Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection
Instructions
For your fourth Exercise assignment, you will make connections between the environmental movement in the recent past and today by considering what you are challenged to learn from documentarians of that movement.
- Find a current or recent report in the mainstream or alternative media of an environmental topic or issue in your local or wider region. As you read/ hear about the issue, consider where you stand on it. Identify your position and your thoughts.
- Use the documentaries in this course unit to reflect on the role that civil disobedience has played in the history of environmentalism, researching one other recent example to defend your answer to the question of whether it works to bring positive change.
Use your research in the mainstream and alternative media from Activity 1 of this unit for this exercise Post the media links and your analysis. Aim for a minimum of 300 words.
Please note, you should write and edit your submission in a separate file then copy and paste it into the submission box. Once submitted to the HIST 3991 trubox site, you will not be able to edit your post.
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Submissions
Exercise #4 – Documentary Reflection
June 1, 2026 By: Emma Lang
Mainstream Source Kelly, Alanna. “Video Captures Grey Whale Being Struck by Sea-Doo in Vancouver,” CBC News.” CBC News, May 6, 2026. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/jet-ski-grey-whale-vancouver-9.7187806 This article discusses how a grey whale was hit by a jet ski near Vancouver. This story coincides with a larger environmental issue as boat traffic is contributing to an increase in collisions with whales in British Columbia waters. It is frustrating that this incident occurred, as it was well known that a grey whale was hanging around Vancouver prior to the collision. I understand that we rely on the Pacific Ocean for leisure and transportation, but we…
Exercise 4: Documentary Reflection
May 26, 2026 By: Yanran Lu
Mainstream source: CBC News- “Two First Nations working on roads to Ring of Fire speak out against Ontario’s new mining law” (June 2025) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/first-nation-ring-of-fire-1.7557343 Alternative source: The Narwhal- First Nations consultations aren’t the roadblock to ‘unleashing’ the Ring of Fire https://thenarwhal.ca/opinion-bill-5-indigenous-consultation/ The Ring of Fire is one of the most controversial environmental issues in Ontario right now. The region contains valuable minerals that the Ontario government and mining companies want to develop. In 2025, the Ford government passed Bill 5, which gives the province more power to speed up mining projects and reduce certain environmental protections in “special economic zones.”…
Documentary Reflection
April 25, 2026 By: Autumn Rehbein
A recent environmental issue in my region is the continued debate over oil sands development and pipeline expansion in Alberta. One relevant article from CBC News discusses the realities of the northern route pipeline. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-energy-minister-northern-route-pipeline-9.7172566 This issue is complicated for me because it reflects both economic dependence and environmental risk. Growing up in northern Alberta, I understand how important resource extraction is for jobs and community stability. At the same time, I recognize the environmental consequences, including habitat destruction, carbon emissions, and water contamination. My position is that development should continue, but only under strict environmental regulations with stronger enforcement,…
Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection
April 21, 2026 By: AN CHEN
On March 27, 2026, CityNews reported that residents near Stoney Creek in Coquitlam saw a mysterious white foam spilling into the water. The City got a spill report on March 24, but nobody seemed sure what it was or if it was hurting fish. Honestly, this made me frustrated. It is 2026 and we still have mystery spills in salmon creeks. My position is that the city should have faster testing and public alerts so people know if their local creek is safe. The documentary Fairy Creek in 2024, showed me that civil disobedience is often what works when polite requests…
Exercise #4: Documentary Reflection
April 21, 2026 By: AN CHEN
On March 27, 2026, CityNews reported that residents near Stoney Creek in Coquitlam saw a mysterious white foam spilling into the water. The City got a spill report on March 24, but nobody seemed sure what it was or if it was hurting fish. Honestly, this made me frustrated. It is 2026 and we still have mystery spills in salmon creeks. My position is that the city should have faster testing and public alerts so people know if their local creek is safe. The documentary Fairy Creek in 2024, showed me that civil disobedience is often what works when polite requests…