Discussion Group Report

The August Discussion Group reviewed Al Gore's article "The Moment of Truth," published in the May 2006 issue of Vanity Fair. Gore wastes no time in stating that the threat of global warming is real, deeply relevant, and a "true planetary emergency." His article is part scientific, stating a number of recent, documented environmental crises, part withering criticism of the Bush administration's lack of response to a number of these environmental crises (including Hurricane Katrina) and a call for action, urging readers to join in this "moral and spiritual challenge" to save Planet Earth.

Gore challenges the skeptics and deniers of global warming with actual facts of environmental devastation. Most of the mountain glaciers in the world (including the Rockies, Andes, Sierras and Alps) are melting, as is the floating ice cap in the Arctic Ocean. In a first documented occurrence, scientists have discovered large numbers of polar bears drowning in this newly expanded ocean. Even more serious, the ice cap on the top of Greenland is beginning to melt. This 20,000-foot thick ice cap is "now poised to slip into the sea." When the ice caps melt into the ocean, the overall sea level worldwide will be raised by over 20 feet. With a raised sea level, the world's climate system will be forever changed, with the Gulf Stream and the El Nino/La Nina ocean cycles, among others, all now "at risk of being pushed into new and unfamiliar patterns."

The ocean is also becoming more acidic, as a result of the large amounts of carbon dioxide, the result of burning of fossil fuels, being absorbed by the ocean. While the acid this creates--carbonic acid--is fairly weak, it is enough to change the ions (carbonate and bicarbonate) in the ocean. As a result, corals are now unable to form their unique skeletons, "the base of many food chains in the ocean." If this pattern continues, the acid will make ocean life unable to form shells, as the shells instantly dissolve in the acid. The ocean, the heretofore harbinger of life, will become a virtual wasteland, unfit for any living creature.

Despite these dire examples, and others cited, of the environmental catastrophes we will soon face, many within the next 10 years, our leaders, Gore writes, are "resisting the truth" and finding it "simply more convenient" to ignore the numerous warnings that abound. Of Hurricane Katrina, he writes that the current administration chose to ignore two crystal clear warnings: that the tropical storm that became Katrina was becoming a 'deadly monster" poised to slam into New Orleans, and the other, perhaps even more serious, that the levees, not built for such powerful storms, were in grave danger. There is even a videotape of President Bush being presented with these facts, but not questioning or acting upon them.

Gore states that the criticism of the administration is not partisan as many naysayers would say. "A recent report by Republicans in the House of Representatives called the White House reaction (to Katrina) a 'blinding act of situational awareness' and that the administration, as well as Congress, "failed to act on the massive amounts of information at its disposal."

As tragic as Hurricane Katrina was, Gore writes that it also served as a turning point in showing Americans that we are not immune to environmental catastrophes, that they can and will indeed arrive on our doorstep unless we act now. Americans "are beginning to demand that the administration open its eyes and look at the truth, no matter how inconvenient it might be for all of us--not least for the special interests that want us to ignore global warming." He continues, "America is beginning to awaken. And now we will save our planet."

Joining together to save the planet from the reality of global warming will give the world a shared purpose, Gore writes, a "generational mission," a rare occurrence in the world's history. He urges Americans to not miss the opportunity to come together for a "compelling moral purpose, a shared and unifying cause," and the "opportunity to rise." The survival of Planet Earth is something that all of us-- regardless of geographic area, creed, race, gender--have in common and must do something about if we are to sustain ourselves as a people.

Gore closes by stating that despite the environmental crises that have already occurred and several impending challenges yet to come it is still not too late to act. We as a people have already taken on and successfully dealt with many crises, that at one time would have seemed insurmountable: eliminating Jim Crow and segregation laws, freeing the slaves, allowing women to vote and landing on the moon, among others. He writes that we can unite as a people and indeed as the world--to take on this challenge of protecting our planet and that we must do so now. Saving the earth cannot wait.

--Bob Lane