'An Inconvenient Truth' brings global warming to light

Out of sight, out of mind: For years US citizens have been dealing with the fact of climate change in this way. After all, we do not live on a shrinking island; and our way of life is not disappearing because of receding ice caps. The world is getting hotter. And humankind, particularly in this country, is the culprit. Still, collectively, the US is largely ignoring the problem. And this spells trouble for the planet, as more greenhouse gases–the main cause of rising temperatures–are produced between our shores than anywhere else in the world. It is time to wake up. This is the message of former vice president Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." Gore tells his audience that the Earth's rising temperature is "the greatest threat to humankind," and that we are now entering an "age of consequences." For the politician-turned-activist, global warming is no longer a debatable issue. The movie's bottom line is simple: The scientific community agrees that the planet is heating up, humans are primarily responsible, the effects are catastrophic and the consequences are hastening. Gore presents evidence that the ice caps are melting, the ocean levels are rising, weather patterns are out of whack and–if nothing is done–a future of hurricanes, floods, droughts, epidemics and chaos is imminent. But there is still time to amend the damage. Although, now is the time to start. According to the film, there is about a 10-year window before the damage is irreversible. And Gore works very hard to stress this point. Yet, detractors, mostly from the right of center, claim the movie is short on truth and long on unproven theory. However, in June, the Associated Press contacted top climate researchers for their opinion on whether or not the facts presented in the film hold water. Of the experts who have seen the movie all have the same general impression: Gore communicated the science correctly and global warming is an unnatural catastrophe-in-the-making caused by the continued use of fossil fuels. Using the speaking skills of a well-polished politician to present truly disturbing material in a manner that is accessible and entertaining, Gore forces the viewer to consider the grave consequences of this seemingly out-of-sight problem. The hope is that when people, particularly in the US, are spoon fed the facts, they will awaken to what is truly a problem for all of humanity, not just the Eskimos. Unfortunately, the documentary is probably preaching to the converted. So, if you run across someone who is dismissing An Inconvenient Truth as mere politicking–like our current president–offer to buy them a ticket and challenge them to keep an open mind.