I'm convinced
global warming is a huge problem with dire consequences. And, it's not just the natural cycle of the planet. I'm also convinced it's possible to dramatically decrease CO2 emissions enough to effectively prevent our impending doom. I'm also convinced we won't.
posted by Rob Moran at 10:13 AM
4 Comments:
I agree with most of what Jeremy says. I do think Al's motives are a little tainted but then again so are "big industries".
"Let's face it - this is not going to be a revolution from above if it is to be effective. It's gonna happen when people realize that the shit in their air and backyard and water is there because of an imbalance of power. As long as they want to strike a deal with the corporate state, no real change is going to happen quickly enough."
The bottom line is you have to get people decide that paying more money for higher pollution standards is worth it.
How many people take advantage of energy companies "green energy"?
How many people are buying hybrids primarily for their low emissions output instead of the increased gas mileage?
Until average people see global warming as a real threat to their way of life I don't see big changes happening.
I would also suggest, for your entertainment, watching the episode of Bull$hit that deals with pollution. Funny stuff.
Granted, I'm not as skeptical of Gore as Jeremy, but I just don't see what he gains personally from educating the world about global warming. He's been talking about it for over 20 years; whether you agree with him or not, he exudes a genuine passion for and knowledge of the issue.
Before I saw the film, I was largely ambivalent about global warming; I knew the earth was getting warmer, but I wasn't sure there was anything we could do as a species to counteract it. But, here's the rudimentary facts as I understand them: increased levels of CO2 in the air thicken the earth's atmosphere, which in turn traps more heat inside said atmosphere. Humans are responsible for the emission of lots of CO2 gasses, and Humans in the United States are responsible for more emissions than any other humans on the planet. The earth goes through cyclical warming and cooling periods, but the one we're currently witnessing is longer and more dramatic than any before. The rise in temperature almost directly coincides with the rise of CO2 emissions.
Gore's presentation and reaction is far from hysterical, though. This is not a partisan film; it's about the cost of ignoring a deeply important issue. Please, go see it.
“The director, Davis Guggenheim, uses words, images and Gore’s concise litany of facts to build a film that is fascinating and relentless. In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to.
-Roger Ebert
Interesting site. Useful information. Bookmarked.
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Look, I'm not saying it's a giant conspiracy. I'm just saying that there's so many better reasons to fight pollution. A disaster on the scale of global warming is unfathomable to the human mind - it's too big to really wrap your head around. However, cancer is personal. Emphysema is personal.
Good point. But, the movie does a pretty good job of getting us to wrap our heads around it...well, it did for me at least.
The general notion that personal experience spurs politcal activism is very true, though. Al Gore's a great example; his sister dies of lung cancer, he takes on the tobacco companies. Dick Cheney's another; a seemingly prototypical social conservative who supports gay marriage because of his expereince with his gay daughter. It's a frustrating and ultiamtely human quality.
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