A recent documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be shown in theaters starting May 24, 2006 raises serious concerns about the threat of global warming and its harmful effects.

The film, "An Inconvenient Truth," features former U.S. Vice President Al Gore as he discusses the various stresses on the global environment and their ultimate effects.

Matthew Bekker, bio-geographer and BYU assistant professor of geography, said he thinks global warming is a major problem, but Utah and developed countries at large experience fewer problems because they have infrastructures that can adapt to changes in climate.

However, Bekker said the problem will become more serious within the next two generations. If a student wants to improve the situation, the best way is to use less energy.

"We live in an extremely fossil fuels-dependent society," he said.

"I decided to take part in this documentary because the filmmakers convinced me that it was the best way to get the word out to as large an audience as possible, and to convince more people to look at the truth of our circumstances," Gore said in a press release. "We are recklessly, mindlessly destroying the earth."

Despite Gore's obvious political involvement, Brenda Ekwurzel, climate scientist from the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Gore's documentary has very little to do with politics.

"If you want to learn about climate, [watching it is] a lot like going to a lecture," she said.

Global warming is the result of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide from car exhaust as well as methane, creating a blanket that prevents heat from escaping the world's atmosphere.

The producers of "An Inconvenient Truth" said it was important to find the right voice for the global warming issue.

"I was very moved by the realization that after having held a position of power that afforded him a 360-degree view of all the problems facing the world today, Al Gore had made the decision to commit himself to this one," said co-producer Scott Burns in a press release. "It wasn't political. Science is, by definition, free of partisan manipulation. Standing there on the stage, Al was not asking for our vote - he was asking for our attention and our will to bring about change."

"An Inconvenient Truth" will show at select movie theaters starting May 24 and information on the documentary can be found at www.climatecrisis.org.

Copyright Brigham Young University 9 May 2006