Chasing Ice (2012) Movie Review
James Balog a photographer for National Geographic deploys time-lapse cameras over a multiple year period to document an Extreme Ice Survey of Arctic glaciers.
Chasing Ice = Climate Change and Global Warming Proof
Chasing Ice is an important movie to see because it has the potential to be a life changing event for some people. However, the film is worth the checking out if only just to experience how some of the most remote places on planet was so beautifully shot. People that are into photography, nature, and natural science will really enjoy it. The film also contains some suspense, human drama, adventure and contains a little something for everyone.
Chasing Ice is perhaps even more potent as a life changing film for many people that live in the USA where some of the most popular national news networks have been telling a different story for years. Sadly they have been quite tenacious about casting doubt on what has obviously been taking place when it comes to global warming and climate change.
However, the time-lapse photography of James Balog says volumes more than the talking heads typically being interviewed on TV news programs that are chosen as “fair and balanced” experts from various institutes which are often funded by corporate interests that are highly invested in maintaining the status quo and denying Climate Change.
In the case relating to the Chasing Ice film those interests wish to keep as much of the world producing profits for the fossil fuel industry for as long as possible. Just as an eye opening exercise the next time the news presenter (notice I didn’t say new journalist) says that the person they are interviewing is from ___ institute just type that name into Google search and see what comes up. More often than you would have previously believed their comments are being bought and paid for by some well known corporation.
It’s good to see that real photo journalism is still alive and well, even though it doesn’t get nearly the airplay during these times of the multi-national corporate controlled media, and sadly has to be showcased in a film such as Chasing Ice to even be seen by a larger percentage of the population.
It would have been nice if the film also explained in depth what some of the same glacial ice tells us about atmospheric CO2 levels today compared with the last 800,000 years which includes multiple ice ages, solar cycles, and El Nino and La Nina etc. Ice traps and records the atmospheric record and clearly shows a change in what has been normal when it comes to CO2 levels. Worth understanding is that during almost the last million years CO2 levels NEVER went above about approximately 250 ppm. Since the mid 1800’s (the start of the industrial revolution) the CO2 content has steadily risen breaking that million+ year average (that fact is of huge importance)!
For those curious about the current CO2 levels and why it’s a concern since that number has continued to climb, today it is almost 400 ppm.
One scary fact that Chasing Ice brought to light is that some glaciers that were part of the films Extreme Ice Survey had previously been receding at a rate of of 8-10 miles per hundred years, but had just recently increased in speed by a factor of ten in the last decade.
Chasing Ice will no doubt always be notable historically for capturing on tape the world’s largest glacier calving event, which had ice the size of a huge hunk of Manhattan island (Including skyscrapers) melting and breaking off in just a few minutes of film time.
Even if there are still some people that don’t believe that mankind is responsible for all the melting they have to admit that the Arctic ice is melting. It also stands to reason that CO2 Emissions and green house gas pollution, deforestation and desertification is accelerating the process.
Watch the official trailer of Chasing Ice:
Chasing Ice Photo Gallery
Chasing Ice (2012) 1+14 Movie Review by Ken Burridge
4 of 5 Beautiful photographic shots
5 of 5 Eureka moments
4 of 5 Inspiration actions spawned
Chasing Ice has won several awards and is available on streaming Netflix and DVD. The film was also screened at the White House on Earth Day 2013.
Green-Eco-EV News Reporting by Ken Green Burridge
Kenneth Burridge test-drives electric Nissan LEAF in Melbourne Australia
EV of the Year Judge, independent green journalist, photographer, author and sustainability activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last seven years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter, facebook, Google+, Linked in or website
