An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film narrated by Al Gore and tells the story of his heart felt campaign against global warming. All industrial designers should watch this film as it warns us of the effects of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As designers, we are responsible for producing products that are environmentally friendly and ensuring they do not harm the planet in any stage of its life cycle.
The main points from this film I found most compelling are as follows:
> The most vulnerable part of the earths ecological system is the atmosphere and we ARE capable of changing its composition
> Carbon dioxide emissions, today, are above the normal variation cycle, in less than 50 years the carbon emissions will be even more catastrophic. Data has been collected dating back from 650,000 years
> The 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the last 14 years
> The ocean is also warming up, outside the natural variation and this is causing more storms and more damage to societies around the world
> Global warming unevenly redistributes flooding and drought, this can not be predicted anymore
> Ocean becomes more dense as the water evaporation increases and the water becomes saltier
> 30 new diseases in the last quarter century
> Coral reefs are bleaching and many fish species are dying off
> The sea level will rise 20 feet if the west Antarctic land shelf melts
> The US is responsible for 30% of the worlds carbon emissions
> Doing the right thing will create wealth, the misconception that you have to chose between the planet and economy is bull
> We already have the technology and scientific knowledge to effectively address this problem