Gayle Crabtree.com

I'm enjoying our Netflix account in part because we can rent movies and documentaries that don't necessarily make the current top ten list. This is how we came to watch the film an Inconvenient Truth. In it, Al Gore outlines his argument about the global warming reality. His arguments are convincing and back up with data and charts. It is an impressive presentation but not one that I needed.

Glacier National Park July 2009

When we lived in North Carolina we felt the impact of global warning. Thanks to drought, the water supply for the town next to ours dried up. The citizens there could only do laundry on certain days of the week. Some had to go to the store to buy water or get some from friends.

Fortunately, these measures didn't last forever. My concern is that one day they will be in place forever because of global warming. Only, it won't just be a small town in North Carolina but across the country and across the world.

In 2009 my daughter and I traveled to Alaska by car. Citizens of Alaska told us about global warming is effecting their environment. Climate change is everywhere there. The thing was, we couldn't see it. Unless you live in a place you can't grasp the changes. You can only hear the stories.

Glacier National Park entrance sign 2009

On the way back we stopped at Glacier National Park. We heard more stories there. The staff at the National Park told us that the glaciers are disappearing. They are already doing PR for when that day comes. The area was forged because of glaciers. When they disappear in a few years the park will still be named Glacier National Park in memory of the way it was formed.

Standing there made me sad. I and my daughter were standing there looking at something that her children may never be able to see. It made me feel as though we are robbing them of part of their future.

Glacier National Park 2009

I don't have grandchildren yet. Maybe one day I will be able to see them and stand with them in front of a glacier.

Global warming effects all of us. The global climate change will certainly impact the next generation. I can remember several times in my childhood when it snowed for Christmas. My children can only remember a couple. 

Hubby's job has an annual conference that he's required to attend and I usually go with him. It's been held in the same place in the mountains, on the exact same weekend for generations.

Our first year to attend this conference was in 1995. It was so cool then that we hit the Wal-Mart to buy jackets. This year, air conditioning had to be installed in the 100 year old auditorium.

I didn't need to watch an Inconvenient Truth to know that the earth is in trouble.

But, I did need to go to the website climatecrisis.net for more ideas on how my household can make a difference. It turns out that we're doing pretty good. The website also gave me ideas on how my family can work harder to combat the global warming.

We're going to put some changes in places in the near future. We're only one family but every thing we can do will help lessen the problems of global warming.  My grandkids deserve to see those glaciers. Don't yours?