I am making a new documentary to share the plight of birds in the drought-stricken Southwest, after seeing how human activity changed the lives of birds near Las Vegas. The Public Lives of Birds explores a variety of bird/human cohabitations. The film asks, in this arid and difficult climate, what can we learn from our fellow desert dwellers, birds?
Las Vegas, a city famous for its flashing lights, cannabis dispensaries, and casinos, may not seem the most likely place to experience an environmental epiphany, but for me, that is exactly what happened. Located deep in the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is experiencing a drought that may one day render the city uninhabitable. The city regularly experiences temperatures exceeding 105 degrees (40 degrees celsius) in the summer months. With water reserves reaching records lows, Las Vegas is feeling the effects of climate change more keenly than…