When it comes to global warming, the opinions we hear most often tend to be extreme: Either global warming is a fabrication designed to scare people unnecessarily, or it’s a real threat that’s already drastically altering life as we know it. As with most things, it’s wise to research the facts before forming an opinion on this. Obviously we aim to educate people about topics such as this here at The Greenists, but we aren’t in favor of alarmists, either.

Recently I was given the opportunity to screen Cool It, a documentary based on the works of author and environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg. Lomborg takes a similar moderate approach to the idea — the title of the movie refers not only to curbing global warming however we can, but also calls for cooler heads to prevail on the topic. Based on Lomborg’s book The Skeptical Environmentalist, Cool It takes a look at how global warming ties in with other global crises — such as AIDS, malaria, potable water shortages, etc. — and a few alternative ideas for how to address these problems.

Lomborg takes issue with the other famous global warming documentary, Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. While he acknowledges his appreciation for Gore bringing the issue to the spotlight, Lomborg calls the documentary too alarmist and lacking in proposed solutions. Now that everyone more or less knows what global warming is, Lomborg says it’s time to weed out the extremists and explore the smartest solutions.

I enjoyed this documentary a lot. I very much agree with Lomborg’s assertion that everyone on both sides of the global warming debate need to take a deep breath and consider the real science behind this issue, leaving their politics and preconceived notions at the door. Lomborg has some really interesting ideas on how to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and while I’m no scientist and can’t judge how realistic those solutions are, they’re still interesting to consider.

Cool It is playing now in theaters in several American cities, and opens November 19 in wider release. It’s an hour and a half long, and even if documentaries aren’t your thing, this one will keep your interest. I suggest taking a few eco-minded friends and even some who don’t believe in global warming, if you want to have a lively debate afterward.