NatGeo channel re-ran five episodes of "The Years of Living Dangerously" this morning.
Last edited Sat Apr 22, 2017, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)
When this series on climate change was first previewed, I remember thinking that the decision to use celebrity and/or photogenic young presenters was a gimmick, and I wasn't expecting to take the show seriously as a result. But this morning, I watched three repeat episodes in a row, with the added insight of comparing the pre- and post-45 outlooks, and was really impressed by the impact of each episode. One thing that hasn't changed -- or, rather, hasn't improved, for it has certainly gotten worse -- since the shows were first recorded is the breathtaking extent of denial and willful neglect on the part of politicians (mostly Republican, of course) and corporations. It's not just a matter of not facing the problem of climate change, but of not even acknowledging that the problem exists. One of the most memorable aspects of the episodes I watched was seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Republican governor of CA, sounding very much like Jerry Brown, Democratic governor of CA. Both had to face the reality of what climate change has been doing to their state, and both decided that the Federal govt. was not doing enough. Schwarzenegger, action-movie star and (presumably) hero to at least some militaristic jingoists, questioned the Pentagon's foot-dragging on institution of energy-saving and alternative energy technologies (despite orders from the top ranks and the WH), spoke to commanders in the field and former soldiers who have returned home, and asked Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to add their comments for their record (all declined). His sense of disappointment in his party was palpable. I realized afterwards that Schwarzenegger was one of the executive producers of the series.
Of course, with 45 implanted in the WH, climate change has been removed from official discussion altogether, except for dismissive jibes. Watching these shows was so much more unsettling, knowing that Obama was no longer leading the nation to act on solutions to the problems they documented.
Didn't see any forthcoming listings for further repeats. 
ETA: Link to online episodes ! http://yearsoflivingdangerously.com/watch/
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