Film inspired many at CU to think about causes and effects of global warming
Can you imagine living in a Colorado without snow? That’s right, no more skiing and snowboarding every weekend. Or what about a United States without cities like New Orleans and Miami? Climate changes occurring today because of global warming could have devastating affects our future.
The importance of the global warming issue prompted the Program Council and the Colorado Public Interest Research Group to sponsor a showing of Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” Monday night in Chemistry 140.
“We thought it was worth the time and energy to put this on,” said Claire Findlay cq, a junior Spanish for the professions and psychology major and Program Council Film Series director.
Al Gore combines his skill of political speaking with a PowerPoint presentation of scientific data to try and bring awareness to people from all over the world about the global effects of melting sea ice, a rising sea level and rising temperatures.
Findlay estimated over 200 people showed up to see the free screening. The film has shown two times on-campus already this year.
“I loved it,” Findlay said. “It makes you want to do something. What is hard is to keep the motivation going for more than a few weeks or months.”
Eric Edwards, a junior MCDB biology major, came to see the movie because he had heard a lot about the film but never got a chance to see it.
“It had a lot of facts,” Edwards said.
When asked if he thought society is ready to make the necessary changes to curb global warming Edwards said, “We’re getting there. We’re still a long ways from it.”
Jim White, a professor of geological sciences and environmental studies, said it is hard for students today to recognize the affects of global warming.
“Students (today) will have to deal with constant coastal flooding (in their lifetime). New Orleans does not have a future unless we build dams,” White said.
White and Gore agreed the time is now to start making a difference.
“The longer we wait to do something, the larger the impact will be,” White said.
White said students have the economic power to change the way society works. For example, if the current generation started buying only fuel-efficient cars and homes, sellers would respond by only selling such products.
Energy Program Manager at the Environmental Center, Rob Hall said students could do a lot of small things that can eventually add up.
“If you are the last one in a classroom at the end of the night, turn off the light,” Hall said. “Turn off your computer when you are not going to be using it for a while. Students also don’t realize that they have a bus pass. Even riding the bus to the airport once a year makes a difference.”
Students are already contributing to a more energy-efficient campus by paying higher fees in order to fund wind-powered buildings. The UMC, the Recreation Center and Wardenburg Health Center are all wind-powered. Students also voted to build the law, Atlas and new business building as “green” buildings.
At the end of the documentary, Gore urges people eager to help out go to www.climatecrisis.net, where suggestions are made on how to take action.
Closer to home, interested students wanting to make a difference can check out the Environmental Center and CoPIRG. These two organizations are devoted to environmental issues related to global warming. Both have offices in the UMC.
“It’s a shame we are as ignorant about our planet as we are,” White said. “It’s not like a car where if it breaks down, you take it to get fixed. Where are you going to go to get the planet fixed?”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Ashley Herzberger at Ashley.Herzberger@campuspress.com
