1.5 Stay Alive

Gr 9 Up—This impactful program describes what will happen to the environment and people of the Caribbean if global temperatures rise by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. It also touches on the effect this would have on Miami, FL, and Louisiana, and describes and clarifies the science behind global temperature rise and its disastrous effects. Interviewees from Belize, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti describe how the rising sea level is already impacting their lives and livelihoods. They stress that their communities are not the ones contributing most to the problems wrought by global warming, yet they are suffering the most from it. The need for wealthier countries—which are producing the most greenhouse gases—to come together and enact solutions is emphasized. In the United States, the Pointe-au-Chien tribe in Louisiana, whose lands are being inundated, fights for federal recognition so that, hopefully, the community will be given land further inland so they can all move together and preserve their community. Statistics are provided, and the various difficulties and perspectives clearly presented here are eye-opening. The music is uplifting yet conveys the serious message.