In July 2007, we had an interesting discussion on this blog on the shrinking durations of nature and environment films and TV programmes. The moving images community is divided on this, with some purists holding out that to pack complex, nuanced messages into a few minutes is akin to dumbing everything down. Noted film-makers like Neil Curry disagreed.
But there’s no argument of the sheer power of well produced public service announcements (PSAs) to move people with a specific, short message. Nothing can beat them for the economy of time and efficacy of delivery.
During August 2008, Al Gore’s ‘We’ campaign for climate change activism released two new PSAs, both appealing to Americans to change their energy habits, especially their addiction to oil. This follows and promotes the challenge Al Gore posed to America in July 2008 “to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years”.
Make the Switch, Repower America
Real change can happen real fast. We can strengthen our economy, lower fuel costs, free ourselves from our addiction to oil, and help solve the climate crisis. We can do this by switching to clean, free energy sources like the wind and sun — and to do it within 10 years. Meeting this ambitious goal would create millions of new jobs, lead to permanently lower energy costs for families and help America lead the fight against global warming. William H. Macy narrates in this ad which premiered on network TV in the US during the 2008 Beijing Olympics coverage.
To Our Leaders: Give Us 100% Clean Electricity in 10 Years
We must save our economy, lower fuel costs, free ourselves from our addiction to oil, and solve the climate crisis. To do this, we must demand that we Repower America with 100% clean electricity within 10 years.
The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection — a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate former Vice President Al Gore. Its ultimate aim is to halt global warming
Open Minds! (formerly: Moving Images blog) 
What Al Gore is doing is tremendously important and not juist for his country, even tho it is the biggest oil addict in the world. the whole world needs to get off its oil addiction and also fossil fuel profligacy. if americans indeed rise to Al Gore’s challenge it will reduce carbon emissions in America and at the same time dampen the aspirations of other countries and societies to ‘be like America’ in every respect including its wasteful ways. for over a century American excesses have inspired the wrong kind of dreams for others. Al Gore’s action can put a stop to that as well.
I have had the honour of knowing giants on this tiny planet. Sir Arthur C. Clarke and David Takayoshi Suzuki. They have a great deal in common and they both had great hopes and postive dreams for the future of mankind. They were in many ways activists for the human experience.
Global warming, climate crisis, the carbon footprint. They both understood the potential of how bad things can get…or how good they could be it we cared to do something. Justrecently David Suzuki changed a long time quote associated with him. He said for years, “Think globally and act locally” He has changed it to, “Think locally, act locally” The reason for this is that if we look at the planet globally it looks like something beyond our control…but if we focus locally we will have a chance to make change….and just one person can make a really big change to this small planet….
Thank you Nalaka for this wonderful forum.
David Damario
Canada