Mandy and Ryan are your everyday couple, except they left their corporate jobs and everyday comforts for a bike-packing tour, visiting sustainable communities and activists throughout the country. They’re on a mission to answer the big question, “Is it possible for all of us to live in a sustainable way?”
From Green and Free:
From ecovillages to cohousing projects to a city devastated by a tornado that decided to rebuild ‘green.’ They met thousands of amazing people doing world-changing things, interviewed countless activists like Bill McKibben and Richard Heinberg, and inspired so many more with their story.
They’re documenting it all in their film, Within Reach. They’ve met over 20,000 people, interviewed 600, and have lived and worked in almost 100 sustainable communities. What they see is a rising wave of people who are already living in harmony with the earth, who are already building community and changing our culture. Through their work, Mandy and Ryan have realized that community is the secret to sustainability.
Mandy and Ryan have inspired me to keep going, to keep exploring the dance between sustainability and community. They’ve shown me that anything is possible, if you’ve got the heart to push through with your dreams. This is the film I’ve been waiting to see – show the world what a sustainable community looks like, show the world that we don’t have to keep living this way of 9-5 jobs, losing purpose, connection to community, and real meaning.
What would our world look like if we lived only to care for each other and for the earth? What would it look like to feel a real, true, visceral, unmistakable sense of belonging? What would it feel like to live consciously, knowing with absolute certainty that you were doing the right thing?
Within Reach needs a kickstart – they’ve already met their pledge goal of $25,000, thanks to the support of hundreds of caring people like you and me. But to really finish this movie with quality editing, marketing, and distribution for a feature-length film, they need to raise $117,000.
You only have to give $1. Imagine if 200 people visited their site and pledged $1. That’s $200 more than if each person pledged nothing!
But, they’re going to need a bit more generosity. So here are some incentives for pledging a tiny bit more:
Pledge $1 or more: You will live in perpetuity with your name in the actual film credits! Thank you.
Pledge $5 or more: Limited-edition photo-postcard signed by Mandy and Ryan, mailed to you. (make sure we have your address) (+film credits)
Pledge $10 or more: Ticket to the official world premiere of Within Reach Movie in April 2011. (+postcard +film credits)
Pledge $25 or more: Digital download of the film (in essence, a copy of the film to watch on your computer). (+ticket +postcard +film credits)
Want more info? Check out their funding proposal below, and be sure to watch the trailer!
By the way, you should totally start checking out Vanessa’s work in sustainable lifestyle design at Green and Free. This is the future of community and sustainability!
Hi Lynn!
This is my first time in your blog ~ and I think is beautiful, and inspiring at the same time.
It’s wonderful how people, if they want, can change the routine of this world. It’a amazing to read about this kind of stories. I feel blessed and full of hope, knowing that this kind of people, are walking through this world with passion, love and vision.
Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful 2011. ~ ♥
Lynn,
This sounds like a wonderful movie. I can’t wait to see it. I love the essential message: “community is the secret to sustainability”. There’s so much to understand about that and I’m sure the movie reveals many important secrets.