Beyond the “Truth”

“An Inconvenient Truth” may be the most famous movie about climate change — and Al Gore may be the movement’s most recognizable face — but they’re only the tip of the (slowly melting) iceberg. There are so many books, movies, DVDs, TV shows, magazines and resources that touch on the problem of climate change, you could keep yourself busy until the world finally agrees on how to address the mounting problem — and that could take a while.

No kidding

Children are the future — and that future will be shaped, in part, by climate change. Here are a couple of fun resources to bring our little ones into the climate change discussion.

— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created a Climate Change Kids Site that shows a six-scene animated movie on the topic, including scenes about greenhouse gases, solar rays and deforestation. Kids can pick which scenes they’re interested in and after they’re done, take a global warming quiz.

— Perhaps the cutest climate change movie out there, the animated “Arctic Tale” (narrated by Queen Latifah), follows the journey of a walrus and polar bear cub across the frozen Arctic, which was once their thriving home but is now slowly melting from underneath them.

Seeing is believing

The magic of Hollywood won’t stop climate change, but it can help show us why to care and what to do.

There’s “The 11th Hour,” narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio; NOVA’s “Saved by the Sun: Is It Time to Take Solar Energy Seriously”; PBS’ “Global Warming: The Signs and the Science”; National Geographic’s “Masters of the Arctic Ice,” which chronicles the impact of climate change on the creatures of the Arctic; and PBS’ “e2” series on the economies of being environmentally conscious.

Book ‘em

Rather read than watch TV? Then you’re in luck — a quick search on Amazon using the term “global warming” brings up hundreds of options. A couple noteworthy suggestions: The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth and Time magazine’s special issue on “Global Warming — The Causes, The Perils, The Solutions, The Actions: What You Can Do.” There’s even a Complete Idiot’s Guide to Global Warming.

For more reading recommendations, visit the American Institute of Physics or the Environmental Literacy Council.

If we’ve missed one of your favorite picks, submit a comment and let us know about it.