Last night, Sandy and I watched "An Inconvenient Truth, A Global Warning" (Thanks, Netflix). If this movie is widely watched (if it gets the Oscar, watch out!), it may change life as we know it...a desirable and necessary change.
It is, I think, Al Gore's finest hour. Watching this intelligent and sensitive man speak on a subject near and dear to his heart, I couldn't help but wonder what the world would be like had my state and the Supreme Court not handed the presidential victory to George W. Bush in 2000 (mandate, my ass). And yet, this gave him the time to make this remarkable film, which may short-list him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Through it, unbelievable as it seems, he may have a much greater impact on the future of the world than he could have had as president.
Even more speculative--as people watch this film, might there be a groundswell to elect Al Gore in the next election? He is obviously intelligent. He obviously cares deeply about our world, and would be willing to make some (inconvenient but) necessary changes to save it. He might be the man we need at the time we need him...(so maybe it's just as well that he didn't win in 2000) he could have eight years starting with the next election.
This is not to besmirch Obama or Hillary Clinton. But he is still finding his way in the world of politics. She is a polarizing candidate. I fear that there are many, many people who would vote for her opponent (whoever he/she might be) just to vote against her. And so I like Gore more and more.
Anyway, back to the movie. An Inconvenient Truth is about an hour-and-a-half of Gore talking about global warming. He makes an irrefutable case connecting the warming with rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. And those levels have risen astronomically, and measurably in the years since 1970. This means this is not just a cyclic ice age phenomenon.
He shows what will happen if the ice caps (or Greenland) melts, and how it can happen (rather, is happening). With the oceans rising 20 feet, much of the developed, highly-populated world will be under water. Including a significant part of Florida, though mostly South Florida, which by-and-large supported Gore in the 2000 election.
Scarier still is the unpredictability of the consequences. As global warming affects the ice caps and warms the oceans, the coral reefs are dying, the ocean currents are changing. Who knows how many species will die, or what will happen to the Earth? It could be much worse that predicted. Maybe the tsunami, and the record high heat waves, and Hurricane Katrina are just the...well, the tip of the iceberg.
Did you know they are finding drowned polar bears in the north, because the ice won't hold them, and they wind up in the water, unable to find anything to climb on that will bear their weight?
He also shows that the a review of the scientific literature, looking at over 900 articles shows zero that disagree with global warming, but over 50% of articles on the subject in the popular press indicates that it is controvertial. Brilliant obfuscation job on the part of special interests.
For all that it sounds as if it might be stuffy, the film is anything but. It uses great graphics, and some quite funny cartoons to illustrate and explain the concepts. Gore himself is engaging and endearing. And finally, a list of things we can do to stop or reverse the trend.
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Here's one thing you can do. I see this quite clearly, feel it very strongly. Gore would be the best person to be our next president. He might just save the world. He's not running, but it doesn't mean he wouldn't, or that he won't. I just sent the link to this Draft Al Gore petition to just about everyone in my address book. Please check it out and sign the petition.
See the movie, and decide for yourself.
I thank you.
I could not agree more. I don't want to blow your scoop of tomorrow, but I signed the petition as soon as I got your e-mail and have posted a link to the site, as well as a link here. It's the first topic I've felt motivated to blog about in a month.
This country needs an ELECTABLE Democratic candidate. After the debacle of the last 6 years, the US is ready for vision, intelligence and (dare I say it?) decency. This is a unique opportunity to right the wrong of 2000's election -- who knew that shabby affair was just a taste of what lay ahead?
Bravo, Riannan!
Posted by: fragileindustries | February 19, 2007 at 10:06 AM