about the project

Stream Productions created a series of six short films aimed at raising awareness of the increasing dangers associated with climate change and global warming. Global temperatures are increasing at an alarming rate. By the end of the 21st century, temperatures are expected to rise by at least 2 to 4 degrees celsius. Climate change is becoming a progressively more dangerous issue with real consequences.

As our exhibit highlights, climate change causes the unfortunate realities such as a decrease in snowpack, and an increase in exposure to negative human health effects such as skin cancer. Although all of the films display a comedic, exaggerated version of everyday life in extreme heat conditions, these realities are not far from our future. Given the rapid heating of our planet, current political events, and even the denial of the existence of climate change by certain people of power, it is crucial now more than ever to bring attention to this important topic.

Episode 1: Temperature Tantrum ft. Brad

Drought// When in drought, scream & shout!

As some of you may remember, in 2015 Vancouver experienced an abnormally hot, dry summer that led to a drought in British Columbia. Vancouver’s precipitation levels were not nearly enough to fill up Metro Vancouver’s water reservoirs. As a result, Metro Vancouver issued Stage 3 water restrictions, which required residents to minimize water usage by preventing homeowners from doing such tasks as washing their cars or watering their lawns. Residents who disobeyed these commands faced fines of a whopping $250. If we had reached Stage 4 water restrictions, municipalities in Metro Vancouver would have had to shut down outdoor pools and waterparks. This film was intended to highlight the unfortunate reality of this potential possibility.

The consequences of dryer and hotter weather events will result in increased periods of drought and a need for water conservation. A single drought period on its own is just known as a weather event. However, as these drought periods become more frequent they will impact the overall long-term pattern of weather events, thus affecting the climate. Drought leads to a decline in precipitation, shift to an earlier snow melt, increase in evaporation and increase in transpiration. Climate scientists have predicted that the American Southwest is one of the most at-risk regions in the world for drought. However, the Canadian West and other parts of Canada do not fall far behind. Canada is the second-largest water consumer in the world after the United States. At an average per capita use of 350 litres of water a day, Canadians will need to prioritize water conservation in the near future due to increased drought conditions.

Episode 2: Son of a Beach ft. Loraya

SOLAR RADIATION // Climate Change isn’t Sexy.

According to the World Health Organization, the stratospheric ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs the majority of incoming ultraviolet rays (UVR); many of which are harmful to biological creatures, such as humans. However, in recent periods chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), often found in refrigeration products, insulation materials, and spray-can bottles have been found to deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. The depletion of this layer has allowed more dangerous UV rays to reach Earth’s surface, causing an increase in skin cancer cases, and severe sunburns. Skin cancer is currently the most common form of cancer. Other negative impacts on human health include effects on the eyes, such as cancer of the cornea and conjunctiva, and a decrease in immunity leading to an increase in exposure to infection. In the last 25 years, skin cancer incidences have increased substantially. By 2050, the U.S. population is projected to see another 10% increase in skin cancer cases. Climate change is no joke. For this film, we wanted to display an exaggerated version of the drastic measures that may need to be taken in our near future to protect against the sun’s harsh UV rays.

Episode 3: Ice Ice Baby ft. Rianna

HEAT WAVE // There is nothing chill about climate change.

The rate of temperature increase has nearly doubled in the last 50 years. Nighttime low temperatures and daytime high temperatures in British Columbia have been warming rapidly in recent periods. This film was intended to showcase how real climate change is, in that taking an ice cold bath may seem more relaxing than taking a warm bubble bath at the end of a long, stressful day. Apart from humans, the increasing climate temperatures has also had serious consequences on other animal species. More than 1 million species have become extinct due to disappearing habitats, ecosystems and acidic oceans as a result of global warming. These creatures do not have the same luxury as humans do, able to turn on air conditioning in our vehicle or home, slip into an ice bath, or drink a chilled beverage to stay cool and comfortable.

Episode 4: Sunny Side Up ft Vicky

HEAT & RADIATION // Don’t put climate change on the back burner.

Currently humans are emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere faster than the absorbing rates of plants and oceans. According to climate studies, the past two decades of the 20th century have been hottest in the last 400 years. In this film, our focus was to draw attention to the increasing average global temperature and intensity of the sun due to a deteriorating atmosphere. We did this by bringing to life the saying: “It’s so hot you can cook an egg on the sidewalk”, displaying amplified outcomes of heat waves and high temperatures in everyday life. Climate change is a serious issue with real consequences. The average global temperature is expected to continue to rise at a dangerous rate, and between the years of 2000 to 2100, heat related deaths are projected to increase by 150,000 people. Eggs and bacon will not be the only things frying under the sun.

Episode 5: Melting Point ft Adrienne

GLACIER LOSS // I’ll stop the world and melt with you, literally.

The world started with the Big Bang and it may end with the Big Thaw. In 1910, Glacier National Park in Montana was home to about 150 glaciers. Sadly, today the park has fewer than 30 glaciers left. The glaciers that remain have lost more than two-thirds of their previous area. In India, the Garhwal Himalayan glaciers are melting at such an alarming rate that researchers are predicting that the glaciers could be gone by 2035. With the increase in the average temperature and glacial ice caps melting at a startling rate, we decided to showcase this heat and melting in our film on a smaller scale with the abnormally quick melting of ice cream. This is an example of just a small inconvenience that warming of the planet will cause, among many more. Melting glaciers and ice sheets have caused the sea level to rise. The sea level rise has led to dire consequences including sinking coastlines caused by water erosion, and an increase in floods. Ocean saltwater also contaminates freshwater aquifers, threatening our sources of drinking water. Currently, the sea level is rising at a rate of over 3 millimeters every year. Over the past 100 years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reported a 10-20 cm rise in sea levels. Climate change is here. The world is melting, literally.

Episode 6: Dashing through the No ft Shania

SNOWPACK MELT // Climate Change, this is why we can’t have ice things

We often take for granted the beautiful snow-capped mountains that frame Vancouver, so easily accessible to us for skiing, snowboarding, and a whole range of winter sports and activities during the half of the year that is cold enough for snowfall. With each new Spring in recent years, British Columbia reports a new record low of snowpack levels. Between 1985 and 2005, British Columbia lost about 11% of its glacial surface area. On Alberta’s side of the Rocky Mountains, the loss of glaciers was even more significant with a 25% decrease. These percentages are the shocking reality of how rising temperatures affected British Columbia and Alberta snowpacks over a short 20 year period. For those who love snow days, this is not good news. If the climate continues to increase at this dangerous rate, the mountains’ snowpack will be at risk of being unusable or at the extreme, ceasing to exist completely. Additionally, an early, accelerated snow melt results in avalanches and floods in the Spring, and leads to a lack of precipitation and eventually drought in the Summer.