Time to Save Our HOME?

Sunday July 05, 2009 20:53

by RogerYates

New Film says we may still have time - but we need to act now.

The release of “HOME” was a landmark event. For the first time ever, a film was released on the same day in over 50 countries and on every format: movie theatres, TV, DVD and the Internet. Directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and produced by Luc Besson, “HOME” uses beautiful, high definition aerial photography from over 60 countries to tell the story of the Earth’s ecosystem, how humans have affected it, and how environmental problems are all interconnected.

Saving our HOME.

A movie event as part of “Animal Rights July.”

Where: Theatre N, Newman Building, UCD campus;

When: Wednesday evening, 8th July;

Time: 7.00-9-45 each week. FREE ADMISSION.

Organised by: Dr. Roger Yates, UCD Sociology Dept.

[Contact
Roger Yates: UCD office: 01 716 8586. Mobile: 086 391 2018. ]

Week 2, July 8th:
Showing of the new 90-minute environmental film “HOME”
followed by discussion.

In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly established World Environment Day (5th June) to further “worldwide awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and action.” The theme of the 2009 World Environment Day (WED) was ‘Your Planet Needs You: Unite to Combat Climate Change’ and included the global launch of “THE HOME PROJECT.”

The release of “HOME” was a landmark event. For the first time ever, a film was released on the same day in over 50 countries and on every format: movie theatres, TV, DVD and the Internet. Directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and produced by Luc Besson, “HOME” uses beautiful, high definition aerial photography from over 60 countries to tell the story of the Earth’s ecosystem, how humans have affected it, and how environmental problems are all interconnected.

Some scientists (such as James Lovelock, who recently lectured at UCD on his Gaia Theory [see below]) believe that global warming is now irreversible and disaster is inevitable but the message of “HOME” is more hopeful – provided action is taken now.

Prime movers in The Green Party have been invited to attend Animal Rights July, it is hoped that they will be able to attend at least this important event focused on environmental issues.

Dr. Roger Yates explains why “HOME” has been included as part of “Animal Rights July”: “The film itself is not about animal rights, per se, but clearly environmental issues affect the nonhuman world as much, and sometimes more, than human society. In the end, the fate of all animals, including human beings, is interlinked. This film is impressive in that it does not shy away from issues conspicuously absent in Al Gore’s recent film on the environment. The issue of the devastating impact meat eating has on the planet is described in HOME and, indeed, supports UN statements about the climatic damage caused by a meat-based lifestyle. For example, the waste of water in producing meat is enormous compared to the water needed to produce plants. It certainly is not green to eat meat.”

US Law professor and animal rights philosopher, Gary Francione, who will present a live lecture as part of Animal Rights July (see separate document, Animal Rights July at-a-glance, attached), says, “HOME is better by miles than Al Gore’s document, An Inconvenient Truth...There is explicit criticism of intensive agriculture and discussion about the inefficient use of resources (grains, water) used to produce meat. Although the film certainly does not advocate veganism, that is the logical implication of its message. As I have argued for longer than I care to remember, anyone who cares at all about the environment should be vegan even if she/he does not care about the moral issue involved in animal exploitation.”

Roger Yates added: “The is a good deal of talk in Ireland at the moment that we all need to pull together to escape the ravages of the global economic recession, there is much less discussion on the need to act collectively for the sake of the planet. We talk a lot about human rights and our love for our children – it is a direct contradiction of those claims to carry on living as we do. HOME tells us that we must take responsibility and one of the best – and easiest – ways we can is through changing what we consume. The message of HOME is also a direct challenge to The Green Party to address the issue of meat-eating, which it has shown a remarkable, if understandable, reluctance to do.”

World Environment Day: http://www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/

James Lovelock at UCD, April 2009: http://www.ucd.ie/news/2009/04APR09/210409_lovelock.html

Gary Francione’s full statement on HOME: http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/taking-care-of-our-...home/

How Environmentalists are Overlooking Vegetarianism as the Most Effective Tool against Climate Change: http://www.earthsave.org/globalwarming.htm

‘Maybe no Green dares tell the voters that vegetarianism is the only sure way to curb global warming because they haven't personally grasped the argument yet’: http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/only-way-to-....html

ENDS.