The `11th Hour One-Page Summary

The 11th Hour is a documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, who along with a group
of environmentalists and scientists, discuss the current state of our planet and how we
have taken it for granted. The film depicts how the human race now lives in an infected
organism because of the global issues we have bestowed upon ourselves and how we
have reached a critical point of time, thus humankind must find solutions to these
threatening global issues before it is too late.

For example, a global issue discussed is climate change, wherein we have witnessed the
highest temperatures ever recorded in recent years. The cause of rising temperatures is
rooted in human activity, which comes from the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
We dump massive amounts of CO2 to our atmosphere by burning so much fossil fuel (e.g.
oil, gas and coal).

Other global issues mentioned were overfishing and deforestation. Millions of fish a year
are removed from the ocean, wherein our oceans are simply being plundered because of
poor fishing management and fishers who dont abide by rules and laws. On the contrary,
deforestation has significantly reduced the land occupied by forests on a massive scale.
Deforestation has led to desserts, because once we remove the trees, the nutrients go into
no use.

A very important fact pointed out in the documentary is that the human race is based on
selfishness, wherein our behaviour depends on the economic and political situation we are
in. We think we are smart and dont need nature, and instead, humans put more emphasis
on economic growth, capitalism, and consumerism over quality of life. We are all aware
about the current condition of our planet earth, and how it has worsened ten-fold over the
years, but yet we are all too selfish to do anything about it. Ultimately, the film discusses
that there really are just two traits of human that could potentially save the world, which is
ones kindness and ones understanding and passion for the place they live in. If only we
truly understand and are fully aware of how vulnerable the place we live in actually is, then
only can we start changing for the better.

Lastly, the documentary also discusses what humans can do to save planet earth. For
example, the architects in the documentary mention the idea of green buildings, wherein
environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes would be used for the
building (e.g. solar panels would be used instead to supply energy). The overall design,
construction, and operational system of a green building would simply create a healthier
environment and reduce the negative impact on the environment.