For the majority of this course, I have only thought about climate change through the eyes of the short stories, graphic novels, and eventual novel that we read. More recently, I have started to discover some of the other mediums that “illuminate” the problem of climate change which don’t have to do with books or short stories. I have begun watching documentaries and short videos about climate change and the dramatic effects that it has had on the world already. One of my favorites is a short video narrated by Morgan Freeman.
The reason why I find this video so great is because it starts out with our goal—that one day we will live in a world where everything is natural, progressive, and positively influences everything in our world from the economy to our forests. The fact that our goal as a planet is so simple, yet so powerful illustrates how we need to strive to live in a harmonious world where everything and everyone works together. Not only will this help create a better planet, but it will preserve the world. We have already destroyed incredible amounts of resources and allowed thousands of animal species to go extinct. We have also increased global temperatures leading to the reduction in the polar ice caps and eventually to the rising ocean level. All these global impacts are affecting us right now. In order to attain our goal we have to start working today.
Another part of this video which is incredibly impactful and moving is the illustration of where we are as a society today. We cut down millions of trees, extract incredible amounts of natural resources, and emit a massive amount of carbon dioxide every day. Not only is this hurting our planet, but it is taking us further and further away from our goal. I believe that by showing clips of mining, and deforestation, it makes people more engaged in the cause. There is a difference between reading words in a cli-fi novel or short story, and seeing videos of trees getting cut down and oil burning in the ocean. As a viewer, it makes you realize how destructive we really are, and how we are taking away the natural beauty of the planet. In addition to reading the many short stories, watching videos about the impact we have on our planet makes the books more relatable because it appears as if the videos we are watching now are a precursor to the short stories themselves.
In conclusion, the last part of this video brings hope into our lives. It reminds us that while climate change is already occurring, it is not too late to make a stand against it. By working together, and consciously making decisions that better our planet, we can slowly chip away changes we have made. While we may not be able to fully bring our world back to the way it once was, the 7.2 billion people on this planet should be able to make a substantial impact on reducing the impact that climate change will have on our planet.
I really liked this video that you shared. Just in a short 3 minutes there are so many impactful images that show our planet being affected by climate change. I agree with you that seeing the opening of the video starting off with a goal created a sense that this is a positive video and not just a video on climate change to scare people. I feel like a lot of readings that we have done in class are trying to scare the readers, but this is the first thing that I have watched that has a positive spin on things. Plus, who doesn’t like listening to Morgan Freeman’s voice.
What a fantastic video — thank you for sharing it on the blog. I agree that what is so great about this video is that it sets out a goal and then suggests that we already have all the tools and skills and compassion necessary to achieve it. These two lines of Morgan Freeman’s narration stood out to me especially:
“How do we get to that day from where we are today, all 7.3 billion of us?…
We start by deciding that beyond our doubts and differences, such a day truly exists, and that is something each of us can do today.”
To me, these lines are powerful because they suggest that the first step, and perhaps the most important step, has to do with our ability and our willingness to imagine the future, or, to use a term from our class discussions, to speculate. That is, for the technological and political solutions to work, we need everyone to take part in this global imagination of a better future.
I agree with you that I have been noticing more and more the different mediums that climate change has shown up in, other than short stories and novels. I recently watched the movie, “The Kingsman” in theaters and to my surprise it was all about climate change. It is funny how once you become introduced to a certain topic it starts to show up everywhere.