It doesn't have a flying superhero or talking cars. Even so, I strongly urge all parents—and kids over 12—to see Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
Al Gore's movie will make you stop and think about the state of planet, because it addresses an issue that affects every single person on this planet—global warming.
If you remember, Al Gore ran for office in the U.S. presidential elections. He didn't win, but he certainly has found his calling as a motivational speaker. The motivation in this case is to save our planet before it falls apart.
An Inconvenient Truth has been out for several weeks in Singapore, and the hall was almost empty when I went to see it at my neighbourhood cineplex. There's no telling how much longer it will run, but if you see it and tell your friends about it, there is a chance it will have an extended run.
Gore has a long history with environmental causes even before he decided to run for president, and I respect his dedication to the issue.
It takes only a look at the daily news to see that our planet is in serious trouble. We're coming off one of the worse periods of smoke haze in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia since 1997. It looks like 2007 could be another doozy.
Raging forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo, coupled with heat and lava from spewing volcanoes and destruction from the occasional earthquake and tsunami puts our region on a collision course with who knows what future.
I don't want to get into all the science involved, but at its most basic, global warming occurs when too much carbon dioxide gets trapped in our Earth's atmosphere—mostly as a result of burning fossil fuels and the clearcutting of forests.
Our planet has seen dramatic increases in the melting of glaciers and the rise in sea level; the number of hurricanes; heat, insect and bacteria-related illnesses; and detrimental effects on numerous plant and animal species.
The film is a slide show filled with charts and statistics before a live audience interspersed with film footage, anecdotes and interviews with scientists. It is entertaining as well as educational.
If anything, An Inconvenient Truth doesn't go far enough. It only touches on the global population increase, which also poses a threat to our dwindling natural resources.
And the movie only touches on solutions, most of which we've all been told already, such as driving smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles and raising the thermostats in our overly-chilled buildings. People need a stronger kick in the pants to accept the idea of change.
I just returned from a trip to Spain, France and Germany, whose people take environmental issues more seriously than we do. Tiny cars and extensive subway and regional train systems are the norm.
Air conditioning also is unusual (thus the popularity of outdoor cafes), and when buildings are air-conditioned, it certainly doesn't feel like the icebox levels to which we cool our buildings.
If you've read the books The World Is Flat or China Inc., you'll also see that China is rapidly developing into an energy-guzzling nation. China's energy consumption isn't up to U.S. levels yet, but it won't be long before it matches and even surpasses it.
All this means you should at least listen to what Al Gore has to say. He's written a companion book, also titled An Inconvenient Truth (Rodale Books).
Another book I can recommend is The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth, by Tim Flannery (Atlantic Monthly Press).
I know we all can't change overnight—I certainly can't buy a hybrid car right now, even though I'd love to—but at least we can head in the right direction.
For more information on the topic and ways you and your family can make a difference, check the Web site www.climatecrisis.net .
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