An Inconvenient Truth

[biffvernon]

An Inconvenient Truth out today at a cinema near you.

Nothing is scarier than the truth.

And the truth is that the burning of fossil fuels to make electricity is the single biggest cause of climate change in UK, responsible for 30% of our carbon emissions.

On general release today, An Inconvenient Truth, follows former Vice President Al Gore's mission to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it.

From director Davis Guggenheim, the Sundance Film Festival hit brings home Gore's persuasive argument that we can no longer afford to view global warming as a political issue - rather, it is the biggest moral challenge facing our global civilization.

Biff has teamed up with United International Pictures to help raise public awareness of global warming.

Check out more at: http://www.aninconvenienttruth.co.uk/

 

[Nemesis]

It's a tad irritating though that when I click to see where I can see the movie I get an ad to buy Winzip.

I am sure Winzip is v useful, but I think global warming is such an important issue it could do with free distribution of where the movie can be seen.

 

[NT]

I would approach it differently, and suggest starting with the energy use areas where cutbacks would have little or no effect. And cars are no 1 in that arena, with most cars on the road today being very overpowered. The only thing a cutback there would produce is better fuel efficiency and a bit less very idiotic behaviour. Tax at point of sale I say.


NT

 

[biffvernon]

buy Winzip.

:?: I thought winzip was a freebie. Haven't you got in on your computer already?

 

[Nemesis]

Nope - it tells me I have to pay to download.

$29

 

[biffvernon]

Don't do it!

 

[Nemesis]

I don't intend to. I seem to have some 'evaluation' version, but I haven't a clue what to do with it.

(As with Nero backup I add...)

 

[BMcD]

Biff has teamed up with United International Pictures to help raise public awareness of global warming.

Of course the irony being the huge amount of energy wasted by the film industry in making distributing and showing films which are largely rubbish (with the odd exception). Better off reading books, at least you have to plant trees to get paper and they fire the imagination

 

[Lynn]

Movies are compelling. I think Gore has a pretty good film/lecture. The statistics are troubling, but I wonder (as a US cynic) if he's fixing to run for president again since I saw it as one long political promotion, but again I live here and have to deal with it...so there you go.

 

[NT]

Winzip is a dead duck that hasnt yet realised its dead. 7-zip is better in every way and is freeware. I wouldnt go back to winzip. A lot of $ware seems to be in this position now.

NT

 

[NT]

Dementia or bad light? Glancing at the list of topics I momentarily saw 'an incandescent tooth' then realised what it really said.

NT

 

[BMcD]

'an incandescent tooth'

Very handy for finding your dentures in the dark

 

[Suzanne]

Biff
You are to be congratulated and I hope your message prompts people to see this film. I saw it two weeks ago and actually burst into tears 4 times (during a documentary...) realising that despite my own strong awareness for climate change and the sciences implied in it that such information as the film soberly and convincingly presents has been so misconstrued and held back. I have texted and emailed hundreds of people. Having considered myself (pale) green in awareness, I have since stopped commuting by car, changed all my lightbulbs to energy saving ones (which I find ugly but its a small sacrifice), am getting a new boiler and radiators, insulated my loft beyond BS requirements, am consulting about how to get my Victorian house energy efficient without resorting to plastic double glazing etc..

I imagine your posting will get lots of replies and engender discussion for those who see the film. This site reaches so may people who have big, drafty, probably not ideally insulated or heated homes, and there are lots of postings that deal with insulation, heating, drafts etc,. It would be really useful and I would be very happy to see a page somewhere that pulls this all together (maybe called A Convenient Truth!) and could give some general, period property sensitive tips (and URLS) on what can be done to improve heat loss and what kind of alternatives there are to fossil energies.

I know it is easy to make suggestions that others then do the work for, but as the forum has so many aware people and experts amongst them, I'm hoping something may find its way into the site. Thanks in advance to any and all who may pick up on this.

Suzanne

 

[Nemesis]

BBC News report on the movie:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5348692.stm

with some useful link to further information.

PS Biff - somehow I never though of you as C B De M!

 

[Nemesis]

For those who did not see the sobering Panorama programme earlier this summer, I suggest that you read this.

Here's a link to a report, a transcript, and a video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/5005994.stm

 

[Nimster]

I haven't seen the film yet, but the husband and I are both keen to be green (mainly as we're doing the whole "do we want to bring a child into this world?" thing).

We've switched to energy saving bulbs - yes, they are pretty ugly, but what the heck. We're also looking at a new boiler and improving the (already good) loft insulation. We're also going to buy a CleanBurn log burning stove as they (apparently) don't give off any CO2 (I'm going to investigate this further before buying though).

Has everyone already switched to green electricity? If not, get on with it:

http://www.ecotricity.co.uk

They match the price of your current supplier, and it takes about a minute to switch online.

Nim

 

[wobs]

Don't think I'll watch at cimema, as I'd probably have to drive.

Will wait til it comes out to rent, and I can bike there to get a copy.

 

[Nemesis]

Yesterday's Observer:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,,1874222,00.html

 

[NT]

Re ugly CFLs, this is easily solved. There are 2 main types of CFL phosphor on the market, one gives a good quality light, the other is a bit pinkish and just plain not right. Just buy a few different makes to see which ones are good.

The other issue is that the quoted power equivalents are simply b-----. Dim off colour light looks pretty grim. Use a 4x as a conversion factor.

FWIW there are also halophosphate CFLs at the very bottom of the market, which are trash quality. Found in pound shops.


NT