One of the advantages of being on a variety of political mailing lists is finding out about events that you are passionate or maybe just interested in. Sometimes that may be something that might be difficult to find on your own. I was lucky enough to be invited by CA State Senator Fran Pavley (27th district) to a free viewing of the new documentary “Time To Choose” by Academy Award Winning documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson (Inside Job, No End in Sight). What a great way to spend a Sunday morning and “Thank You” to both Charles Furguson and Fran Pavley. This definitely makes up for all the political emails that often drive me crazy.
As the movie’s web site says “Ferguson explores the comprehensive scope of the climate change crisis and examines the power of solutions already available. Through interviews with world-renowned entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and brave individuals living on the front lines of climate change, Ferguson takes an In-depth look at the remarkable people working to save our planet.” Yes, there are a lot of very depressing facts, images and stories, but there are also amazing stories of progress, inovations and possible real solutions already being employed in places all around the world. I came away feeling empowered, wanting to figure out what small changes I can and will make immediately. I can be a very impatient person and maybe that’s what we all should be on Climate Change. We hear the word “change” so often in our politics and like many words “change” has various forms. Too often, however, we focus on it as a noun, some “thing” to talk about, measure and debate. Instead, maybe we need to focus on it more as a verb, finding ways we can “change” our behaviors, first individually and then as societies. The movie showed many possibilities. For the sake of future generations, it is on each of us to find ways to “change” our own behaviors, aggresively effect changes in consumer products and demand that our representatives make substantive “change” happen in our communities. Let’s be impatient!
CA State Senator Fran Pavley “represents approximately 931,000 people in the 27th district, which includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.” She has been the leading spokesperson on Climate Change in California state government. She “serves as the chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and is a member of the following Senate committees: Energy, Utilities, and Communications; Environmental Quality; Budget and Fiscal Review; Budget Subcommittee #2 (Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy, and Transportation); Governance and Finance; and Legislative Ethics. She also chairs the Select Committee on Climate Change and Assembly Bill 32 Implementation.” Sadly, I have heard she is termed out, so we will have to wait to see what she does next. I am sure it will involve the verb form of “change” with a strong focus on Climate Change.
Time To Choose Web Site