When I saw this movie
almost 10 years ago, it literally changed my life. Prior to watching it, I would’ve said I
support environmental-friendly measures, but to be honest, I never spent that
much time thinking about it. I didn’t
litter, I love animals and I support local artists, vendors and farmers. In my mind, that was enough…until I saw this
movie. Suddenly, I realized that climate
change was happening at a much faster rate than I had ever considered. It wasn’t something that would be happening
to my grandchildren’s, grandchildren – it was something that was happening
right now – in my lifetime. I’m ashamed
to say, that made all the difference in the world to me. Immediately, I started recycling. I began donating my time and money to
environmental causes. I started
educating myself on the topic. When I
bought my first home several years ago, the first thing I did was have an
environmental assessment done to find ways to lower my home’s carbon
footprint. It has become such a big
issue to me, that a few years ago, I started limiting debate on the topic in
the classes I teach. Those of you who
know me, know that I rarely, if ever, censor someone. For me to come out and say publically that I
would no longer accept denial of climate change as a plausible point of view in
class, was a very big deal for me. To
date, it is the only topic that I have ever done that for. I believe that no
other issue we discuss this quarter will have more of an impact on your lives
than climate change.
Right on cue, President Obama revealed his new Clean Power
Plan this past week, which is designed to cut emissions from US coal-fired
power plants and to accelerate renewable energy. The President’s plan is to cut carbon
pollution by 32% by the year 2030.
Republicans and others who oppose this plan say it will cause job-loss
and make us unable to compete economically with China. So, I’m interested in
knowing what you think! “Do you support
or oppose the President’s Clean Power Plan?”
If you don’t know much about it – look it up! Just for fun, since I missed your discussion
– “What was one thing that you found interesting in the movie?” You must answer both questions for full
credit. Answers are due no later than
Wednesday, August 19th.
I gotta say, ashamed to have missed such a huge step in the right direction; I am all for what this Plan stands for. It's interesting that GM is on board because I figured the automotive industry as a whole would oppose limits on their production. If it can truly reduce emissions the equivalent of taking "166 mill cars off the road" ; then i believe that if it means having a Planet to call home, we can surely afford to replace harmful occupations. It's the End of The World "As We Know It."
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I found particularly intriguing about the documentary, was Al Gore's analogy between "2nd-handedly" contributing to his sister's untimely passing due to tobacco-induced cancer, and nonchalantly stacking the odds against ourselves with global warming. I can't imagine being a part of that trade; cancer claiming much of my family. But we can impact the Earth now before its too late.
I don't know that I oppose or support the Clean Power Plan. I think that it will be beneficial to deplete some of our carbon footprint. Reducing the amount of pollution and harmful aspects to our environment is beneficial. But I do believe that some people will blow things a little out of proportion. I think the most important thing is to look at all aspects of the equation. Focusing to much on one issue can blind yourself to the problems that might arise and the repercussions that may follow. In many ways the changes may be positive but there may also be some negative ones as well.
ReplyDeleteI thought one of the interesting facts that they talked about is how we can measure the carbon data from hundreds of years ago. I just thought that it was super interesting how we have the tools now to be able to gather this information from such a long time ago.
When I moved here from Wisconsin both my family and I were shocked about how much that Indiana didn't recyle. In Wisconsin we had a bin for paper, glass, plastic, and metal. I know that global warming is a problem but I really don't know what to do about making the earth cleaner. If all the states did what we did in Wisconsin things would be alot better for the planet. I think that there should be laws to help with the global warming, but I really don't know what laws can to help with global warming.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at ISU I had taken an environmental science class and we learned a lot about how the o-zone and environment in it's self was deteriorating. What I picked up was that the only change that can be made is if we all come together to make it a better place to live. Other countries, in a video presented in that class were very detailed about the way they would change the way transportation was being used. Instead of using diesel or regular gas, they would transition to using vegetation which would absolutely be better for the environment. Personally I've always been the person would say that am all about saving the natural habitats but wouldn't take action and now the things that are effecting us today and can effect our generations to come, I would go for Obama's Clean Power Plan.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm not sure on if I am for it or not for it. The Clean Power plan sounds like a great plan, but is it going to actually become a serious thing? Are they actually going to put it into plan?
