Understanding How Today’s Economy Has Impacted The Environment and Human Health- through the Movie 'The Lorax'

By Asra Asim 

Image Retrieved from: Pixels

Today we live in a world driven by capitalism (an economic system where very limited people own the production of goods and the majority are those that work for those people or are the consumers of those goods), where Industries dictate the way we live, the way we purchase certain goods and most importantly decide in what kind of environment we live in. Have you ever paused to wonder the carbon footprint of certain goods we use? (Referring to how many greenhouse gases were released to make a certain product). We as consumers have the power to be more conscious of the kind of products we purchase and keeping account of how many natural resources went into making them. According to a study done by Crowther, Glick & Covey et al. (2015) approximately 15 billion trees are cut down every year for reasons ranging from deforestation, to collect wood to produce wood fire, to make furniture, to make paper products and herbal medicine, and for clearing land for other purposes. This may seem normal to some people, but when you realize how important trees are for the environment and human health the number may appear horrifying!

 

Image retrieved from: The Lorax (2012)

The movie The Lorax (2012) is a very good example of showing how the absence of trees can clearly transform the way we humans live and function, for the worse. In the movie we are introduced to a small town where innovation is at its peak, however everything is pretty much manmade even the trees. This leads to the residents inhaling polluted air (thanks to the huge factories located in town), lack of proper ventilation, and the need for bottled air to be consumed to keep people alive. What’s even more interesting is that the lack of trees in this town which was once a lush green forest inhabited by all kinds of wildlife, was due to deforestation owing to a very famous product made by cotton like material produced by the trees which were then cut down to produce the product up until the very last tree. While this may appear to be an interesting plot for a kid’s animated film, the message is very eye opening, as without trees we will all cease to exist. Trees are not just for aesthetic pleasure, but they are home to many different animal species, they act as purifiers for the very air we inhale, and they protect cities from natural disasters such as floods. An article by BBC describes how since the beginning of Industrialization, the worlds forest have reduced to “32%”, and in a world with no trees we would be experiencing unprecedented climate changes ranging from extreme droughts, hot temperatures to floods in certain areas located near oceans (Nuwer, 2019).  

 

Retrieved from: Saralstudy (2020)

Moreover, the absence of trees not only impacts the environment but also impacts human health, trees are the very source of the air we breathe. We take this for granted but imagine even 2 minutes without oxygen on earth no human will survive that. An assessment of 201 studies done by researchers at McMaster University, on the benefits of urban forests revealed that evidence shows that the presence of trees has shown improvement in attention spans of humans and higher cognition levels, while also reducing stress and anxiety, and boosting the immune system, meaning the presence of a large variety of “biodiversity” has shown great improvements in overall human health. Even the reflection of trees is also said to shield us from the harmful UV rays, and repeated exposure to these rays can cause higher risks of skin cancer, moreover trees are also essential in important in reducing high temperatures while also providing shade, which protects us from heat related sicknesses such as heat strokes (McMaster University, 2021).  All the benefits aside, can you imagine driving to school/work and not seeing a single tree on your way, or even living in a city with little to no greenery? 

 Retrieved from: Amuse-Vice (2018)

Furthermore, a very interesting real-life example is that of ‘forest bathing’ in Japan, where the Japanese have a centuries old belief in trees to be healing for the human body. Forest bathing or “Shinrin-Yoku” is the practice of immersing yourself in nature surrounded by trees and is an integral part of Japanese medicine, research has shown that the Japanese believe it to improve a person’s immune system, reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases and lung disease, and improve a person’s overall mental health by reducing stress hormones (Hansen et al., 2017). This research on forest bathing further cited studies which showed that stress levels and heart rate of participants who walked in urban parks every day for 15 minutes decreased, moreover another research found that people who interacted with plants in indoor surroundings daily, had increased levels of oxyhemoglobin in their brains frontal cortex (Hansen et al., 2017). So next time you feel stressed try talking a walk in your nearest park or just walk barefoot on grass in your garden, you might feel a change in your overall mood!

 

Retrieved from: Clay Bennett’s Editorial Cartoons

To conclude, without the beauty and essence of trees around us, this world will be a dull place and we will also loose on all the health benefits trees add to our daily lives. Imagine them as an oxygen machine you are attached to, if someone pulls the plug you will not survive. Unfortunately, we humans in our capitalist greed are pulling that plug with our own hands! However, it is still not too late, be more sustainable in the way you live, be more conscious of the choices you make, be the first one to make a change, plant more trees and support companies and products that follow a sustainable path. So that our future generations can live to see the same biodiversity of nature that we are surrounded with today.

 

If you want to learn more on this topic, click below:

 

Ted-Ed- What happens if you cut down all of a city’s trees?

Ted-Ed- Is capitalism actually broken?

 

 

Bibliography

 

Crowther, T., Glick, H., Covey, K. et al. Mapping tree density at a global scale. Nature525, 201–205 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14967

 Hansen, M. M., Jones, R., & Tocchini, K. (2017). Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) and nature therapy: A state-of-the-art review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8), 851. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080851

McMaster University. (2021, February 24). Trees in the city: The Roots of Health and well-being. McMaster Optimal Aging Portal. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/blog/detail/blog/2021/02/24/trees-in-the-city-the-roots-of-health-and-well-being

Nuwer, R. (2019). What would happen if all the world's trees disappeared? BBC Future. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190911-what-would-happen-if-all-the-worlds-trees-disappeared