Leonardo DiCaprio’s new documentary, "Before the Flood", was just recently released and can be found on National Geographic. It was free to the public to watch until midnight on election night, but even now is worth the watch. The issue of climate change is not going away anytime soon because the effects are only getting more and more prevalent as this documentary makes clear.

For those who do not know, DiCaprio was recently designated at the UN’s Messenger of Peace and is extremely passionate about the many changes the entire planet needs to make in order to stop the rapidly occurring impacts of climate change. He has been involved for years and years in convincing people to be environmentally conscientious and of climate change’s validity. His film features important leaders from President Obama to Secretary of State John Kerry to Ban-Ki Moon, Security-General of the UN, and even the Pope, all of whom attest to the severe consequences humans are having on the planet.

This film does not sugarcoat the bleak future humans are creating for themselves, but rather paints climate change as the looming menace that affects not only the U.S. but the entire world. Nor does it shy away from acknowledging the United States’ enormous contribution to climate change and tries to provide information that will allow us to reverse these effects before it’s too late. DiCaprio even admits in the film, to his own contributions in that his “footprint is probably a lot bigger than most people.” He realizes, however, that his actions need to change and they need to change now.

The movie addresses Americans’ need to modify how we live our lives because unlike other countries, we have the power to help. People living on small islands, in communities that play the smallest roles in climate change, will experience some of the most devastating effects and have already endured some consequences. The facts provided by this film that environmental disasters from floods to wildfires will become more frequent and severe as well as its actual footage of melting ice caps and virtually destroyed underwater ecosystems should be enough to convince viewers of the very real danger in our near future. The title itself speaks volumes about our circumstances. Some may avoid this film because considering a future this dismal is terrifying, but that is a small price to pay when ignoring the issue altogether will have dire results.

Watching this film takes only a small portion of your day and should inspire you to consider how everything you do is potentially damaging the planet. It is a reminder that climate change is real and we are the cause, but that also means we can be the solution. If nothing else, visit the film’s website to find out more about Leonardo DiCaprio’s movement, and share the information you learn, so that the constant denial of climate change ends. The destruction we’ve caused is discouraging, but it’s not irreversible.