ReplyDeleteBut also too, you need to look around and follow up with everyone else to see if they will be a part of it. If they will join the plan. But looking way too much into it will make them either want to do it more or do it less. Look at the picture. Don't over analyse it. I feel like it could be a great thing. For our future kids, grandkids, etch. Plus when I was in a science class two quarters ago, he showed us what the planet may look like 40 years from now, and its pretty scary. So I may be for it, I may not be. I just want a cleaner environment and a better way to live. I love to recycle, It makes me feel so much better when I do!
The movie was alright.. I'm with Vic, with the 2nd-handedly contributing to his sister's untimely passing due to tobacco-induced cancer, and nonchalantly stacking the odds against ourselves with global warming. I looked more into that, still just all interesting. I can honestly say I'd watch it again. Look at it more. Take some study time into it.
I think the the Clean Power plan does sound like a great it but is everyone going to want to be apart of the idea? Trying to keep to world clean is such a great idea but in the real world their are only the people who are the go for Green is standing up with this idea. Also I thought the movie was very interesting and found out that global warming it changing really fast. Such as the ice is melting in Alaska and Polo Bears are so used to walking on ice and they are swimming in the water instead of traveling by ice. So that is what caught me attention on what is going on in our world.
ReplyDeleteI really don't have much to say about the Clean Power plan because I do not practice it. I have never recycled but I believe everybody has a right to their own decisions to do so. Myself I think that it is nice that people care about the world but you have to get everybody all over the world to be on the same page to get far with that but I believe there is no way everybody in the world will do it. I think the most interesting thing in the movie was we can go back years and years from one piece of soil and find out all these things that happened to the world. The poor polar bears that dyeing because they don't have enough ice is sad. It's crazy how the world is changing moving and melting right before our eyes and we don't even know it.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like the Clean Power Plan is a necessary step in the right direction for the United States. I know an argument against it is that it will injure the economy, but I'm sure the long term will generate new jobs as superior energy technologies are utilized, perhaps even thorium plants and carbon technology eventually. It seems dangerously shortsighted to be dismissive about the idea just because of how it will effect tomorrow's stocks.
ReplyDeleteAs for the movie, I found it very interesting that Al Gore had been involved in the topic of climate change for so long in his life. For me, it made his cause more honorable.
I think the clean power plan is a good idea if everyone would do it.I don't think everyone care about going green. As far as the movie I found that the movie was interesting and global warming is changing faster than I thought.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was very young learning about standards that all manufacturing plants in the United States had to follow (how much toxins were being emitted into our atmosphere). This is America does not look like China with their toxic fog. I guess I was wrong, or this is just another even greater step toward cleaning the air that we add so much too. I think it's great. The opposition will always say it will remove jobs, but as we saw with the auto industry in America, upping the mpg in all automobiles didn't hurt the industry at all and helped bring some of the failing industry back to America.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found interesting: I didn't know how to express myself on the handout you gave us on what I found interesting in this documentary. I did not like the interjections about Al Gore's life at all, they were suppose to add a human touch to the documentary but they just felt off and confusing. I'm sure a documentary about his life and work would be interesting at some other point, but this was not the place to do it. I'm so glad the shock of the numbers got you motivated, generally I get too overwhelmed when fascinating statistics are thrown at me. The most interesting and helpful part of the whole film is actually at the end credits. We didn't watch that part in class but it's what I looked up when I first learned about the documentary ten years ago. It shows little steps of what I can do in my daily life to lessen my carbon foot print such as using power-strips or unplugging unnecessary items, turning off lights, recycling, energy efficient light bulbs and many others that I still try to do every day.
I didnt know that much about the O zone layer or global warming until I took political science with Marshall Durr. He really opened my eyes to it and and helped me understand what we actually were doing to our planet. The process of pollution and the burning of fossil fuel is weakening our o zone and therefore causing the earth to warm and melt glaciers that have been here for millions of year is so un real but yet so real. I do support the the EPA's plan (CPP)because it going to hold people responsible and it makes more people aware so the will know what they are doing. What I found interesting from the video was the carbon dating process I learned about it before and thought it was amazing and it still astonishes me today. I really do not do a lot of recycling but I do hope that I will get better and become more consistent with it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Clean Power Plan sounds like a great way to make a positive impact on our environment for the future. I think it's easy for a lot of us to ignore this issue and look the other way, so by putting this plan into action, it will be a great way to educate everyone and make big changes. I found the video to be really interesting. One thing that stuck out to me was melting ice causing sea levels to drastically rise and ending up causing major floods. This was really eye opening to me and made me realize just how quickly our climate is changing.
