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This year, my husband and I once again went on our annual holiday road trip to visit our families in Michigan and Ontario—and only once, for a few minutes one afternoon, did we see snow. Personally, I consider that good luck—since I’ve seen more than my share of snowstorms on the 400 miles of highway between my in-laws and my parents. Former Vice President Al Gore, on the other hand, would tell you it’s global warming. In his eye-opening documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, Gore takes aim at all politicians—no matter what their party affiliation—for ignoring environmental issues. And he urges viewers to take notice—and to appeal to the politicians who represent them to do something about the current environmental crisis.
The film, which is basically a recording of the speeches that Gore has given around the world (with a few personal snippets thrown in), shows the damage we’ve done to our planet through excessive carbon dioxide emission—as well as the potential repercussions. He lays it all on the line in an endless succession of facts and figures, charts, graphs, and images that are definitely a lot to digest in one 100-minute period. But even if you don’t quite follow it all, you’ll get the general idea: that our planet is in serious trouble. It’s shocking—and even horrifying—and it’s guaranteed to make you want to do something about it.
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t offer a lot of solutions—or practical suggestions to help viewers make a difference. You’ll find a few suggestions inside the DVD’s case—as well as during the closing credits (though, really, how many of you typically stick around for the credits?). But for more solutions (and more information), you can visit ClimateCrisis.net.
No matter what your opinion of the former vice president may be, An Inconvenient Truth is a must-see. It’s not that it’s an especially entertaining or action-packed film. And it doesn’t matter how hard Gore tries to be more a personable everyman—since he still comes of as awkward and sometimes a little bit goofy. But that’s not what really matters. What matters is that Gore presents the facts. They aren’t necessarily always easy to digest or easy to fathom, but they’re important to know nonetheless. It doesn’t matter where you live or which party you vote for in November. You owe it to your kids—and your grandkids—to see this movie.
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