INTS 301 reflection for before the flood PDF

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Summary

short answer reflection over the movie before the flood...

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The movie ‘Before the Flood’ captures the journey of actor and environmentalist, Leonardo DiCaprio, as he travels to different continents and learns about the effects of climate change and global warming. The film shows firsthand the impact and dangers caused by our current climate crisis as well as the risks that come with ignoring the reality of this crisis. I believe that the use of interviews with very credible people made this film successful in getting their message across and although the selection of the narrator was considered controversial, I do think it was a great and impactful choice. A scene that I found really striking was the interview with Anote Tong, now former president of Kiribati. Tong talks about the catastrophic conditions that his country is experiencing due to climate change. During the interview they discuss the severe flooding that Kiribati is experiencing and what this means for the future of the nation and the safety of its citizens. This flooding is causing many of the country’s islands to go underwater, leaving many of the Kiribati people homeless and in need of relocation. Meanwhile, freshwater ponds are being contaminated due to flooding so the supply of drinking water is decreasing. If these conditions continue, there is a possibility that this entire nation will eventually be underwater, and cease to exist. Stories like this are striking because there is not much that the nation can do to save itself. Flooding and other natural disasters will continue. They can’t stop them but can only prepare for when they happen. This scene specifically made me think about how important it is to be prepared and have the resources to deal with these types of crises, which many countries around the world do not have, such as Kiribati. Tong mentions how he and his government need to come to terms with the fact that they might not be able to accommodate all the citizens that will be affected by these natural disasters. Although heartbreaking, it is a reality that is caused by climate change. Not everyone is prepared to face these consequences and ignoring the effects of the climate crisis will only worsen this reality. When discussing the documentary with others, I realized that the choice of Leonardo DiCaprio as the main narrator and environmental spokesperson is a controversial one. Many believe that an A-list Hollywood actor should not be the face for such environmental advocacy. But I think this was a very calculated and successful choice. The reality of our society nowadays is that everyone is more interested in drama and entertainment, especially our younger generation. How do you get a message about environmental action across to this generation? You get a relevant figure to them to deliver the message across. Leonardo DiCaprio is a very well-known actor; he could even be considered a household name. By having him be the representative of environmental advocacy, awareness starts to spread beyond just news stations and books, it starts to reach everybody. DiCaprio was able to bring environmental advocacy into pop culture, making it more relevant to our everyday generation. In addition, DiCaprio himself never

claimed to be an environmental expert, he is just learning more about a topic that is important to him and taking us along; he is just a messenger. It shows that everyone can learn more about and become aware of current climate change issues and environmental topics; no need to be an expert....