ReplyDeleteI honestly had to look up what the "Clean Power Plan" entailed. Even though it should be, the environment isn't one of my hot-button issues. In general it seemed like something that I support.
ReplyDeleteAs far as something I found interesting about the movie, I would have to say that I found the creative decisions that went into how the movie was shot, edited, and structured to be interesting. Even though I agree with the messages in the movie, it's extremely manipulative- building audience rapport with Gore through his folksy mannerisms and antidotes, using emotional music to underscore points, and visual aids, such as the time lapse of rising sea levels, to really drive the point home. I also found it interesting how it was a product of its time. it's from a world that, while post 9/11, had significantly less things to deal with than we do today. Back in 2006 it was almost conceivable that some meaningful environmental change could be enacted.
I never really cared about global warming until I took a natural science class last quarter. I learned a lot about how our fast paced technologies are affecting the climate of the earth. I think the Clean Power Plan is a great way to slow down the increase of CO2 levels. Industrialization is causing lots of damage to our environment, resulting in natural disasters, and illnesses. Poor countries are more affected by global warming, places like Bangladesh are highly affected by sea-level rise, and pollution. I think changing our ways and going Green will have a positive impact on the earth’s future.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely support the President’s Clean Power Plan... anything to reduce the pollution on earth is a good thing. Now I wouldn't be a die hard supporter but I'd do my part. And one thing I found very interesting about the movie was they had a machine that could tell the temperature from thousands of years ago.. pretty cool
ReplyDeleteHaha, yeah I feel kind of similar to everyone else commenting. Mind you, I stopped eating meat about 2-3 ish years ago, with this being a big factor, but up until I had natural science the scope of this I don't think really sunk in. It's BIG! What a mess, hopefully we'll do better as a people. We only got one world, gotta do it right. We're in a place as humans and basically overseers of the world to treat it right or fuck it over. I hope we treat it right.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Clean Power Plant would be a good idea, but the fact that not everyone recycles may be hard for those to get into the practice. The world should be clean and reducing the carbon pollution helps tremendously if it is followed by everyone.
ReplyDeleteOne interesting fact I found watching the documentary was about the ice burgs. According to the movie, the ice helps the earth keep cool bouncing sun waves off the ice. If the ice all melts then Earth can turn into a very hot planet. I wonder what we can do for our planet to help.
future pollution levels out weigh jobs now in my opinion
ReplyDeleteI actually see both sides. I like Obama's plan cause It seems like it will help with pollution, but the whole people losing jobs might not be to good either. But the thing I found interesting about the movie was that he was saying that we change the air composition by our green houses because the air is so thin.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am undecided. I think that reducing our pollution would be fantastic. However, a lot of jobs could be lost and that would hurt our economy. I think that Obama could come up with laws or a way to enforce everyone to recycle more to decrease each family's households carbon footprint because that would make a big difference if everyone in America was on board doing something to help.
ReplyDeleteAs for the movie, the most interesting thing to me was, that researchers could dig up ice/snow and see how long ago it fell there and what temperature it was when it fell to the ground.
Brianna McGee
I agree with the Obama plan and I also agree with the Republicans Plan. I do agree with Obama Clean Power Plan. The people lives are more important than the rich people money. The Obama Clean Power Plan is a plan to help the environment which can be an huge impact on reducing global warming. But at the same time i don't agree with the Obama plan. Republicans care more about people jobs in the present rather than lives in the future. If people lost their jobs, poverty rates will rise. About the movie, I was already convinced that global warming was occurring from my last class with Mr. Durr. Global warming is caused by the actions of human activity. We burn fossils causing carbon to heat the Earth's atmosphere. Humans contribute to climate change and global warming on the daily basis by using a lot of electricity burning car engines and even washing clothes. I liked the examples he included in the movie from the past and present and showed the ice pictures. The difference in the glaciers and ice shelf were ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really seeing why the Clean Power Plan would put people out of work, if anything, it should open up plenty of doors for MORE work. I think it's a great idea to try and get this ball rolling for fast results in the future. After all, we're the ones who make our break our planet by keeping up with crapping up the Ozone layer.
ReplyDelete