“The Greening of Southie”

By Britt Perkins

Telling the story of building an environmentally friendly in South Boston, “The Greening of Southie” is my favorite of the Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival so far.

First of all, it’s funny. First and half-ly, I really liked the soundtrack.

Secondly but more importantly, it doesn’t focus on those at the top or the bottom of global society. It focuses on the people involved in the project: blue-collar workers from the South Boston area itself.

Their initial questions in response to being on a green building site was what it meant.

“Are we going to paint it green?” one asks.

The easiest way they find to describe “going green” is the dual-flush toilets. This makes it possible to use less water for yellow and more water from brown, one tells his daughter.

But it’s clear the more they find out about the possible benefits, the more they are interested, though not with the zeal of a trendsetter.

One of the roofers knows that if the greenscaping on the top of their new building works, it would be great.

“Of course, do you see some of the shit that’s comin’ off these other roofs?”

But he also knows “it’s gonna suck” if the roof leaks and they have to return and try to repair it.

It’s this pragmatism that makes the movie work and also makes the idea of green building work. If the methods and materials do what they say to save money, reduce waste and improve health and living conditions, this construction won’t be unique, it will be the norm.

It’s not about the label per se, though one of the tenants was happy to show of his “green is the new black” t-shirt. It’s about results.