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The event promises anything but light entertainment, but it’s of critical importance: First Parish Unitarian Church, at 12 Church St. in Town Square, is inviting the public to watch three short environmental films on the destructive impact of torrential rain and polluted run-off from paved surfaces.
Local environmental advocate Linda Lancaster says the films explain how impervious surfaces – such as paved streets and sidewalks – cause excessive runoff from rain and “what two local communities are doing to minimize groundwater pollution from road salt and reduce overheating in a dense neighborhood without tree cover.”
The films will be screened on Friday, Jan. 19, beginning at 6 p.m. Sponsored by the church’s Social Action Committee, the screening is free, and you don’t have to be a church member to attend.
Lancaster is a member of Citizens Climate Lobby, a nationally registered nonprofit environmental advocacy organization. She works with the church’s Social Action Committee by recommending films for discussion programs on environmental issues.
The programs consist of short films that leave time for discussions afterward, Lancaster said.
“This program is for ordinary people who want to learn about this stuff,” Lancaster said. “It’s not gloom and doom… Here’s a problem. Here are the ramifications.”
The films are relatively brief because “if you show a long film, then there’s no time for discussion,” she said.
The first one, running just nine minutes, is called “The Impervious Problem.” It illustrates the natural movement of rainwater across and through soil, eventually reaching a body of water. But communities have “come up with ways to move water away from us and keep our homes, roads, and workplaces dry,” Lancaster said in a statement. “The problem is that once you’ve got all that drainage and impervious surfaces — asphalt and roofs, mostly — the water often moves in new and problematic ways, resulting in flash floods, clogged drains, and trash and pollutants flowing off the streets. And those impervious surfaces hold the heat of the sun and make urban spaces hotter.”
It’s those “impervious surfaces,” environmentalist warn, that intensify global warming trends.
The second film, “On the Road with Salt” shows how road salt used to melt snow pollutes groundwater and soil, damaging plants and animals, corroding cars and infrastructure and increasing health risks. It’s eight minutes long.
The third offering, “The Chelsea Cool Block,” shows how the City of Chelsea identified its worst heat islands – the result of pavement, black roofs, traffic and a lack of green space – and employed proven strategies to cool down these areas.
Films are a regular feature of the church’s environmental outreach work, Lancaster said. Previous films screened by the church’s environmental groups addressed issues such as preserving endangered species (horseshoe crabs, for one), Lancaster said.
Doors open for refreshments at 5:30 p.m. The screenings begin at 6 p.m. Get directions and other information here.
This week and beyond
Monday, Jan. 15
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A breakfast with guest speakers takes place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at 8:30 a.m., at Plymouth South High School, 490 Long Pond Road. The breakfast commemorates King’s moral leadership and the concrete accomplishments of the Nobel Prize-winning advocate for racial justice. It will take place in the school’s dining area, which seats up to 350 people.
Uva Wine Bar, 46 Main St., hosts an evening of pampering from 6 to 10 p.m. Sip wine and enjoy charcuterie and flatbreads, while indulging in your choice of activities. For more information visit Uva’s website.
One thing not to do today: Plymouth Public Library is closed for the holiday.
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Tuesday, Jan. 16
Plymouth G Pub, 101 Carver Road, offers free comedy with Mike Murray and Friends from 7 to 8 p.m. weekly in the taproom.
Douglas Tallamy, author of the library’s One Book, One Community book pick, titled “Nature’s Best Hope,” will discuss his book’s themes of conservation and sustainability and suggest how readers can get more involved in directly creating more environmentally conscious ways of living. Attendees will meet in-person at the library from 7 to 8:30 p.m., while the author takes part via Zoom.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
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The Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce hosts a networking luncheon at Anna’s Harborside Grille, 145 Water St., from noon to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $35 for chamber members, $50 for nonmembers. Register here.
Singers Ruben & Clay, reunited 20 years after a lengthy run on American Idol, will perform at Memorial Hall, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39. Visit Ruben & Clay for tickets.
