Years of Living Dangerously: The Biggest Story of Our Time

Our third showing in our Environmental Film Series is actually the first episode from the critically-acclaimed television series, Years of Living Dangerously.

Years of Living Dangerously: Episode 1, The Dry Season

Harrison Ford and endangered orangutan baby.

The showing is scheduled for Thursday, June 5th, 2014 at 6:30pm  at Trent River Coffee Company, 208 Craven Street, New Bern.

This groundbreaking documentary event series explores the human impact of climate change. Years of Living Dangerously combines the blockbuster storytelling styles of top Hollywood movemakers with the reporting expertise of Hollywood's brightest starts and today's most respected journalist.

Don Cheadle meets with residents of Planview, TX.

In Episode One: The Dry Season, Harrison Ford, Don Cheadle, and Thomas Friedman travel the globe to explore the issues of climate change and cover intimate stories of human triumph and tragedy. Beginning in Plainview, Texas where the town's meat-packing plant closes due to drought reducing the number of available cattle. Then traveling around the world to the rainforest of Indonesia where the demand for palm oil has resulted in massive deforestation, turning that country into one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Finally ending with an exploration of the wars in Syria and the Middle East, where the Pentagon has long seen climate change as a "threat multiplier," a "stressor" that can take a volatile political situation and push it over the edge.

Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Thomas Friedman discussing the war in Syria.

Following the film, will be a short presentation on the effects of climate change in the southeastern United States and specially eastern North Carolina based on the latest scientific data presented in the National Climate Assessment. The event will conclude with a forum, discussing what can be done locally to combat the effects of climate change both in the political arena and on the ground.


Included in this post are the trailer for the series, Years of Living Dangerously  airing on Showtime, as well as information on the most recent National Climate Assessment.

Carolina Nature Coalition's General Interest Meeting

Our next General Interest Meeting on Sunday, June 1st at 4:00pm in the Starbucks at Target located at 3410 Martin Luther King Blvd, New Bern. Check out our map below!

Please join us for our second informational session about joining and volunteering with Carolina Nature Coalition. We have all of 3 passionate volunteers and we need YOU to assist us in our community-based projects that raise public awareness of environmental issues and result in meaningful public action.

Add your opinion and your voice. We are open to new ideas and projects, so please come to our meeting and tell us about it!



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Sincerely,

Stella Smith
Member of Carolina Nature Coalition

Facebook: Carolina Nature Coalition
Email: carolinanaturecoalition@gmail.com

Sharing Your Story: Letter Writing Tips

One of the number one things affecting our environments from our coastal shorelines, to our Mid-Western ranch lands, to our national parks is legislation that is passed by our political representatives both at the state and federal levels.

As seen in our recent film screening of Shored Up, our General Assembly here in North Carolina effectively passed a bill so as to outlaw the use of scientific data on sea level rise in planning our coastal communities. This particular bill and many others at the state and federal level are harming our ecosystems by encouraging construction in some of the most ecologically vulnerable areas and sometimes the most dangerous areas. I think Stephen Colbert explains it best:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Colbert Report on Facebook

But once you have voted, how can you influence the political arena; especially considering you might not have the money to throw at politicians the way lobbyist do?

WRITE THEM A LETTER! 

As one of the most basic form of advocacy, personal hand-written letters that share your story, experiences, and opinions on the topic of concern still remains the best way to communicate your needs to your representative. As any politician knows, the way to continuously get elected is to take care of the needs and concerns of your constituents.

Tips for Letter Writing

1. Say why you are writing and who you are. Include your name and your address, this ensure that you get a response (politicians only read the letters from their own constituents).
2. Be factual rather than emotional and provide specific examples on how this topic affects you and others in your same voting district. If a certain bill is involved, cite the correct title or number.
3. Close by requesting the action you want taken: a vote for or against a bill, or change in general policy.

The best letters are courteous, to the point, and include specific supporting examples that make your letter personal. Tell your story, say how this piece of legislation will or is affecting you, and always make it hand-written!

Helpful Links

Bill Lookups for you to find the specific title of the bill to reference in your letter and so you can read the piece of legislation for yourself (or at least a summary):

NC General Assembly Legislation 
US Congress Legislation

Find out who your political representative is and their mailing address:
NC General Assembly Districts
US House Districts