š± The Grumpy Optimists #42
Don't Look Up, is it worth the hype?
Happy Monday š
Happy New Year and welcome back to The Grumpy Optimists! To all of our new subscribers, welcome to our weekly newsletter, and please introduce yourself in the comments. For those of you who are new, each week we look at the news that matters in climate, trying to have an optimistic outlook, but inevitably itās not all rosy, so sometimes weāll present the case as we see it. Thank you for joining us!
This we give our take on the Netflix original, Donāt Look Up, and whether it failed to deliver or if itās the Hollywood hit that will save society from climate change. We also look back at 2021 with a āyear of climate crisis in reviewā, how storytelling increases engagement in climate change - great timing for Donāt Look Up - and why doubling the cost of the Heathrow runway expansion is good news. Finally, we share our favourite parts of the holidays and some climate action weāre taking in the New Year.
Letās get stuck in, shall we?
āļøĀ Donāt Look Up (spoiler alert)
Before we recap the news over the last few weeks, thereās a film we canāt avoid talking about. Donāt Look Up.
The satire science fiction film, featuring a star-studded cast is based on two astronomers, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, discovering a comet that is 99.7% certain to hit and destroy Earth in just over six months. The comet is used as an analogy for climate change and the filmās portrayal of the government and media reaction to the impending comet is similar to that of the climate crisis.
The film has had mixed reviews, with some suggesting it was āa disastrous movieā. Others, particularly climate scientists, have welcomed the film as capturing the madness they experience every day. To save us from explaining the plot, you can watch the trailer below before we comment on the climate impact of the film.
šĀ What do we think?
Mari: I think itās great that we have a star-studded cast shining a light on the dangers of inaction to crises. However, I think the film failed to deliver the nuance required for such an important topic. I found the US-centric focus reductionist - we know that the countries pushing for the greatest ambition on climate action are often in the āGlobal Southā. The whole āitās up to America to solve thisā trope is over-used and Iām sure they couldāve shown some grass roots activism that extended beyond American celebs. Painting the ābaddiesā as bumbling buffoons obscures the more insidious and active role which politicians and private (fossil fuel) companies have had in disseminating denialism and thwarting scientific progress.
The film couldāve gotten away with its simplified narrative had it gone full comedy, but the tone was inconsistent. Random funny moments embedded in an otherwise dire and serious situation left me unsure whether to laugh or cry. Finally, the ultimate message that we are all doomed and not even our best and brightest can overcome federal ineptitude is a disheartening and defeatist conclusion.
George: The best thing about writing The Grumpy Optimists is we get to share our opinions even when theyāre different. I read Mariās comments above and thought, āactually, youāre so accurateā. Despite that, I enjoyed the film and thought that it was able to demonstrate the challenges of communicating climate action. Ultimately, my hope is that the film can ironically bring more people into the conversation about climate change and act as a catalyst for Hollywood to bring climate change to the masses.
Thatās just two perspectives, and weāre keen to hear what you thought of the film.
š Articles to read
ā±Ā 2021: A year of climate crisis in review. The Guardian has put together a timeline of the wins and losses for the climate in 2021. Itās both sad and uplifting but there were some great moments and achievements to celebrate last year. Let this motivate us to keep going in 2022, starting with a very mild winter.
š“Ā UK city taking a stand on palm oil in fight against deforestation. According to the WWF, palm oil is in half of all packaged products in UK supermarkets. Whilst native to West Africa, it was brought over to South East Asia and South America under colonialism. Much of its mainstream production today is notorious for causing deforestation and subsequent biodiversity loss. Chester is the worldās first sustainable palm oil city, with businesses joining together to eliminate deforestation-linked palm oil in their supply chains. Other towns and cities are now following Chesterās lead, hopefully sending strong signals on how we want palm oil to be produced.
š·Ā Heathrow third runway costs double as carbon prices rise. The cost of abating the carbon impact of the third runway at Heathrow has doubled to Ā£100bn since 2018, and we believe itās good news for the climate. The rise in costs put the proposed third runway under further scrutiny with the hope that an additional runway will be scrapped.
šĀ Why this matters: When we factor in the negative environmental impacts in monetary terms it can often reduce or cancel out the financial benefits of a project like the third runway at Heathrow, so much so that they can be cancelled or never get past the planning stage at all. Our hope is that the UKās legally binding net zero targets prevent new projects from being approved that cause further unnecessary climate change. Money speaks, and here itās hopefully allowed to speak for the climate.
šĀ Storytelling can increase engagement with climate change. Storytelling is at the heart of human existence, and new research suggests that storytelling can help engage people in climate change. When complex science is broken down in this way, it taps into the emotional part of our brains more than bombarding someone with just facts. All this results in us being more likely to take action for the planet.
š”ļøĀ On fire one day, covered in snow the next? Unfortunately, thatās the reality for thousands in Colorado after wildfires destroyed parts of Boulder, only to be covered by nearly a foot of snow days afterwards. While the origin of the fire is unknown and may be arson, the spread of the fire was caused by strong winds and heavily dried-out grass. The reality of climate change was shown on day one of 2022.
šHoliday highlights and Veganuary
Gift
Mari: My favourite present this year was a Beevive Bee Revival keyring, which holds a teeny vial of sugar water to help any tired pollinating pals regain some strength when Iām out and about! (P.S. donāt feed tired bees honey - it can spread pathogens and even sometimes wipe out a hive).
Nature
George: Spending more time in nature is on the agenda in 2022 for me. I got off to a good start with a cold sea swim!
Ella: I was lucky enough to get away from the UK for Christmas and spend some much-needed time in the sun and sea. This hike was a highlight! As our resident gardener, Iāve also just planted up some bulbs for spring (itās not too late), so if you fancy giving gardening a go in 2022 then growing bulbs is a great way to start.
Veganuary
Will: Iāve been a veggie for three years now so decided to take a leap in 2022 and try Veganuary! Iām excited to try some tasty new recipes and challenge myself to see if I can help make my diet kinder to my body and to the planet. If youāre feeling inspired and want to join in, check out Veggielicious for some great meal plans, or the Veganuary website for some pointers on how to get involved.
Iāll also be posting some food pics each week throughout January to let you know how Iām getting on, share top tips, and of course demonstrate my excellent culinary skills (no pressureā¦), all with the hope of inspiring more of us to transition towards a plant-based diet!
Let us know what you got up to over the festive period!
šļø A podcast to check out
Dr. Jane Goodall, famed chimp-expert and environmental activist badass, has dedicated her life to raising awareness of the importance, intelligence, and beauty of the natural world. Her āHopecastā has allowed her inspiring optimism, experiences, and knowledge, as well as those of guest speakers, to reach even more people. Each episode reminds us of the importance of compassion, curiosity, and, most of all, hope, in fighting for nature. A great way to go into 2022.
Weāll leave you with this quote as you go into the new year and you look to build on those resolutions and goals.
āYou don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.ā
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