See Carbon Nation if you are looking for inspiration!

As humans we have the opportunity to view our life experiences from a cause and effect perspective. The fact that my organization use cause and effect modeling to help clients with certain types of carbon sequestration projects made a invitation to view Carbon Nation at the Embassy of Canada on March 29, 2010 extremely interesting. After attending a viewing of Carbon Nation - a 90 minute documentary film about climate change solutions - I'm happy to report that my cause and effect perspective regardling climate change can now include solutions.

The effects of climate change has been researched, studied and publicized for years. The alleged horrors have been literally classified as unavoidable. Based on this information, nothing is safe. We should all pray for the best, but expect the worst. It is no secret that climate change will impact agriculture, forests, health, coastal zones, ecosystems, biodiversity, water resources, polar areas, and populations worldwide.

Even if you disagree with the severity of the projected impact, Carbon Nation welcomes you to agree or disagree. This masterful piece of creativity illustrates how choices relating to climate change also address security, economic, social, and physical issues. The film covers methods to address climate change, and the individuals and organizations actively implementing the various methods.

One has to appreciate how the film gives certain informative yet entertaining views of how all humans can play a positive role in moving the world to a low carbon state. The cast of characters in this film support a vision and message which compliment each other perfectly. You are left with a clear understanding of the challenges, as well as the endless number of solutions. You won’t find the typical blame, guilt, fear or finger pointing tactics in this film. You will find optimism, ideas, and hope.

Filmmaker Peter Byck, along with the filmmaking group, interviewed over 200 climate change pioneers includng: James Woolsey, Former CIA Director , Lester Brown of Earth Policy Institute, Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic, Van Jones of Green For All, Gene Rodrigues of Southern California Edison, William K. Reilly, Former EPA head, Alan Murray of The Wall Street Journal, and Brigadier General Dana Pittard, Commanding General of National Training Center at Fort Irwin Army Base.

Earth School Educational Foundation Inc., an environmental film and communications not-for-profit, released the film. It’s world premiere was at the 2010 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital on Sunday, March 28th.

Reviewing my articles relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart grid, you can better understand my excitement as I describe my experience watching Carbon Nation. I particularly liked how the film provides key information in digestible amounts for all characters, corporations, communities and countries to embrace the various solutions.

Film attendees at the Embassy of Canada ended up discussing the power of evolving from the current brown roofs (i.e. the black-colored, heat-absorbent covering on many US homes) and the ability to move to white-and-green roofs in the next five years. After viewing this movie, a trucker resting inside his tractor trailer would probably be motivated to use auxiliary power, instead of running the engine, to reduce fuel demand. If you recall my article regarding saving energy using LEDs, then you’ll appreciate how the film highlights other energy and cost reduction options. This includes switching from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (CFL). I did not need my mathematics degree to calculate the cost benefits of switching and using 75 percent less energy while having bulbs that last 10 times longer then incandescent bulbs.

The film also touched on the workforce and economic development aspects of correcting years of environment waste and abuse. From rural to urban communities, examples of workforce training and education was narrated and explained. For example, in Texas, a one-armed, cowboy-hat-wearing gentleman explains how he became a wind farm entrepreneur and helped make hundreds of his neighbors wind farm owners. This community unity not only produced clean energy, but produced a new economic surge of revenue for the farmers. Imagine over 400 landowners bonding together and leasing portions of their land for wind turbines at approximately $15,000 per turbine per year.

From the urban side of the carbon nation workforce spectrum, the film highlighted a national organization called Green for All. This organization’s mission is aggressive, its performance to date is impressive, and its long-term goals, such as eliminating poverty, are extremely ambitious. Visit the website to get the complete details of the organization. But view the film to feel the inspiration. One tear-jerking scene shows an elderly senior having solar panels installed on her roof by the Green for All workforce. One of the workers eventually briefs her on the results, and they both have a healthy chuckle about the revenue finally coming into the house instead of always leaving.

The film included personal testimonies about the characters involved, which made it hard not to appreciate the humanity included in the process. When Van Jones of Green for All shared his personal story about his father (he was called back to heaven last May before the film was released) you could hear the audience, including myself, sharing spiritual condolences.

In summary, I've never been considered a film critic, but I have been called one of the best-of-the-best ICT professionals and this film welcomes my entire industry. It effectively communicates with the communities that technology seek to empower, so please support Carbon Nation in any possible fashion you can.

When leaving the Embassy, I formally introduced myself to Mr. Byck and commended him on a job well done. He thanked me and stated “Please spread the word.” Well, Mr. Byck, this is my first of many attempts to spread the word about Carbon Nation. It is also my first of many suggestions that you and your group prepare many sequels. For the record, this is not just a film worth seeing, but one worth being included in (or in its sequels) — so future generations will have a blue print to follow.

If you can’t make the theater showings, provide me with 10 verified subscribers to my column and I will pay the $10 DVD cost for you. But don’t take my word that this film will change your life and inspire you – find out for yourself and share what you think.

Please share your comments, or send you questions and suggestions to patrick@metamorfs.com.