For many, the terms Global Warming and Carbon are terms that stir up emotion and calls to “do something”. That, in the words of one friend, it has become a near religious belief in intangible proofs that we are now asking governments to invest billions, consumers to start thinking, and corporations to start sharing … the burden.
.. and for James Balog this was also the case. For him, the temperature charts, the carbon reports, and the calls to “do something” were intangible for him… even though he was a photographer for perhaps the most well known magazine on the environment. That is of course, until he set up 25 cameras to capture glacial melts around the world.
It is the subject of his 18 minute TED presentation. A presentation I hope Global Warming believers and non-believers will take the time to watch. Because regardless of your position on the issue of global warming, it is clear that something is occurring at a glacial level, and that if we do not work to reverse / slow the process, we could soon find ourselves on an orb without glaciers.
Rich, thanks heaps for posting this. I’d have to agree with the first statement Balog boldly makes in his presentation that (and I paraphrase) film and photography aren’t being pressed into service in the most effective way possible to highlight environmental blight. Of course, you’ve had a chance to watch http://www.voyageaubutducharbon.com as well, which is a sort of “choose your own adventure” game, but also highly effective in its aims.
Would be great to meet up with you when I’m in China in a month’s time.
Comment by Adam Daniel Mezei — September 27, 2009 @ 2:45 am