weekender_060915_carbon_neutral Lyrics

BBC Learning English
Weekender
Carbon Neutral Al Gore
Weekender © BBC Learning English
Page 1 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
Callum: Hello, I'm Callum Robertson and this is Weekender. Al Gore was the vice
president of the United States under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. He very
nearly became the President in a controversial election when despite having
fewer votes the victory was awarded to George Bush.
But what is Al Gore doing now? Well the former politician is in the film
business and promoting environmental issues around the world. This year he is
the star of a new film, 'An Inconvenient Truth', a documentary which follows
him on a lecture tour discussing the dangers of global warming and climate
change.
Speaking to Mark Lawson from the BBC Radio 4's Front Row programme at
the Edinburgh International film and television festival, Al Gore explained
what he was trying to achieve. What is his goal?
Al Gore
I want to move the US and then to the extent that I can play a role the rest of the world across
a tipping point beyond which a majority of the politicians in both parties are genuinely
competing to offer meaningful and serious solutions to the climate crisis and I think we'll
know when we cross that tipping point.
Callum: He wants to move politicians in America and hopefully around the world to
make genuine attempts to come up with answers to the climate crisis. He uses
the expression 'a tipping point'. This is an expression which is increasingly
Weekender © BBC Learning English
Page 2 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
being used. It describes a situation where after a certain time or point the speed
of a process increases greatly. The 'tipping point' for Al Gore on environmental
issues is when politicians begin to take the problem of climate change seriously
and start to offer solutions - then he believes there will be a fast increase in
concern for the environment and action to protect it. Listen again.
Al Gore
I want to move the US and then to the extent that I can play a role the rest of the world across
a tipping point beyond which a majority of the politicians in both parties are genuinely
competing to offer meaningful and serious solutions to the climate crisis and I think we'll
know when we cross that tipping point.
Callum: However, for someone who is so concerned with the environment there is a
problem. Flying around the world to promote his ideas uses a lot of energy and
resources and causes the pollution he is trying to stop. How does he deal with
this apparent contradiction?
Al Gore
As you can imagine I've long since given a lot of thought to that and for that reason my family
and I decided some time back to live 'carbon neutral' lives, as they say. Also Paramount
Classics, distributing this movie have made it the first 'carbon neutral' tour and distribution
and the production is 'carbon neutral' and the book is the first 'carbon neutral' book, so I do
advocate a decision to become 'carbon neutral'.
Callum: He talks about being carbon neutral. The pollution that comes from using
traditional fuels and energy is carbon based. Being carbon neutral means using
as much alternative energy and as many energy saving devices as possible as
well as contributing to projects that help the environment.
Weekender © BBC Learning English
Page 3 of 3
bbclearningenglish.com
He says that not only does his family live a carbon neutral life but also the
distribution of his film is carbon neutral and that the book of the film is also
carbon neutral. He says he advocates a decision to become carbon neutral - he
recommends and suggests that people become carbon neutral.
Listen again.
Al Gore
As you can imagine I've long since given a lot of thought to that and for that reason my family
and I decided some time back to live 'carbon neutral' lives, as they say. Also Paramount
Classics, distributing this movie have made it the first 'carbon neutral' tour and distribution
and the production is 'carbon neutral' and the book is the first 'carbon neutral' book, so I do
advocate a decision to become 'carbon neutral'.
Callum: That was carbon neutral Al Gore and that's all from this edition of Weekender.