The Garden and the Earth

Looking toward the garden to learn more about ourselves may seem a circuitous way to arrive at needed knowledge, but I have long been sold on the marriage, acknowledged or not, between man and the natural world. Though in discussion I may wax assertive about my beliefs and speculations on the efficacy of certain gardening techniques, or sometimes grow loquacious on the desirability of one plant type over another; when the proverbial dust has settled, I'm a gardener because it allows a closeness and understanding of nature that makes me feel more complete as a human being and member of the planet.

With these thoughts in mind, late this afternoon my daughter and I saw "An Inconvenient Truth," the documentary film on global warming now in selected theatres. Neither of us was disappointed with the experience, though I found it disturbing and frightening, and also, as it regarded human behavior, penetratingly provocative.

The film is presented entirely in documentary fashion, though I found after the first thirty minutes that I was no longer conscious of format at all. Al Gore, nearly our elected president in that memorable election, evinced a passion on the subject that I found palpable and real. I quickly came to realize that this was not some new diversion for him, but his long time first interest in life. Whether everything he asserted was scientifically correct, and I'm inclined to believe it was, Gore's own conviction and sense of purpose in addressing a growing and alarming crisis was indisputable. As stated in the film, he has given this presentation via slide shows at least a thousand times all over the planet, and he has researched on all continents the evidence he presents so persuasively.

Of course if this were a less volatile and disputed subject, it would not be the event it is. Gore's one time political aspirations and well known political philosophy open the flood gates for opposing views, and, as we know, wherever politicians take a position, there seems never a shortage of heated disagreement. On this subject, however, extending this tradition could prove tragic. The earth continuing to warm unchecked in future years could actually, according to the presentation, change mankind's role on the planet like no other event in known history.

The premise of the film, stripped to its bare skeleton, is that man's industrial activity is spewing forth carbon dioxide at a rate causing great problems. The heat from the sun's rays is being impeded from escaping into space as, according to ice samples excavated in the Antarctic, it has not been in the last thousand years. The resulting increased heat on earth, the documentary explains, manifests itself in numerous ways, most of them destructive. Among the probable results are more violent storms and a rising sea level that will flood low lying areas all over the globe, displacing as many as a hundred million people. In addition, if the ocean currents are affected as scientists believe they will be, a new ice age could be upon us more rapidly than experience would have us believe.

Horrific picture of the future, for sure; true, well, that's where the debate is active. But debate on these issues is a good and desirable thing, as long as the participants are informed and open to changing, upon proof, their viewpoints. Where my discouragement sits is upon those who refuse to see this informative and provocative film, those believing that decisions can be made without knowledge. Disagree if that opinion is the result of analysis, but make the determination on a solid understanding of the science behind the issue.

I'll end with a paraphrase of a quote presented in the film. It goes something like: "It is hard to persuade someone of a truth, when the livelihood of that person depends upon not believing it."