Environmental Documentary 'The Lake' Raises Awareness for Great Salt Lake Crisis in Utah
The environmental documentary 'The Lake,' directed by Abby Ellis, is being screened across Utah to raise awareness about the critical condition of the Great Salt Lake. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, follows microbiologist Bonnie Baxter, ecologist Ben Abbott, and former Great Salt Lake commissioner Brian Steed, among others, in their conservation efforts. Screenings, like the one at the Historic Bicknell Theater hosted by Grow the Flow, aim to educate the public on the impending environmental catastrophe if the lake continues to shrink. Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric sciences featured in the film, discussed the increasing threat of arsenic in the dust from the drying lakebed and the expansion of dust monitors to affected communities. The film's tone has shifted from dire predictions of collapse by 2023 to a more optimistic outlook, emphasizing that there is still hope if collective action is taken.
