Gore's Return to the Headlines
New Blockbuster Movie Focuses on Global Warming
by Robbie Havdala (Class of '06)
References (all as of 5/23/06):
http://www.climatecrisis.net/aboutthefilm/
http://www.climatecrisis.net/thescience/
http://www.climatecrisis.net/blog/
http://festival.sundance.org/filmguide/popup.aspx?film=6556
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809257809/info
by Robbie Havdala (Class of '06)
Remember Al Gore? He's about to hit the headlines...again. And it's not even for a run at a presidential election. It's for a movie.
Starring in his own film, the documentary An Inconvenient Truth zooms in on Gore's emphasis on global warming in his unsuccessful '00 campsign. The film itself has already received awards from the Sundance Film Festival. It depicts Gore in a new light: a humorous yet concerned man. Ever since his failed campaign, Gore has put his time and energy in a last ditch attempt to save the planet from what he views as "no longer a political issue." His devotion to fighting global warming flourishes in the film famous before it even hits theaters on Wednesday.
Throughout the movie, Gore cites evidence many people would have difficulty rebuking. His main point is that global warming has become a problem of humanity, not of politicians. No longer is it a future threat: it is imminent. One example he brings up: in the past 20 years, global temperatures have been readily increasing. The hottest year? 2005. Another point he makes is Mount Kilomanjaro. Long ago it used to be covered in snow and ice. Within the decade, no snow will be left.
Nor is this simply a problem of natural beauty, notes Gore. He points out the havoc that Hurricane Katrina caused, which may have been helped by warmer ocean waters. Then, Gore claims, consider if glaciers continue to melt at the current rate, coastlines across the earth will be underwater. Manhattan will be submerged. Florida will be half underwater. Recall the number of flood refugees caused by Katrina: now multiply that number by 1000.
While the intent of the movie is to inform, it almost seems to act as a horror film. Yet, the horror of the film is reality. Though only time will tell whether it succeeds at the box office, it will certainly open some people's eyes to the imminent threat that the world seems to keep ignoring.
Starring in his own film, the documentary An Inconvenient Truth zooms in on Gore's emphasis on global warming in his unsuccessful '00 campsign. The film itself has already received awards from the Sundance Film Festival. It depicts Gore in a new light: a humorous yet concerned man. Ever since his failed campaign, Gore has put his time and energy in a last ditch attempt to save the planet from what he views as "no longer a political issue." His devotion to fighting global warming flourishes in the film famous before it even hits theaters on Wednesday.
Throughout the movie, Gore cites evidence many people would have difficulty rebuking. His main point is that global warming has become a problem of humanity, not of politicians. No longer is it a future threat: it is imminent. One example he brings up: in the past 20 years, global temperatures have been readily increasing. The hottest year? 2005. Another point he makes is Mount Kilomanjaro. Long ago it used to be covered in snow and ice. Within the decade, no snow will be left.
Nor is this simply a problem of natural beauty, notes Gore. He points out the havoc that Hurricane Katrina caused, which may have been helped by warmer ocean waters. Then, Gore claims, consider if glaciers continue to melt at the current rate, coastlines across the earth will be underwater. Manhattan will be submerged. Florida will be half underwater. Recall the number of flood refugees caused by Katrina: now multiply that number by 1000.
While the intent of the movie is to inform, it almost seems to act as a horror film. Yet, the horror of the film is reality. Though only time will tell whether it succeeds at the box office, it will certainly open some people's eyes to the imminent threat that the world seems to keep ignoring.
References (all as of 5/23/06):
http://www.climatecrisis.net/aboutthefilm/
http://www.climatecrisis.net/thescience/
http://www.climatecrisis.net/blog/
http://festival.sundance.org/filmguide/popup.aspx?film=6556
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809257809/info
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