Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet

BREAKING BOUNDARIES: THE SCIENCE OF OUR PLANET walks us through the grim prospects for continuing civilization, stability jeopardized by man-made forces. The rainforest is being mowed down for lumber, agriculture, and grazing, robbing us of carbon-trapping trees. Bees are wiped out by the agriculture practices that one day won't be sustainable without the eradicated bees' pollinating services. The oceans are dying. Reefs are boiling to death in overheated waters. And we keep clearing forests, driving gas-guzzling cars, and throwing fertilizer run-off into our waters. There is little good news here as narrator Richard Attenborough ticks off one after another of milestones beyond which we may already have reached the point of no return. On the positive side, the film suggests we pitch in. We can all plant more trees, which absorb carbon from the atmosphere and prevent soil erosion. We can use wind and electric-powered machines to wean us off carbon-emitting fossil fuels. We can eat less red meat, more fruit and nuts, and fewer starches. We can contribute less waste individually. But the scientists urge that rather than building waste into future products, makers should build recycling into new products so the means of recovering raw materials eliminates waste. The result will be healthier, longer-living children, stabler jobs and markets, cleaner air and water, and a planet that won't deteriorate to the degree that it can no longer support life.