There is a very real reason that I'm motivated to write a column about green living. It's the same reason I've changed careers, so I could make green living the focus of my remaining life's work. The reason lies deep within my heart and permeates everything I do. It's called our future.

Usually, this column is about everyday things that we can do to make a difference -- living lighter, leading healthy, meaningful lives while reducing our environmental impact on the earth. It's easy to take at least some of these steps, making conscious decisions that carry us toward that goal. And it's also easy to forget why that goal is so important.

Fortunately, there is a new film that will galvanize our focus in an extraordinary, powerful and compelling way. It's called "An Inconvenient Truth." Consider this a call for everyone to experience a green living movie night, perhaps the most important one you'll ever have.

So, what's the truth and why is it so inconvenient? The truth, based on what I've learned after reading several books on the topic, is that the term "climate change" should really be called "climate crisis," and it's inconvenient because, although we are the ones responsible for creating it, we are not doing enough to fix the problem. It's up to us to turn that around, quickly.

"An Inconvenient Truth" helps to educate us on the critical need for immediate, meaningful action. Please read more about it at www.climatecrisis.net.

The film has been described as "illuminating, passionate, a must see, timely, fascinating, powerful, necessary, relevant, convincing and well-reasoned."

This is a message for humanity that we have entered into what Al Gore calls "a period of consequences." The topic transcends politics, economics, race, nationality and geography.

This is not a review of the movie, but rather a head's up that we have a very important learning opportunity here. I strongly suggest that we take full advantage of it. "An Inconvenient Truth" is currently showing at the Century Suncoast Theaters for a very limited time. Let's go see it, talk about it, learn from it and then create some results. Take your friends and family. Tell your elected officials. There should not be one empty seat in the house for every showing of this film.

Not everyone will take the time to read multiple books or do the research required to gain a clear picture of the tremendous environmental changes that are occurring in the world. Yet, these changes are happening at an unprecedented rate. The actions we take now, as individuals and as a species, can determine the quality of future experience that is possible for our children, grandchildren and, indeed, all our descendants, forever.

Humans are but a small part of the vast, complex web of life that supports us. The environment does not exist as something outside us. We are the environment in the most profound and fundamentally scientific way. This is no disconnect. What we do to the air, water and earth we do to ourselves. It is crucial that we all take the time to educate ourselves about the critical impact we are making on our world.

In a review of "An Inconvenient Truth" in the Chicago Sun-Times, Robert Ebert said, "In 39 years, I have never written these words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to."

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Steve can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz or at www.greendream.biz.