The Scale of Hope
“The Scale of Hope” is a ripe film for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Wrapped in the popular genre of extreme adventure, we’re exposed to intelligent, engaging and personable awareness-raising about the preeminent environmental issue of climate change. Adding further perspective, the central player in this documentary is bipolar.
Molly Kowabata climbs mountains. She climbs mountains packed in snow and ice. She flies into a grand, remote location in Alaska. Compelling visuals underpin the whole narrative.
It isn’t just scenery. It isn’t just an arduous, passion-stoked project, including hauling and camping, and stretching Molly’s climbing capabilities in wintery wilderness and weather. It includes partnering with a veteran climber who knows how to learn from and enjoy her junior adventurer.
Climbing is just Molly Kowabata’s side gig. Professionally, she’s a climate change advisor. Indeed, she worked under President Obama. The way Molly communicates not only informs but helps set an example for how to communicate.
Molly talks systemic change; policy change; selecting policy makers responsive to the people’s needs. She talks voting; people speaking up and voting. She talks about community. What’s good for the sustainable wellbeing of our kids and grandkids is good for the economy.
It’s encouraging to listen to Molly talk: about managing the higher highs and lower lows of her “disability”; about tackling the challenges of her wintery adventures; and about all of us (all of us) taming the tiger of climate change.