The Power of Community

When Cuba lost access to Soviet oil in the early 1990s, the country faced an immediate crisis – feeding the population – and an ongoing challenge: how to create a new low energy society. Cuba transitioned from large, fossil fuel intensive agriculture to small less energy intensive organic farms and urban gardens, and from a highly industrialized society to a more sustainable one.

This film tells the story of the people’s hardship, ingenuity and triumph over sudden adversity – through cooperation, conservation and community, told in their own words. Cuba provides a valuable example of how to successfully address the challenge of reducing our energy use.