The environmental documentary on Global Warming as produced by former US vice-president Al Gore called "The Inconvenient Truth" must be seen by all.

It should definitely be a "must-see" for all students. Municipalities or barangays must show this to their constituents for free and Government must show this to all its employees. Every home must watch this with parents and children together. Private corporations must produce copies of this documentary-CD and give them away as gifts.

In less than 50 years - because of global warming - glaciers which are melting-threaten the source of potable water of 40% of the world; sea levels will rise causing floods so that islands and continents lose part of their earth to water. Rivers are drying up and typhoons and tornados will be commonplace. Heat waves that killed 35,000 at one time will be a regular phenomenon. Old forms of animal life are slowly dying with the change in climate.

In fact the 10 hottest years in history had occurred in the last 14 years - the hottest being 2005.

"The Inconvenient Truth" thoroughly documented the gradual if progressively consistent thawing of the ice in the Antartica, Greenland, Alps, Alaska, Switzerland, Himalayas and the snow top hills in Kilimanjaro of Africa, Peru, Argentina and Italy. This will cause rising sea waters and will eat a substantial part of the land mass now occupied by Beijing and Shanghai in China, Calcutta in India, San Francisco Bay Area, Florida, and Bangladesh which can create hundreds of millions of displaced refugees that the world will have to feed and shelter. Can we imagine that?

The Manhattan area extending up to the site of the Twin Towers of 9-11 will be completely under water. What about the islands of the Philippines - of Boracay and Panglao islands? And our sand bars? And Palawan?

The culprit behind the Global Warming has been man himself. By using transportation, machines, appliances and other modern technology that are inefficient and emit a lot of carbon dioxide and smoke - these are clogging the atmosphere and traps the earth's warmth causing thawing of glaciers and creating atmospheric disturbances.

The next 50 years or less will be witnessed by this generation and our children - a global holocaust that will stagger even the wildest imagination of scientific fiction-writers. Shall we wait for this to happen?

Fortunately, Al gore says, there is an intermediate time between man's disgust and despair over this Global Warming. There is still time to act.

We enjoin people to use more gas-efficient bantam cars than the gas guzzlers. Try to limit travel to what is necessary. Find a way to get a substitute for pollution-heavy tricycles and motorcyles. Build more trains and railways rather than roads which will be used by oil and gas-using vehicles.

Understand how to control less emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Use electric power that is environmental friendly (solar) and technology-efficient appliances and machines. Consume less so that industry need not produce more than what is necessary for man to survive. Plant tress - wherever you can - in backyards, parks, open fields (there are many nurseries giving free seedlings) - grow orchards and create forests.

At least, we are not alone in this mission.

Big Governments, like the USA, are spending billions to make the hydrogen-powered cars affordable by the common man in the near future. In 2005, one of the biggest retailer Wal-Mart make a sweeping Green Commitment and G.E. is investing in billions to invest in non-polluting technology.

Bank of America, the largest retail bank, committed US$20-Billion to fertilize Green business Policies - considered to be the "largest environmentally friendly" corporate decision in history.

In real terms B of A will fund energy-frugal buildings world-wide, give cheaper interest rate to homes that are energy-efficient, finance energy-efficient technologies, and invest in platforms for reforestation and wildlife conservation.

30 banks including Goldman Sacks, the big Citibank Group and J.P. Morgan are signatories to the so-called Equator Principle that will make environmental risk part of the analysis in dealing with clients. Environmental Rating Standards are now being used to measure appraisal of assets and granting of loans. Higher interest rates are imposed on more environmentally-harmful undertakings.

Even in the Philippines, most firms with manufacturing and even service groups like resorts now need ECC or Environmental Compliance Clearance before any credits will be given. Or permits to operate are released. Things are getting stricter.

There are even microfinance groups abroad that lend to rural folks to force them to buy gas stoves instead of cutting firewood for cooking - to preserve the trees. We are aware of at least one German agency out to lend money for people and firms to replant trees designed to prevent flashfloods and killer landslides in specific areas.

All these represent sparks of Hope (not of the James type variety, we are sure) that the future may not be lost. If we can extend the world disaster predicted by Gore to 150 rather than 50 years, it will be an achievement for mankind.

A giant step forward for humanity; a vote for Mother Earth.

Will you be one of the environmental warriors we need today?