Masters of the Arctic on PBS

PBS showed an interesting show on Global Warming and the Arctic. It featured the work of Brenden Kelley and the Ring Seal, a favorite food item of polar bears. He was camping at the mouths of two Arctic Rivers,where “breakup” is earlier and earlier each year as the ice mass shrinks. He had to retrieve an interesting technology called Critter Cam. He and his dedicated field crew had to retrieve the camera before the ice broke up to review interesting new data about the seal.They (his crew) ,including 2 labs, and a reseaerch associate who got ice-cold wet as he helped retrieve a 178 pound seal from a small breathing hole, took wildlife capture to new heights.

It was happy and sad wildlife theatre with some real interesting shots of Narwal Whale habits, amongst other things, off Baffin Island in northern Canada as viewed by a European Researcher from Scandanavia with a hard name for an American to remember. The happy is that the arctic may be around until the centuries end. The sad is that reserchers like Brenden Kelly may be recording the demise of several Arctic Species and an entire ecosystem if we do not act now!!!! See the film on PBS. It is called “The Masters of the Arctic”. I watched it on Washington D.C. WETA station. It was quite a  good film but the real dangers of Global Warming is becoming all to common as a film theme

The Nation:Surviving The Climate Crisis

I am deeply gratified when the Nation, a thinky liberal magazine, is devoted to Global Warming. They have pretty much the same philosophy as I do.

Read their editorial comment: Going Green and James Jensons “Why We Cant Wait” by James Hanson, his five step plan to resolve Global Warming.

Of special interest to me because for many reasons I have fought to save the Porcupine Caribou Herd in Canada and Alaska. Read Matthew Gilbert’s “Farewell, Sweet Ice”, a Gwich’in Eskimo’s view on Global Warming. I care very much about that area of the world.

 Read Elizabeth Economy’s “China versus Earth”. I so believe she is right on target about China. If the USA did not have person’s like Gore and DiCaprio, we would be on a simular non-track like China for this crisis since our political leadership for this issue of life and death is literally out to lunch.

Please get your hands on last weeks Nation and my only warning is read the issue slowly.

Matt Reid

Catastrophic Fire

In europe, 3 summers ago, they had a heatwave that killed numerous people. This summer they have a catastrophic forest fire in Greece that has killed up to 49 persons so far.

I am from an area where they have large fire every summer. But I even thought that a large fire in Greece was unusual. I am racking my brain to remember such an event as stated on CNN News. I cannot. There were floods in Ohio and Wisconsin recently fitting the pattern of Global Warming.

I am not traditionally a  “sky is falling type” but there is no pattern to compare weather disruptions to around the world. It makes the Global Warming prognostecatos look very smart to me.

I have expected this problem for more than a decade now, but instead of saying I told you so I think we can land more softly with alternative energy forms, and like many others I have started to make changes in my own lifestyle, even though I do not expect to be around for the challenges of Global Warming. I like what the DiCaprio movie,11th hour said, there is no need with the our current technologyto go back to the stoneage.

My parents wereproducts of the WW ll  generation and the depression.They new what it meant to change quickly and to sacrafice. I am ready for it to happen again. Can we step up to the challenge! I think we can!!!! My guess is that we do not have much of choice.

Matt

The DiCaprio Movie 11th HOUR

I went down to Dupont Circle in the middle of Washington D.C. to catch Di Caprio’s new movie or rather documentary, 11th Hour.

I read a review in the Washington  Express on the Redline down to the theatre.It was a bad review of the DiCaprio Movie.I thought what  could you expect from a film critic, especially one from the express.

My houghts, after alifetime fighting  Environmental battles was that DiCaprio is very smart. The movie’ target is wonks like me, not the film critic. It was a sprawling, tough target but DiCaprio did it justice and I am not saying that to do my part to help fill the movie up. This was a hard topic..this I know!!!

He visited a lot of places that framed my thinking and left an upbeat message on a topic that at tims made me want to “buy the farm”. What a dismal topic with what looks to be a sad ending. I hope Im wrong. I have never been one to shrink from a challenge. Global Warming is a large challenge and a lot of us will have to not shrink and face it head on. Do we have a choice!

DiCaprio had a sped-up time line for Global Warming and a message that we cannot wait on this one. He had that message delivered by 50 plus noterieties and only DiCapro and Gore are going to get a tough message  from Gorbachav on this.Bush and Cheney have missed a fast boat but we will have to solve this huge topic without them and certainly not their oil.  (Message in the film). I might try  but would gaze at him in awe. That is why we need the likes of Gore and DiCaprio in the debate. All Enviros should see the 11th hour it is a good add-on to the Gore movie and then some.

