If you get a chance to see a screening of 2040, grab it. Even if you are still in blissful ignorance about climate change, this movie will make you feel great. And if you are feeling even a tiny bit worried about the future today’s kids will face, then watching this will give you a whole new energy.
I learned about a last minute screening at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (where we are running the first meeting of the Oxford Climate Club for school students on Saturday - very excited!), through the very active Parents for Future Oxford network (check out your local Parents for Future group on Facebook - it’s really fun). I grabbed a ticket and cycled off in the pouring rain. The lecture theatre was packed - that’s Oxford for you.
The film’s Director and star, Damon Gameau, and “renegade” economist Kate Raworth* who features in the film, were there for a Q&A. Plus Izzy from one of the Oxford secondary schools who, with three friends, started a petition asking for more climate teaching in the curriculum, which has over 90,000 signatures so far. The convener could barely stop the audience from clapping everything everyone said, people were so energised by the movie.
The film showcases some of the existing technologies and approaches that, if applied fully across the planet, could take us towards a future that looks a whole lot better than today, let alone the future we are currently heading for. Three favourites: (1) marine permaculture using very fast growing seaweed that can absorb CO2 from the oceans (where most of the CO2 ends up), increases fish stocks and reduces pollution; (2) local electricity grids linking small solar panels on house roofs making communities more resilient; and (3) rapidly building new soil which absorbs carbon - and improves farming! See the What’s your 2040? website for more information.
*read Doughnut Economics, or at least look at the website if you haven’t already - fun, uplifting, logical - we have used it on LIGC courses and Kate has been to speak to our LIGC students.