Friday, November 24, 2006

What Roland Emmerich Would Do If He Made a Documentary



It's the day after Thanksgiving, and the stock I'm making with the turkey carcasses is cooling, and I just finished watching "An Inconvenient Truth." If you're thinking about buying a gas-guzzling car, and plan to put on an "I Support the Troops" sticker on the bumper take a second and reconsider that automotive purchase.

If you really want to support our troops, and directly impact keeping our sons and daughters out of harm's way for a war that we can't call a war because we never officially declared it, then don't buy something that's so energy inefficient, and that increases our dependence on foreign-produced fuel.

That's just one thing I walked away with after seeing this film. Regardless of your political stance, whether you be Democrat or anarchist, the stark reality of what's happening on our planet as depicted in this film is frightening. The imagery of the World Trade Center Memorial being flooded as a result of the melting of polar cap ice is a sober reminder that what steps we take, and steps we fail to make, affect us all. It's ironic to see the site of so much horror and bloodshed made a small event on a potential world-wide catastrophe should the United States not restrict our carbon emissions. Also add the tragedies caused from Katrina in New Orleans - the severity of the consequences of our actions (or inactions) within the next few decades could significantly dwarf the loss of life, not to mention property if you need to keep things constructed in a capital-oriented framework.

I'm not one easily swayed, but for the most part the details presented in the film are from documented sources and studies that indicate that in as soon as 10 years, the number of people on the Earth could find themselves displaced in the scope of well over 100 million people.

The U.S. accounts for the vast majority of carbon emissions which help retain infrared energy within our atmosphere, which causes the surface temperature to rise, which will eventually cause the polar ice caps to melt. To hear why this matters, if you don't already know or even if you do, check this flick out. If you have children, you'll want to do something about it for them. If you don't have kids, you'll still want to do something so you can enjoy your time on the planet with your family and friends. If you don't have family or friends, you'll do it because it's the ethical and right thing to do. Only motivated by intellect? Then you'll do it because it's the smartest thing do to.

Take BART and public transportation when/where you can. Walk whenever possible. You'd rather to spin those 24s on your phat ride and floss your discretionary income by paying over $100 a week on gas? Then you should read Galapagos, and pray that your head evolves into something more streamlined and bullet-shaped.

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