EXPOSÉ

based on The Wire podcast interview by Chris Grow with Kevin Whilden

Updated Tue Jan 28, 2020 - Added section ‘Other documentary films’

1. It’s warming.

2. And it’s us.

3. Yes, we’re sure.

4. No, it’s not ok.

5. We as surfers need to lead change.

The problem

Whenever we fly or use cars or use any kind of energy, electricity in our homes, that emits carbon dioxide CO2 through the burning of fossil fuels to power that. Humans are emitting CO2 a thousand times faster than it's ever happened in the geologic history of the earth. We're about 400 parts per million in the atmosphere, and climbing like a rocket, which hasn't happened in millions of years.

This carbon dioxide causes global warming and heats up the atmosphere. That's what causes climate change.

Climate change takes the resilience away from the current system. There's no longer any ability for the system to really cope with all the different stresses.

Climate change is the worst thing that happened to the Earth since an asteroid hit the earth and wiped out the Dinosaurs.

Something has to change or else it's going to be too late because this is a problem that will only amplify. And now we're in a situation where just reducing emissions is no longer enough to get the CO2 levels back to 350. Which is essentially what makes the stable environment that we're so used to and we love so much.

We're destroying the only home that we have.

Biogeochemical infos

The solution

We can't expect the government to do something that we're unwilling to do ourselves. The most critical piece in solving climate change is getting individuals stoked to be part of the solution. And the key is to address the people who are ready to take action.

Step 1 - Know your CO2 footprint

Almost nobody actually knows what their carbon footprint is. And that's step one to actually being part of the solution.

Step 2 - Neutralize your footprint

Because CO2 is a well mixed gas in the atmosphere, it means that if you affect a way to take that CO2 out anywhere else in the world that same year, you're essentially carbon neutral. As if you've never admitted that CO2.

Planting trees or making things grow helps reduce climate change by absorbing CO2 because that's what plants have evolved to do over billions of years:

• SeaTrees on Biak Island, Papa New Guinea.
  The project is being run by the Eden Reforestation Company. They struggle for recognition and for funding. SeeTrees is a way to provide funding to those projects.  


• Kelp Forest Regeneration, California
  The project is being run by the Bay Foundation based in Los Angeles. They have pioneered the technique of going to an urchin barren where there should be kelp and smashing the urchins with hammers to basically help the kelp to grow back. However restoring kelp is very expensive compared to planting trees.

Step 3 - Become an “activist by proxy”

The principle of Ahupua'a: there's a principle they had called ahupua'a that was essentially watershed management on Hawaii. They would divide the mountains into watersheds. The people who lived in one of these, it was their responsibility to maintain the health of that ecosystem. From the top of the highest peak to the end of the furthest reef. If they didn't do that, they didn't survive.

a) Shop smartly
So, whatever you buy, choose companies that are leaders in sustainability and environmental protection:
(Examples Outerknown, Patagonia, Firewire Surfboards, …)

• Know the story of a product (where does it come from and where does it go after I no longer need it)

b) And start living a #deepbluelife

• Eat local-organic-seasonal food and use natural cosmetics

• Use smart transportation (bicycle, public transport, electric cars?, )

• Get involved with the local and global environmental/social groups

• Support Blue Carbon projects

• Vote for responsible politicians (supports green new deal, no more new coal/oil/gas projects, no corporate money pledge)

More details →

Other documentary films

• Ice on Fire by Leonardo di Caprio - Good: deep dive into the problem, great CO2 explanatory animations, filmed all over the world (divers visuals), promising big scale solutions. Bad: overselling the problem, solution aversion effect, no simple step solutions for “beginners” (no on ramp presented).

A DOCUMENTARY FILM

Who is the film for

Surfers who are concerned by climate change. 

What about statement

Possible ideas:

This is a documentary film about

• how surf brands and surf organizations enable eco-conscious surfers all around the world to start living a sustainable lifestyle.

• the journey of a surfer, discovering what he/she can do to start living a sustainable lifestyle.

• the story of SustainableSurf.org in becoming a leader in protecting and restoring ocean health.

Call to action

Make surfers wipe out their own carbon footprint using the SeaTrees Program as a first step.

Implementation

[2]Emotional impact

After watching the film, the audience feels relieved and empowered.

(Because they know exactly what to do as described above under paragraph ‘the solution’)

Film arc

• From outsider’s view to insider’s view [1], or

• From being passive to becoming active [1]

Viewer’s emotional arc

From feeling concerned and helpless to being relieved and empowered. [2]

Shotlist

Beats

not defined yet

Exposition

• Location and date:

• Main characters:

• Character goals:

• What’s at stake:

Exposition Technique

? Narration, Host, Follow one character, Personal point of view, Chapters ?