To the editor:

Recently I watched David Attenborough’s documentary, “A Life on Our Planet.” Traditionally, wildlife documentaries focus on the beauty and splendour of nature and inform the viewers gently about the current challenges the planet faces, hoping that the viewers would fall in love with what they see and grow to care about it. Rarely do they appeal so strongly, so directly, even desperately, to act and act now, as this documentary does. 

Attenborough is 94 years old and has truly led a worthwhile life. One can imagine that in making one final attempt to make the people of the world realize that the granddaddy of all problems in the world is climate change and loss of diversity of species, he is abandoning the traditions of how a wildlife documentary should be made. I agree with his approach — desperate times call for desperate measures. 

I plead with all folks inside the Blue Line to watch this documentary and educate themselves. The men and women of these mountains, the lovers of these streams and walkers of this wilderness, the people whose license plates and T-shirts often read “Love ADK” or “Forever Wild,” please pay attention. Your own beloved ADK is threatened by climate change. Would this documentary move you to do your part? I hope so.

Regards,

Nandan Pai

Lake Placid