Guest blog from Ken Allinson (MBA 2011)
On April 6th, UNC Kenan-Flagler hosted the screening of the film, Carbon Nation, and it was a resounding success! As the provocative tagline states, it’s ‘a film about climate change that doesn’t even care if you believe in climate change.’ Over seventy people attended the event including UNC students and staff as well as community members. 
The feature length film just recently started rolling out to theaters nationwide, and UNC Kenan-Flagler had the chance to screen the film in advance. The movie night included a real-time Q&A session with director Peter Byck after the film to allow audience members a chance to ask questions. Some thought provoking questions related to the prospect of nuclear energy, actions individuals can take to address climate change, and the director’s thoughts on the current political environment.
At times, the film evoked both laughter and moments of somber reflection. The film presented the issue of climate change but highlighted opportunities in a positive sense – the amount of renewable energy available, energy efficiency efforts and other technological solutions. Though the movie recognizes challenges and limitations, it also paints a vision of optimism and the air of possibility. The solutions presented were not only logical, cost-effective and innovative – they were downright patriotic.
My personal take aways from the film? Climate change is one of the biggest issues of our time – it may be hard to see, but it’s real and it’s happening now. Yet, the solutions are all around us. They just require hard work, and a new way of thinking about the world as it is today. We all need to realize that we are not paying the true cost of energy. If we can stomach a small increase in our electricity bills, and change some long-ingrained bad habits, we will see a big return on our future. It won’t be easy, but if can we do it, we will improve our health, increase energy security, empower communities and be able to pass down a better planet to our children – now isn’t that worth it?
Go to the film website to learn more, http://www.carbonnationmovie.com/