I attended the screening of the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". Here's what Hilath wrote about it on Haveeru Daily Online at this link. Enjoy, Nippe Gore’s award-winning environmental documentary screened as part of US-Maldives Friendship Week celebrations By Hilath Rasheed MALE, November 5, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Former Unites States’ Vice President and international environmental campaigner Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary was screened in Male last night as part of the celebrations of the US-Maldives Friendship Week. Held in collaboration with the civil society NGO, Open Society Association, “An Inconvenient Truth” was screened at the Government-run Nasandhura Palace Hotel in Male for invitees. Narrated by Gore himself, the film is both serious, comedic and tragic in tones, thanks in part to the great direction of David Guggenheim. “An Inconvenient Truth” also sets about correcting the misinformation projected by lobby groups with powerful economic interests and demonstrates the works of around a 1,000 scientists who predict environmental doom if carbon dioxide gas emissions are not curbed immediately. Hence, in a way it reminded me the rhetoric note of Michael Moore’s Cannes award-winning film “Fahrenheit 9/11” which sets about exposing Bush’s alleged close links with the bin Laden family and his shady relationship with the House of Saud in Saudi Arabia, one of the closest allies of the US, yet a country where human rights abuses, especially against women, are rampant. Though partisan at times, the film is also patriotic and Gore underscores the importance and the ability of the United States to save the environment from the projected dire circumstances and save not just low-lying island nations like Maldives from sea level rise --which results from global warming -- but which also can save the lives of around a 100 million people worldwide set to become environmental refugees if precautions are not taken now and the predictions of today comes to pass within the next 50 years. “The documentary was quite an eye-opener,” commented a teenaged Maldivian , Adam Nishaz, who attended the screening. “It is important that every Maldivian and everyone in the world see it and wake up to the very real threat of environmental catastrophes that await us if we don’t set about taking action now. In fact I am going to write more about the subject on my weblog,” he said in comments to Haveeru. The importance of the film and the fact that Gore recently won the Noble Peace Prize for his work in creating environmental awareness around the world seems to the viewer that should Gore again run for the Presidency next year, he might in fact win. At various forums Gore in fact has hinted at such an intention but stopped short of actually officially declaring his candidacy and has never replied to the question with a straight face. At the conclusion of the screening, there was a session for question and answers but no one in the audience raised a hand; the film definitely spoke for itself. WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING? 1. Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil, and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising. 2. The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening, and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence. The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable. 3. We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plans and animals are being forced from their habitats, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing. 4. The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years. 5. Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level. 6. The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade. 7. At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles. 8. If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences. Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year. 9. Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. 10. Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense. 11. Droughts and wildfires will occur more often. 12. The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050. 13. More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050. WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP STOP GLOBAL WARMING? 1. Change a light: Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. 2. Drive less: Walk, bike, carpool or take mass transit more often. You’ll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don’t drive! 3. Recycle more: You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste. 4. Check your tires: Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere! 5. Use less hot water: It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of CO2 saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year). 6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging: You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10 percent. 7. Adjust your thermostat: Moving your thermostat just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer; you could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. 8. Plant a tree: A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. 9. Turn off electronic devices: Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. 10. Talk to your friends about global warming: Global warming is an important environmental matter that deserves to be talked about in social and professional settings alike.
