A persuasive inconvenience
Al Gore describes our current environment as "a nature walk through the Book of Revelations." An Inconvenient Truth is extremely well done, with compelling and surprisingly funny arguments. What surprised me the most, however, was the overall tone, which focused on fomenting widespread political change, rather than personal behavioral change. He riles our democratic hackles, but leaves us feeling our own decisions to reduce energy and waste are inconsequential when overshadowed by the oil lobby and government-sanctioned field burning in Africa and South America. However, it was still an effective reminder that laissez faire is not an acceptable option.It's unfortunate that the major demographic viewing the movie and Gore's lectures is already green and politically active. Those that really need to see the film—SUV owners who view terrorism as the greatest global threat—would most likely avoid it as hippie tripe; those that do see it might find the references to the 2000 election unpalatable. But whatever cognitive block is imposed by the political tone is certainly offset by the extremely persuasive info viz. ("Let's see . . . how can we scale the Y axis in this graph so that the 2005 level of CO2/temperature/ice melt/population is off the chart?") Precipitous diagonals cover chart after chart in his lecture. It's frightening and fascinating.
But the computer-generated drowning polar bear was too much.
Related notes:
- DaimlerChrysler has announced it will begin selling Smart Cars in the U.S. in early 2008.
- Gore plans to train 1000 people to give his slideshow. (Thanks, Ping!)
- And there is no better place to eat dinner before an environmental flick than Soul Food night at the Co-Op. Love them brussels sprouts.
Comments
Given that I was very impressed.
I disagree with some of his science- specifically his contention that the majority of CO2 is from burning the rain forest. Sounds good and will get the viewers riled up, but the real culprits are vulcanos (al a James Lovelock).
The problem he didn't show with all the graphics is that CO2 is such a small percentage of the atmosphere, the majority being produced from natural sources. Gaia physiology recycles the CO2 through E. Hux- an ocean borne microbe that absorbs CO2, converts it to a Carbonate based shell, then dies and sinks the the ocean floor to eventually get pushed under a techtonic plate and spewed out another vulcano. This is such a very delicate, balanced cycle that the relatively miniscule amount of fossil fuel emmisions is tipping us over the edge.
Add to that the destruction of the rain forests that transpirate water for clouds over the oceans- a necesary element for E.Hux to thrive, and we've created a serious downward cycle.
Readers are referred to www.prototista.org for further discussion and information on climate change.
We don't need the governments of the world legislating a solution. we need awareness at the indiviual level and the will to change individual behaviors. The final credits in the movie were a pretty good attempt at this level of awareness.