Plant-Based Chemistry for the Post-Petroleum Age

Almost 90 percent of the products manufactured by the chemicals industry are all based on petroleum derivatives. But can the industry function without this finite fossil resource? Plant oils, sugars and fibers offering viable alternatives to petroleum.

Schedule

Director: Anne Hoffmann

Anne Hoffmann is a biologist and got her diploma at the University in Cologne. She initially worked as a pharmaceutical advisor. 1993 she started an adult education course in journalism with the focus on ecology. 1994 she started to work as free-lance science journalist, making numerous contributions for TV magazines among others for the RBB and Deutsche Welle TV. Her main topics are climate research, polar and marine research, environment protection and biodiversity as well sas medicine and neuroscience.
Among her film documentaries are: Chemiefabrik Pflanze (ZDF/DW 2013), Froschalarm (ZDF/DW 2012) shown at the Silver Globe World Media Festival 2013, Nach dem Sturm: Tunesiens Wirtschaft und der Neuanfang (DW 2012), Das Feuer aus der Tiefe – Erdwärme (DW 2011), Die endlose Quelle -Sonnenenergie (DW 2010), Visionen am Golf: Ökologischer Aufbruch (DW 2010) awarded with the Ernst-Schneider-Preis 2011, Grüne Energie aus der Wüste (DW 2009), Treibhaus Erde - Experiment mit ungewissem Ausgang (DW 2001) which won among other prices the Grand Prix of the EKOTOP-Filmfestival 2002 in Bratislava, Zurück zur Bewegung - Rheumatherapie der Zukunft (DW 2000) winner of the Wissenschaftsjournalismus-Preis der RWTH Aachen 2001.

Germany
2013
28 Min.
German
3
Director: Anne Hoffmann
Script: Anne Hoffmann
Cinematography: Felix Weymann, Frank von Kiedrowski, Werner Fiedler, Markus Müller
Editing: Ute Aichele
Music:
Narrator: Anne Rathsfeld
Editor: Dr.Arno Hefner, Deutsche Welle; Steffen Bayer, ZDF
Website URL: http://www.dw.de/chemiefabrik-pflanze/a-17259736