The Faces Of Climate Change

‘The Human Element’ makes the impacts of climate change feel real; A photographer documents how global warming is already affecting people’s lives

Carolyn Gramling, February 4, 2019 (Science News)

“…Should discussions of climate change appeal directly to people’s emotions, whether fear or anger or even hope? Or are data-driven discussions the way to go? …The Human Element, a documentary starring photographer James Balog, aims directly for the gut by putting a human face on the impacts. The movie, now streaming online, shows how human-caused climate change is intersecting with people’s lives…[It] is framed through the four ancient elements: earth, air, fire and water…People, Balog suggests, are a fifth element — a force of nature, too. People are driving climate change, and their lives are being altered by it…

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…[It captures] the desolation of a family standing in knee-deep water inside their home in [Hurricane] Irma’s aftermath…The air segment focuses on how humans are altering [and polluting] the atmosphere…In the fire segment, Balog photographs firefighters as they wearily but valiantly tackle [a California fire] …Finally, the earth segment brings Balog to the coal-mining country of Kentucky and Pennsylvania…[and] paints a grim picture of how a fading industry…[The Human Element] doesn’t dwell for long on actual climate science…[but the stories and images are] an effective, powerful way to communicate the impacts of climate change.” click here for more

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