An Inconvenient Truth....it is a reality

A couple of short disclaimers before you read this post:

• I am a bleeding heart liberal
• I voted for Gore the first time (...and against Bush the second).
• I did not need to be convinced that global warming is a reality

However, I did go into this movie with a decent amount of skepticism, afraid it could be biased "doomsday" propaganda, used to incite further criticism of the environmental cause. Happily, I was wrong.

Al Gore does an excellent job balancing the detailed science with the global picture. He manages to keep the audience engaged and interested throughout the entire hour and 40 minutes. Gore does not mince words nor resort to pulling at audience heartstrings with magafauna sob stories (with the exception of one polar bear).

The key feature that the movie lacked was specific actions individuals can take on a local level to improve the outlook for the Earth as a whole, so here are a couple to get you started:

• Plant trees, plant lots of trees. Don't like getting dirty? Make a donation, $1 plants 1 tree: http://www.americanforests.org/ (shameless plug for one of my previous employers).
• Unplug electronics from the wall when you're not using them (this includes: hairdryers, cell phone charges & toasters)
• Buy local (local produce, local goods). Farmers markets have exploded in the past couple of years and are now more popular than ever, making it even easier to buy locally grown produce. More than likely there is one within walking distance to you: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/
• Drive smarter. You don't have to change what car you drive, but change how you drive. Not accelerating or braking quickly will improve your gas mileage (and your back pocket). (I admit, this one I need to work on myself).
• Why is it that we insist on our inside temperature being extra cold in the summer and extra warm in the winter? Dress for the season, in the words of my father "if you're cold put a sweater on!" Keep your thermostat at a reasonable temperature.

For more ideas visit: www.climatecrisis.org

Or if you prefer books, try You Can Prevent Global Warming (And Save Money): 51 Easy Ways, by Jeffrey Langholz and Kelly Turner