ears to the serious issue of climate change.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Al Gore will not greet you with a green star sticker when you arrive, but you will find a higher calling following movies like \u201cThe State of the Planet\u2019s Ocean\u201d and \u201cThe National Parks: America\u2019s Best Idea.\u201d Peter O’Brien, executive director of the festival, told offManhattan he hopes the audiences will \u201cLearn something, enjoy the experience, and be encouraged to take positive action to address the major challenges facing the environment today.\u201d<\/p>\n After two and a half years at EFF, the Harvard-educated O\u2019Brien\u2014who uses public transportation as much as possible and shuns plastic to avoid causing potential harm to aquatic life\u2014culled 101 international organizations to present 141 films on a vast array of subjects. In addition to the two films above, he recommends \u201cCuttlefish: The Brainy Bunch,\u201d about a mysterious shape and color-shifting deep sea creature and \u201cMarina of the Zabaleen,\u201d which explores a community of garbage recyclers in Cairo. Go Planet!<\/p>\n Cost:<\/strong> Many shows are free, but check the schedule on the website below for details on each documentary, feature, experimental, and animated film.<\/p>\n Photo: Courtesy of EFF<\/em><\/p>\n How to get there:<\/strong> Amtrak has a number of lines that will get you to Washington, D.C.\u2019s Union Square station from New York Penn Station in about three hours. Check amtrak.com<\/a> for a list of schedules and fares. Once there, D.C.\u2019s Metro will get you to all Environmental Film Festival events. <\/em><\/em><\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n