For the 3 past class periods, we have been watching the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth". I wasn't sure what I would think about this movie. I had heard that it was just Al Gore preaching about how we're killing the planet. After watching the movie, I was way wrong. One of the first things discussed in the movie was Roger Revelle. Revelle was the first person to propose measuring the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Starting in 1958, he found that as time went on the carbon dioxide levels would rise. One of the things I found most interesting was that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere depends on the season. This is because in the fall, the trees loose their leaves and absorb less of the carbon dioxide. In the spring, the trees start to get their leaves back and absorb more carbon dioxide.
Another thing Mr. Gore discussed was why the poles are being affected faster than other regions. He explained that the ice caps at the poles act as mirrors. The caps reflect most of the incoming solor radiation and keep the earth cool. As the ocean gets warmer, the caps get smaller and reflect less radiation. This speeds up the melting process. Something I found interesting was that a warmer ocean creates larger storms. I think that this is quite evident with storms like Hurricane Katrina.
The warming of the earth also create even more problems. One thing that has happened from this is structural damage. Some structures that had been constructed on the permafrost are now collapsing because of the melting permafrost. Global warming also causes drought in some areas. Another problem is that the precipitation that is no longer falling in some areas is being relocated to other areas. There was even a place in India that had 37 inches of rain in a 24hour period.
For the people who still don't believe in global warming, there was a study done in which a sample of 928 peer reviewed journals, and none of them disagree with the FACT that global warming does exsist. When they looked at the public press, they found that about 53% of the articles stated that global warming hasn't been proven.
In my opinion, I think that everyone should see this documentary. It has truley opened my eyes.
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Randy,
ReplyDeleteGood job on your review. I also find it interesting that the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere depends on the season. Its interesting to think that Global Warming can cause things to melt and cause rise in oceans and at the same time cause drought.
I like that you included that powerful fact about the difference between peer-reviewed works and the public press on the topic of global warming...funny how some people only believe what they want to, right?
ReplyDeleteHey Randy
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some really good points. I like how your review included some really important facts that were briefly discussed in the movie. The fact that India had that much rain in such a short time period, or how structures built on permafrost are collapsing, or how there's less CO during the spring and more in the fall. It really sounds like you were moved by this documentary along with many others i'm sure. Good review!
Randy-
ReplyDeleteBefore watching the movie, I thought that Al Gore was going to lecture us as well. I really enjoyed the film to be honest with you. I also thought it was interesting that a warmer ocean creates larger storms. I think that everyone should see this movie and learn about what dangers are yet to come if we don't make some changes.. Great post!
Randy-
ReplyDeleteI never really liked Al Gore, so when I found out we were going to watch that video I wasn't really looking forward to it. After watching it though, I realized how much he taught me. The video was definitely an eye opener for me. Good job on your post!
Randy -
ReplyDeleteNice post! The carbon dioxide part was pretty interesting in the documentary. That reminds me of the "Clean Air Act" part of the film that I had completely forgotten about till now! I thought it was real interesting that you could go back to the year the Clean Air Act was instituted just by looking at the different colors in the ice and how it was polluted... Eye opener for me, for sure! Nice job :)
Hey Randy. Couldnt agree more with ya on the first impression of the movie before seeing it, I figured the same as you. But I am glad I saw the movie because it's opened my eyes to a lot more things. Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteSteve
Randy:
ReplyDeleteI really liked the last part of your post when you gave the statistics about the peer reviewed journals and how none of them disagree with the fact that global warming does exist. So many people think that it doesn't that I've talked to, and I can't imagine how you just can't think it's true... weird.
Good post
Heather
Randy,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you pulled specific examples from the movie that are evidence of global warming. You went on to further describe HOW global warming is affecting different parts of our environment. I'm glad you were able to look past Mr. Gore's persona and take something away from his message!
I also was a little skeptical at first and had my guard up a little for some political opinions being thrown in, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it had some really interesting ways of getting the message across like graphs, cartoons, and powerful pictures. It's hard to believe that people don't believe in global warming! I also think that everyone should see this film. Great post!
ReplyDeleteRandy,
ReplyDeleteVery well put, I have some of the same feeling as you did about not being sure if I wanted to watch this movie or not. I was also impressed by the reflection of sun off the ice caps, the peer reviewed journals, and how the precipitation is moving from one area to another and causing huge problems. After watching this I wish everyone would watch it.
