The Price of Sand will be shown at the UU Fellowship on Tuesday, January 21 at 4:30 pm. This documentary tells of the frac sand mining boom in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Due to a rapid increase in demand, pure silica sand has become a valuable commodity, and mines are opening at a rapid rate. The silica used in hydraulic fracturing (aka”fracking”) has other uses – glass manufacturing and toothpaste, for instance. A few established mines have operated in in this region for decades. But now, new companies have arrived and land with accessible silica deposits is selling for high prices. In addition to a bonanza for a few lucky landowners, the new mines promise jobs and economic stimulus for the small towns and rural areas nearby. But at what cost?

Make sure to pick up your copy of the Movies That Matter schedule in the lobby. The first six months of 2014 are listed and the schedule is ready to post on your refrigerator so you’ll never miss another Movie That Matters!