Monday, September 28, 2009

The Age of Stupid

I attended the "Age of Stupid" global premier on September 21st with 32 countries around the world participating. This is a 2009 film by Franny Armstrong, director and Lizzie Gillett, producer with Peter Postlethwaite starring as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, watching archive footage from 2008 and asking "Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

What stood out for me was the comment that WE (adults living in 2009) have the ever-narrowing chance to save the planet from global warming. Armstong points to grassroots initiatives that have led to major changes: the US civil rights movement, anti-Vietnam War protests, investment boycotts that helped unravel South Africa's apartheid regime--so we can get involved and make a difference now, too.

Science is clear on what needs to be done--keep global temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit compared to pre-industrial times, and make sure greenhouse gas emissions peak no later than 2015. World leaders will be meeting in Copenhagen in December. So our job is two-fold: contact our US leaders so that Copenhagen does not become another Kyoto and (2) reduce our carbon footprint (carbonfootprint.com/calculator). I produce 55 tons of CO2 annually --what about you? Dr. O

2 comments:

drldonovan said...

I have not yet seen the film, but it sounds very interesting. This is a subject I am pretty passionate about, so it is wonderful to see that such films are getting made and being seen by people like us. While it is terrifying in so many ways to realize we only have 5 years to reverse the course our world currently travels, I have to admit that I also find it humbling and powerful to realize that we really can make this change happen. We really do have the power and the means to "save the world" right now, every one of us. If we really take charge of our own lives, we all can be heroes, we all can keep this beautiful world whole for our children and their children. I know I sound a bit naive and sappy, but after a lot of reading and research (much of it with some great groups of honors seniors!), I am convinced we can make the world into what we want it to be, not just what it happens to be now. One great resource that I love is: Worldchanging at:
http://www.worldchanging.com/

Unknown said...

I agree with Dr. D. I think more and more going "green" is becoming lucrative. Consumers play a huge role in this transition. If we demand green products, companies will listen and try to respond to that need.