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According to recent polls, Superstorm Sandy has had a dramatic impact on people’s perceptions of climate change. A post-storm poll done by Forbes Magazine shows that 50% of Republicans, 73% of Independents and 82% of Democrats are now concerned about the imminent dangers of climate change. In 2009 only a third of Republicans and half of all Independents said they were concerned with global warming.

Despite this growing interest in climate change issues, newly re-elected President Barack Obama has refused to put the topic at the forefront of his domestic agenda. During his first news conference since re-election, he stated, “if the message is somehow we’re going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don’t think anybody is going to go for that. I won’t go for that.”

Meanwhile, the World Bank released a report this past week acknowledging the fact that world temperatures will rise by 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit this century and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim stated, “[w]e will never end poverty if we don’t tackle climate change. It is one of the single biggest challenges to social justice today.”

A new documentary called “Chasing Ice” by Director Jeff Orlowski focuses on rapidly melting glaciers, which provide one of the most tangible measures of the effects of global warming. The beautifully photographed film follows environmental photographer James Balog and his small crew on their Herculean attempt to capture disappearing glaciers using time lapse cameras set up around the world.

The film powerfully captures the crumbling of 30,000 year old glaciers like dust before our eyes, as well as Balog’s single minded journey to document the ice melt despite his own health issues. “Chasing Ice” is visual proof that the melting of our planet’s 160,000 glaciers will eventually lead to higher sea levels and changed ocean circulation ultimately resulting in more severe weather patterns.

GUESTS: Jeff Orlowski, Director, Producer and Cinematographer of Chasing Ice

Chasing Ice opened on Friday November 16th 2012 at the Orange County and Lancaster Landmark Theaters. It opens this Friday November 23rd, 2012 at the Nuart Landmark in Los Angeles.

Visit www.chasingice.com for more information.