BLOOM: The Plight of Lake Champlain Screening and Discussion Held at THT

Seen from the air, the green colors swirling in the dark blue lake water are gorgeous. But the beautiful spreading substance is toxic, one of the blue-green algae blooms that have begun to appear regularly in Lake Champlain.

Bloom, the Emmy-nominated documentary that explores the sources of pollution in Lake Champlain, will be shown at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on Monday, May 9, at 7 pm. The showing is free.

The event begins with a reception at 6 pm. The film will be shown at 7 pm, followed by a panel discussion.

Bloom is the work of Victor Guadagno, who creates programs for Vermont Public Television, where he won a regional Emmy for the series Emerging Science. The film was produced by Jon D. Erikson, a University of Vermont professor and managing director for the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics.

The film has generated controversy. It points a finger at the causes of lake pollution, including urban storm run-off and aging wastewater treatment plants. But it also pinpoints agricultural fertilizer runoff as a major cause of the problem - something that has drawn a swift response from farmers.

Said farmer Roger Rainville, who appears in the film: "It's pretty hard to get motivated to start looking at a potential water-quality issue when you can't even feed your kids."

Discussions after screenings of Bloom have been lively. The filmmakers hope the film leads to a new search for solutions to the lake's problems.

The evening is sponsored by several concerned organizations, including The ACORN Network, The Lintilhac Foundation, the Gund Institute at UVM, the Ilsley Public Library, and the Franklin Environmental Center at Middlebury College.

Bloom will be shown on the big screen at Middlebury's Town Hall Theater on Monday, May 9, at 7 pm. It will be preceded by a reception at 6 pm, and followed by a panel discussion. The event is free.