GLOBAL
By Alyssa Chantal P. Moreno
he satirical movie, ‘Don’t Look Up’, written by Director Adam McKay and featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence won the 2021 American Film Institute Award (AFI) Movies of the Year. The plot centered on two astronomers who were desperate to warn mankind of the approaching comet that would soon destroy Earth. With six months to convince the people, they go on a venture to disseminate the truth to the media about mass extinction. According to McKay, the title of the film is a metaphor to the reaction of the people nowadays towards issues of climate change. The public, the scientists, and the policy-makers ‘don’t look up’ to the realities of the upcoming and current problems faced by Earth. He mentioned how ignorance in society leads to danger. Their narrative was just another story being brushed aside instead of being taken seriously. Now, these events are happening in real life.
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Let the Earth breath On April 6, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Climate Scientist Peter Kalmus alongside three scientists—physicist Greg Spooner, Engineer Eric Gill, and science educator Allan Chornak—were arrested in Los Angeles for protesting by chaining themselves to the doors of the JPMorgan Chase building. They indicated that the planet only has three to five years left. This protest was organized by the Scientist Rebellion, a group of scientists calling for a climate revolution. According to an American online media company INSIDER, Chase Bank is the worst fossil fuel bank in the world, with JPMorgan Chase financing this by spending approximately $317B on fossil fuels from 2016 to 2020. Protestors called out the company to divest from coal, oil, and gas due to its alarming contributions to climate change. They posted a paper on the wall stating that the government intends to produce more than twice the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than to be
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“consistent with limiting warming to 1.5C.” These scientists wore lab coats that had the Extinction Rebellion (XR) logo, which displayed a symbol of a circled hourglass representing a warning that time is running out for many species. Kalmus emotionally stated, “We’ve been trying to warn you for so many decades.” He captured the attention of millions of people witnessing his protest streamed live on Facebook. “I’m here because scientists are not being listened to. This is so much bigger than any of us,” he reiterated. These scientists have taken the risk for Earth which they call “the gorgeous planet.” Ways to help Earth Since the movement, #LetTheEarthBreathe has been trending all over social media. People have been advocating about deleting unwanted emails and changing browsers to help the planet breathe. According to Lumina Homes, energy is needed to process emails which are then archived for future reference in various servers throughout the globe. These servers are housed in large data centers that utilize huge quantities of power derived still from fossil fuels. This contributes to global carbon dioxide emissions, which is why people have been encouraging others to delete unnecessary emails consistently. Premier pop culture channel POP INQUIRER mentions that though it is a good thing to do, “The simple answer and what other users have been telling others is no. Those things aren’t enough to save the Earth.” Small actions do not have much of an effect if these corporations and private companies continue to do harmful damage. It is corporate greed that is to be addressed and they must be held accountable. Small actions such as saving electricity, planting trees, conserving water, recycling, etc. are still contributing to the betterment of Earth. However, if big corporations do nothing to change their actions and see the bigger picture, none of the little impactful things will matter.
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I’m here because scientists are not being listened to. This is so much bigger than any of us. Peter Kalmus Climate Scientist at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
*** “We need a billion climate activists. I encourage everyone to consider where we’re heading as a species, and to engage in civil disobedience and other actions. The time is now. We’ve waited far too long. Mobilize, mobilize, and mobilize. Mobilize before we lose everything,” Kalmus advocates. The Scientist Rebellion has already been sounding the alarm of climate change, and we must look up to the realities of this problem. It must not be ignored nor be seen as another story that will be forgotten. Kalmus tells us to do our part as citizens—to be climate activists by utilizing our voices to demand action. If we truly wish to let the Earth breathe, then we must engage in activism with the public.C
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