Global Warming Activist and An Inconvenient Truth Producer Laurie David Speaks to Upper School

When environmental activist and An Inconvenient Truth producer Laurie David addressed Upper School students, faculty and staff during a recent assembly, her message was clear—we now have less than 10 years to slow the devastating effects of global warming to avoid damaging our earth beyond repair.

David, who has recently released her first book, The Solution is You: Stop Global Warming and produced the comedy special Earth to America! on TBS featuring stars such as Will Ferrell and Tom Hanks, educated the BB&N community with many facts and statistics, illustrating the urgent need for action.

“Hurricane Katrina is just a taste of what's to come if we don't stop Global Warming,” David said, noting that 2,300 heat records were broken in July 2006 alone.

The producer of An Inconvenient Truth , a documentary film based on former Vice President Al Gore's 30 years of research on global warming, David spoke on what can be done on many different levels to increase environmental awareness and slow the effects of global warming, adding that the United States is the leading cause of the problem, and also the country that is doing the least about it.

“A lot of people go straight from denial to despair without pausing to actually do something about it, and that's where you are right this second,” David said to a captivated audience. “We need to make it an American priority—we need an immediate shift in attitude, we have to change how we think, how we act, what we accept and what we don't accept.”

Miranda Pool '07, co-president of the US environmental club, said that although David's speech was filled with useful information and suggestions, it was her engaging spirit and motivation that truly inspired the community.

“I think hearing Laurie's talk really made everyone wake up to the idea that we actually can take action to help the environment, even if it's simple things like using less electricity or buying products from recycled paper,” Pool said. “I'm really excited to see where we can go with all this positive environmental energy in the future, now that it's on the minds of the School.”

David concluded her speech with a call to action, reminding students that even small changes will make differences on a global scale.

“We need to change as individuals first, then as Americans, as schools, as cities, and then as a country,” she said. “People build movements, and movements move mountains. And this mountain must be moved.”

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