Many of you will have heard by now about Al Gore's new movie, An Inconvenient Truth, a powerful documentary about the global warming crisis. (Yes, it's real. No, it isn't just a "liberal" issue.) I haven't been able to see it yet (it's hard to do movies when you have an 18-month old), but an old friend of mine has and had some really good things to say about it. With her permission I'll reprint her review of it here:

Hello family and friends--

I write in mass because i want to reach as many of you in one time as possible. Kevin and I attended a showing of "An Inconvenient Truth" last night, and I was truly amazed by the information put forth in the documentary/movie. For those of you not familiar with the title, it is a film that follows Al Gore as he speaks to groups about global warming and the climate crisis that is a possibility in the coming century(ies). Now, some will say, I don't want to pay $8 to hear an Al Gore PowerPoint presentation. The film is much more than that though. I was astounded by the scientific data, collected decades ago, that predicted quite closely what the effect of raising greenhouse gases would have on the temperature and weather related disasters in the present day. I was astounded that politics could twist agreed scientific facts into nothing more than hearsay and fiction. I worry deeply about this as a scientist and think each of us, scientist or not, need to stand up to these politicians and let them know that while they may be crooked and influenced by the companies that line their pockets, scientists are not. Most of all, I was astounded by the fact that we, as a country, have everything it will take to slow this process, but seem unwilling to implement such attainable measures - increased use of public transit, sale of only energy efficient appliances, increasing CAFE standards for automobiles (amazing how we pale in comparison with every other developed country), etc. This, coming from the country that stood first to decline the use of harmful aerosols and other products that caused the hole in the ozone, a hole that is now almost mended due to quick action on the global scale. And now, we are the country that does not even recognize the Kyoto Treaty.

I truly encourage each of you to see the film and to take your children, and other family and friends with you as well. I truly believe that this is a not just a film, but an educational lesson that should be seen by all. Seeing it has effected me deeply and makes me wonder if a century from now, children will ask their parents what their great-grandparents could have done to save the planet, or be able to praise their great-grandparents for the steps they took to make the world a sustainable resource. Change is never easy, but it is always possible.

love and hugs to all,
Monica

Labels: movies/tv, social justice