As the presidential election careens toward a chaotic end, many of us are lamenting the lack of attention to the most serious issues that face our nation. In fact, some of those serious issues will have an impact on the entire world, not just our small part in it.
Of supreme importance to many us is our rapidly changing climate. Although far too many of those on the right continue to deny it, the reality is that our earth has just passed a very dangerous milestone. The carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has, for the first time in recorded history, surpassed 400 parts per million.
Academy Award winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has a new project aimed at bringing this frightening fact to light. The actor has spend the last three years working with director Fisher Stevens to create the film, called “Before the Flood.”
The two men travelled the globe to document evidence of our warming earth. They went to Greenland to film the rapidly melting ice. They followed the effects of that melting, showing how low lying island nations are being forced to relocate entire populations due to rising sea levels.
What makes this documentary more striking is that the film makers looked into some of the causes of the dramatic changes to the earth’s climate. They filmed areas in the Amazon region, and in Indonesia, where forests are being burned and leveled to make room for increased cattle production and crop growth.
The loss of the trees reduces oxygen production, and the increase in cattle causes a huge production of atmosphere damaging methane gas.
DiCaprio’s documentary shows the ongoing loop of interactions that have lead us to the place we find ourselves today. A place where temperatures are rising more rapidly than expected and where carbon dioxide levels are increasing exponentially.
Leo DiCaprio was profoundly moved by what they found while filming this movie. He said:
“I feel like I’m in some weird, surreal movie,. I honestly look around and I think, when I have children, everything that we now take for granted, our planet and all its biodiversity and beauty, everything in the future is going to be different.”
The topic is vital. With the planet headed for potential climate catastrophe, it is critical to have informed, intelligent leaders in place in every developed country.
The current ugly campaign in the U.S. has left no room for a discussion of climate change and how we can slow or even reverse it. Still, anyone who is able to understand factual reality can see that we need a leader who accepts factual reality.
DiCaprio is determined to get this film out there to as many viewers as possible. With that goal in mind, the documentary will air on the National Geographic channel with free streaming from October 30 to November 6. You will be able to access the film on Nat Geo, Facebook, Twitter, and other streaming services.
Here is the trailer for the documentary.
Featured image via YouTube Screengrab.