Scientists and environmentalists have been warning us of the dangers of climate change for years. Despite their pleas for society to change their habits and give nature the respect it deserves, many of us still turn a deaf ear to these cries. Judging by Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol’s film Earth: Seen from the Heart, it is time we all start listening.

For 40 years famed astrophysicist Hubert Reeves has been observing the effects of climate change. He is especially interested in what it is doing to our most vital resource: water. Considering that everything on earth, including humans, relies on water, Reeves fears that the next mass extinction is upon us. Unlike the dinosaurs, who fell during the last major extinction, this one is not the fault of nature, but rather the way mankind has abused the planet.

We are the makers of our own destruction and Reeves is not the only one in the film who thinks that. Over the course of the film, Cadrin-Rossignol speaks with many individuals from various disciplines who share Reeves’ concern for biodiversity. Through numerous examples the film shows how climate change is accelerating the thawing of the arctic, affecting wildlife and ultimately pushing us all to the brink.

What makes this standout from other environmental documentaries is the way it conveys how everything in nature, from wolves to insects to trees that talk to each other, serves as an important link in the overall chain. If you impact one species, it has a devastating ripple effect on all of us. This is not to say that one should stop building homes or hunting for food, but rather take the environmental impact of such things into consideration prior to doing so.

As pointed out by numerous experts, ranging from scientists to writers to cinematographers, humans have long had a turbulent relationship with nature and animals. Taking more from each than we need or deserve. We are using resources faster than the planet can replenish them.

Cadrin-Rossignol’s film is not all doom and gloom though, it finds hope in the youth who are taking their activism to the highest courts in the land. Through its vibrant cinematography and sense of urgency, Earth: Seen from the Heart is a call to arms for all of us. We all need to do our part in the battle against climate change before time runs out. We can no longer trash our home and simply expect our kids to clean it up.