Great job on your post! I agree that everyone should watch this film! I was also very interested to find out that the season of the year correlates with carbon dioxide levels. It totally makes sense, but I never really thought of that before. I also liked your point about how warmer weather produces larger storms. That explains why hurricane Katrina was so bad. And if things don't change soon, there could be just as bad of a storm, if not worse, in the following years. I really liked how you ended your post with a great statistic. It really brought the point home!
ReplyDeleteNice Work Randy. Good post. I was amazed at the information in that film. I never saw it before because I always heard negative reviews about it...those people must be crazy.I thought it was quite interesting how storms have been becoming larger and more hazardous because global warming is causing the ocean water to heat up. If we don't change how treat our planet, its like mother Earth is working up harsher storms to teach us a lesson.
ReplyDeleteNice job on you post Noah. I too was pretty skeptical about this video when we started watching it, but found myself completely enticed by it. You did a good job of focusing on some very important points!
ReplyDeleteGood job Randy! I agree with you that this film definately opened my eyes as well....I did not think it was that bad and everyone was just making a big fuss for nothing! I think it is interesting how carbon dioxide changes with the season. I never thought of how much everything effects the earth...its heartbreaking. Nice job on your post and keep it up!
ReplyDeleteHey Randy!
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree there were a lot of critical comments and reviews on this documentary. Before watching it, I wasn't sure about it either but afterwards I thought it was a great and educational film! I think the thing about the pols being affected fasted than other regions were so interesting! The warm oceans are causing those storms!
It is really fascinating that so many people don't "believe in" global warming! There are so many peer review journals and so much scientific research with it! I think many people are in denial. I am glad it was an eye-opener for you Randy! I am sure it was for us all.
Randy,
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I too have heard many different opinions about this documentary and wasn't sure what to expect. I found it interesting as well whow the movie started out by talking about Revelle and Carbon dioxide. The entire thing was filled with truthful and shocking facts. It really was an inconvienent truth.
Randy, good job with this review! I totally believe that a warmer ocean creates larger storms. That is so apparent with the past disaster storms we've encountered in the past 5 years. Somethings you don't want to forget for next time are key terms or links that relate to the documentary. =)
ReplyDeleteRandy,
ReplyDeleteYou I really enjoyed the reading about the carbon dioxide, in relations to the leaves falling. As well as the crazy melting of the polar ice caps. I also wrote about the permafrost and found that interesting as well! Great job randy!
Randy- Very good post! You made a bunch of good points that I had actually forgotten about! For example how different seasons affect the carbon dioxide level. I do also believe that the warmer oceans are adding to the storms that we have experienced recently!
ReplyDeleteRandy-- I also found it very interesting that each year the carbon dioxide levels go up, then down, based on the seasons. The way Gore compared it to inhaling and exhaling was a great visual for me. It is crazy to think that Revelle was intelligent enough during his time to figure that out....
ReplyDeleteI found the explanation of the polar ice caps acting like mirrors to be helpful as well. I guess I never realized that was how our sun worked in reference to the poles, but now it all makes sense. It is crazy to think about the polar ice caps melting can cause HUGE devastating storms such as Katrina.
I agree with you that everyone should see this movie. It is so eye-opening, and as much as people think it might be "Gore preaching", he really doesn't. I feel like he was very politically removed from this documentary and he presented his information as a scientist, and as an American citizen trying to make a difference. Great review!! --S
Randy~Nice post I really liked on how you gave the examples from the movie!! I almost forgot about some of them until after reading your blog. I thought it was going to be Al Gore just preaching too but it seemed to more than just that after watching. You did really awesome on the review!!
ReplyDeleteGood review! I agree that all the signs and facts are there to see that global warming is happening and that we need to do something about it. I think Al Gore did a good job at explaining that.
ReplyDeleteGreat reviews.Good points!
ReplyDeleteI understand why you're saying everyone should watch this video. It was trully an eye opener for me aswell. My HS chem teacher always talked about Global warming, warning us about it, but i never really took into considerations intil now.
The polar ice caps act as mirrors to reflect the sun rays was very new information for me. It would make sense then that if the Earth's atmosphere keeps in those rays that the ocean will warm up, and the protection of the ice caps will melt away with the ocean's tempurature rising.
ReplyDeleteWith this being said, it is important to think about how we are contributing to the Earth's atmosphere, and how we are making it all stuffy and trapping solar radiation with CO2 being the cause of the trapping of the sun's radiation.
We as a global society need to come together to stop contributing to the additon of this CO2 building up in the atmosphere. Lets get on the same page everybody, and keep our atmosphere at safe levels of CO2.