Global Warming for Teens

an iconvinient truth, by Al Gore is now out there in a shortened book version for teens. I have a teen who must read a non-fiction book this summer. Some things do not change. I tried to get him to pick a book. No luck. I just happened to see Gore’s book with a lot of pictures, and so easy to read, that I read it and enjoyed it. It was easier to read than the same book for adults, and done well enough for teens to read. The book is serious and full of examples and graphs that teens will understand and impress you with their knowledge after it is read by them so be ready to be impressed…This goes out to a small, but important audiance who will be the “deciders” on an all important issue.

My beloved polar bears will be gone and so will I!!! You will find this Gem on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble or Borders. I am sure it is at most good, or big, bookstores in the teen non-fiction center.

Global Warming Fast

Mike Tidwell who is the leader of Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCan), based in Tacoma, Maryland near Washington D.C. is calling for a September 4 Fast.; all 3 meals that day to show one’s support for Global Warming. He will be joined by other Global Warming noterieties like author Bill Mcibben . I think the background of the Fast is very noble. Tidwell is a truebeliever and a straight shooter supporting this Fast for a variety real Global Warming related issues. I plan to fast, and invite my small readership to join me. Let me and others know how it goes.

Warming and Where To Be!

In the Science section of today’sWashington Post is a feature Length article by Doug Struck. It is an article about Global Warming and water conflicts that will occur. The article should be read by all.

 There is an interesting Graphic with the article  that basically shows some of the possible climate shifts worldwide, from desertification to increased rainfall, if you can believe it. Look at Hurricane Dean in the Carribean to see what is meant by wet.

 The jist of the article is that we can expect major change on the ground if we get off this easy. The worlds economy will shift and there will be many “Darfors” as this happens in countries that are hardpressed to meet these changes.

Katrina proved that in some areas the USA is very prone to these problems.

We will see this in our coastal areas.

China is not are biggest prospective problem in the USA because they have done a quick job of soiling their own nest and they are slower to react than we are.

Tidwell and Moyer

Bill Moyer is one of my favorite journalists. He will interview on Chanel 26, at 9:00 pm, Mike Tidwell, the Executive Director of Chesepeake Climate Action Network, which is one of the primary fighters of Washington D.C. area Global Warming. If you read their site, which all should read, Tidwell, et. al is very much on target for the issue of our time. He, and his organiation, are brawlers in the first order; you have to be on this very tough issue.

Washington Post Opinion Section and Newsweek the latest issue

Please read Michael Gerson’s opinion article on Global Warming called, Hope on Climate Change? Here ’s Why, and in the same box, still on the Opinion Page, is Robert Samuelson’s, Global Warming Simplicities, also worth a read. The good news is that even skeptics, as in Samuelson’s Op-ed, believe that Global Warming is a real phenomina. Both are in today’s Washington Post.

See the latest Newsweek, Global Warming, A Hoax*, by Sharon Begley. I am not an armchair shrink, but I believe the smart writers in the press have gotten through denial and are now down to “Brass Tax” on this issue, and the Global Warming debate in the press is not skepticism of the process but how we want to hopefully remedy an Ecological Crisis.

 I have my opinions, but I do not believe I will be around to help out and the world, as I know it, will change. If you look at it you can see the changes. I have seen some of the changes for the past 20 years and did not verbalise them as Global Warming until about 3 years ago, and even more so since An Inconvieniant Truth, as a film, was released.

ABC

I never thought I would promote anything for ABC. I was watching George Stephanopolis’s This Week, which I admit I am a wonk because I find myself watching that show and later in the week I watch Tim Russert on On Demand, his Meet The Press.

Normally I am much more likely  to go birdwatching, or when in Montana I birdwatched and bearwatched, frequently on weekends, but Russert and Stepanopolis (sp?) are quite good from my standpoint when I am home.

I stayed up late to watch Washington Redskins pre season, something when I am home I have done since I was a child so there is no teaching this dog new tricks.

Leonardo DiCaprio was selling his movie the 11th hour, an Environmental documentry due out on August 17th. It will be in D.C. on August 24th and I will not miss it!

I do not know DiCaprio from a hole in the head…but  from what I have seen he is quite impressive.

This morning George did most of the shilling, which is good but DiCaprio,a known Enviro. picked a tough, complicated topic for his first go around.

I hope the topic is well recieved?

You can learn more about his film, and him, on the ABC website. Go to George Stephanopolis, on ABC to learn more about the topics DiCaprio and his documentary film will review on the 11th Hour. I look forward to it!!!