ThreeV restaurant, 10 Cordage Park Circle, hosts a “Glass Paint Night” from 6 to 9 p.m. Patrons are invited to craft a work of art on their glass canvas and enjoy a beverage. Tickets are $25 per glass, and access to all the materials is provided by Inebri-Art. Beverages are sold separately. Reserve at Inebri-Art.
Thursday, Jan. 18
The Barker House Pilgrim Pups invites the public to a ribbon cutting at 12 North St., from 10 to 11 a.m. The store offers dog treats, collars, leashes, human clothing and gifts.
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Get The Led Out performs the music of Led Zeppelin at Memorial Hall beginning at 8 p.m. The Philadelphia-based group consists of six veteran multi-instrumentalists to recreate Zeppelin songs “in all their depth and glory.” Tickets are $29 and can be purchased here.
Friday, Jan. 19
Plymouth library offers “Books with Balance Yoga,” a family yoga class designed around a children’s yoga story, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the library’s Fehlow meeting room. Mats will be available. Register here.
Join archaeologist Craig Chartier for a talk on 17th-century houses in Plymouth Colony at noon in an online event sponsored by the Alden Kindred of America. Participation is free. To register, go to the Alden Kindred site.
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Saturday, Jan. 20
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will perform “What The World Needs Now: Burt Bacharach and Friends,” a program of Bacharach’s popular hits, at Memorial Hall, 83 Court St., beginning at 7:30 p.m. Conductor Steven Karidoyanes will lead the orchestra and Broadway singers Farah Alvin, Tyler Huckstep, Kelli Rabke, and others in a performance of classics such as “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “Walk on By,” “The Look of Love,” and “Alfie” from Bacharach’s catalog of ageless hits. Tickets range from $30 to $100. You can purchase them here, or call 508-746-8008.
The Busted Jug Band’s show is billed as a hilarious romp through time featuring group vocals, swinging rhythms, and novel instrumentation. Performed by five men in top hats, derbies and garish suits and inspired by Black American music of the early 20th century, the group features novel instruments. They perform at 8 p.m. at The Spire. Tickets are $22.50 to $25 can be purchased here.
Sunday, Jan. 21
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra offers a second performance of “What the World Needs Now: Burt Bacharach and Friends.” See Saturday’s listing for more information.
Monday, Jan. 22
Uva Wine Bar, at 46 Main St., hosts “Metal emboss workshop – sailboat,” an invitation to create your own unique metal embossing. An instructor will teach the necessary skills from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.
Tuesday, Jan. 23
Plymouth G Pub, 101 Carver Road, offers free comedy with Mike Murray and Friends, from 7 to 8 p.m., in the taproom.
Wednesday, Jan. 24
“Be a Podcast Guest Star,” a free workshop led by Steve Dubin of Plymouth-based PR Works, takes place from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, 100 Armstrong Road. Participants are asked to RSVP here.
Thursday, Jan. 25
Plymouth library hosts Preschool Storytime from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The half-hour story program gives parents, caregivers, and children ages 3 to 5 the opportunity to enjoy books, songs, rhymes, and movement activities together while reinforcing skills that help children get ready to read. While the program is aimed at ages 3 to 5, children of all ages welcome. No registration necessary.
Friday, Jan. 26.
Singer-songwriter Antje Duvekot of Somerville, winner of three top songwriting awards, will perform at The Spire, 25 ½ Court St., at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50-$25. You can purchase them by visiting The Spire.
Saturday, Jan. 27
Live bands perform at Plymouth G Pub, 101 Carver Road, on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to midnight. Tonight, it’s The Common Good Band. There’s no cover charge.
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The Knickerbocker All-Stars, a nine-piece band, will perform at The Spire at 8 p.m. The band celebrates music of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, including rhythm & blues, jump blues, swing, blues and soul, all of which made the Knickerbocker Music Center a mecca of dance music since its beginnings in Westerly, R.I. Tickets are $19.80 to $22. Visit The Spire to purchase them.
Sunday, Jan. 28
IndieFerm Brewing presents “The Shady Roosters” at the Spire, from 2 to 5 p.m. The group has been together for about 25 years mainly under the name Lonesome Jukebox. Tickets are $5, cash-only, at the door.