An Inconvenient Truth - DVD Special Features

[c9]

I received a copy of An Inconvenient Truth on DVD for Christmas from Vinny's Mom, and I'm just getting around to looking at the special features today. There's some really interesting stuff.

The DVD was assembled a full year after the movie was completed, and there's a mini-movie with Al Gore going through the dozens of studies and new pieces evidence that have appeared in late 2005 and early 2006. He references things shown in the movie, and gives more details or provides specific examples of even higher temperatures in the past year.
There are eight sections or so, on things like hurricanes, ocean acidification, soil moisture, the permafrost, and others. It includes extended scenes from his slide show too, which just makes me want to see his full slide show more.

It also makes me want to study climate science. I get very frustrated to see thousands upon thousands of highly-knowledgeable, skilled, experts talking about things they understand, and to then see climate professional change deniers, funded by companies that think they can't adapt, get all the press. What's especially frustrating to me is not knowing all the details about every single topic, so I can't respond effectively to those sorts of debates.

Just need to get Vinny done with school, then it's my turn again.

Comments

[kdborg.livejournal.com]

I received a copy of the book for Christmas. I'll be reading it soon.

Money rules, unfortunately. Once the public realizes the problems of the environment, they'll push money towards environmentally friendly products. Then Big Business will fall in line.

[zedinbed.livejournal.com]

Hmm, from your reply to my posts, I think you are well equipped to make a well informed response to someone who has a different perspective of the environment. The truth of the matter is no-one is an expert on any given matter but it takes the will to go out there, educate yourself on issues that interest you and fight the battles that you wish to fight. :p

BTW, I like the idea of two spouses working back and forth giving the other a chance to educate him/herself better.

[joecdn.livejournal.com]

I got the DVD for Christmas, and while I agree with the notion that Global Warming is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately - I don't find Al Gore's scientific research to be very accurate.

Examples:

1. Gore talks about the mountain pine beetle infestation attacking Spruce trees in Alaska. The pine beetle infestation is attacking BC as well, and it's well known that pine beetles ONLY attack pine trees. It's important to note that I watched this DVD while in Quesnel, surrounded by three of my uncles, all of whom have degrees in agriculture, botany, entomology and forestry - one of whom has his PhD.

2. Gore discusses the use of glaciers for drinking water in Asia. While glacial "retreation" is a problem - isn't it to be expected that if you're drinking the water from a glacier that eventually it will disappear. It's not as if there are little engines inside of a glacier producing more ice, as an ice machine would.

3. The weather data from anything past 50 years ago is speculative - weather records weren't considered accurate until about 1950, so there's no way a correlation can be made that's 100% conclusive to one such event occuring.

I also didn't like how he'd go into personal asides, such as his son getting hit by a car. It seemed irrelevant to the movie and the message - and seemed more like a sob story meant to make us sympathize with him. I'm a big Gore fan - but this movie actually disappointed me more than anything - the lack of factual evidence that was presented.

[joecdn.livejournal.com]

Just read all your comments, can't really put them together right now cause I just got up, but give this a read:

http://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/harris061206.htm

It points out some interesting facts.