I spent countless hours watching movies and TV shows when selecting a film for the film festival. I wanted to choose a movie that genuinely represented the relationship between humans and the environment. Eventually, I decided on selecting The Day After Tomorrow (2004), which demonstrates the effect of anthropogenic activity on the environment. However, a close runner-up was The Lorax (2012).
The Lorax by Dr.Seuss is a lighthearted movie with an impactful message about the importance of the environment. This movie sends a straightforward message that can be understood by viewers of all age groups while keeping them entertained. There is no need for a background in science to understand the movie’s concept; therefore, it is excellent to understand the basics of applied plant ecology. The Lorax illustrates the relationship between humans and the environment by showing how anthropogenic effects can tremendously harm the environment if not managed. In the movie, the Truffula trees represent the environment, which provides everyone with shelter, water, and oxygen. However, when the Once-ler started running his business, he became greedy and cut down all the trees. The Lorax repeatedly warns the Once-ler of how his actions can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem. However, the Once-ler chooses to ignore The Lorax and continues destroying the environment. This caused the species that relied on the Truffula trees to leave since they no longer had a home or any resources to use. Ultimately, the increase in anthropogenic effects led to the loss of biodiversity and increased pollution. This represents the current relationship seen between humans and the environment.
Due to the loss of biodiversity and increased pollution, everyone moved into an artificial city called Thneedville. This city requires everyone to pay for air, which was provided by trees for free before. The movie sends a message about maintaining, respecting, and preserving the environment for future generations. It shows how humans take advantage of the environment without considering any repercussions for their actions. Since the environment cannot speak for itself does not mean we can take advantage of that. Currently, we are facing similar problems of pollution, global warming, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, ocean acidification, and ozone layer depletion in the world. These are the result of anthropogenic effects, and the movie demonstrates how they could ultimately affect the environment and us. Humans are the root cause of the problem, and we need to change that before it is too late. I’m sure none of us wants to end up like the Once-ler.
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 