“Climate change.” When reading those words you may imagine a flaming planet, Al Gore and a projection screen, or polar bears slipping off of fragmenting icebergs. It has become such a commonly used phrase that it has almost lost its meaning – and more disappointingly, it seems to not fully explain the magnitude of the problem. Luckily, this use also means that it is being talked about more and more – from films, in the news, in interviews – and major players are stepping up to not only solidify that it is absolutely happening (It is a scientific consensus) but to let people know what they can do personally and as citizens to combat the factors contributing to the changing climate. The term “Climate Change” may not provide the whole picture, but hopefully with thoughtful discussions and a greater array of information and coverage, we can fill in the gaps getting people informed and ready to act!
Here are a few of our favorite GFAN blog posts about Climate Change:
Global Call to Action for March for Climate – Dr. Goodall
Climate is Changing and So Are We
Roots & Shoots Project of the Month (POTM) : St. Louis Park Climate Action Plan
The Paris Agreement: COP21 Produces an Ambitious Action Plan to Save Our Planet
Watch and Learn!
Here are some films to check out about Climate Change:
- Before the Flood – Actor Leonardo DiCaprio meets with scientists, activists and world leaders to discuss the dangers of climate change and possible solutions. Find out more: https://www.beforetheflood.com/
- Time to Choose – The worldwide challenges of climate change and the innovators and leaders who work to find a solution. Find out more: http://www.timetochoose.com/
- Cowspiracy – Filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn address the effects of cattle on the environment. Find out more: http://www.cowspiracy.com/
- An Inconvenient Truth – Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim follows Al Gore on the lecture circuit, as the former presidential candidate campaigns to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and calls for immediate action to curb its destructive effects on the environment. Find out more: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497116/
- Merchants of Doubt – How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming is a 2010 non-fiction book by American historians of science Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway. Find out more: http://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/
Take Action!
- People’s Climate March : https://peoplesclimate.org/
- Fuel efficient cars: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/climate.shtml
- Reduce meat consumption: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/people-still-don-t-get-the-link-between-meat-consumption-and-climate-change/
- Contact your United States House representatives and Senators to let them know you want something done about climate change.
House: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/ - Support JGI! Our work in habitat restoration and through our youth leadership and environmental program Roots & Shoots is combating the factors contributing to climate change everyday: http://bit.ly/helpjgi
P.S. Never give up hope! Read from Jane below to find out why:
People who were apathetic before, who didn’t seem to care, now suddenly it’s like they’ve heard a trumpet call — ‘What can we do? We have to do something.’ And these are people thinking about future generations, not just themselves.
Please, when you make a decision, get your heart involved in it and think about the future of your children and your grandchildren…The main thing when one’s confronted with political pushback is not to give up. We will prevail — somehow. Think of all the marches and demonstrations, people really have woken up. It is the hope I think. – Dr. Jane Goodall
