GUEST COLUMN: Movies That Will Bring Out Your Inner Conservationist

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Movies That Will Bring Out Your Inner Conservationist 

by Lewis Robinson

Maybe you are already an eco-friendly activist. Perhaps you would like to start being more eco-conscious, but don't know where to start. You might have a friend, partner, or child that you want to motivate to take better care of their environment. Whatever your reasoning might be, a movie is a great way to inspire interest and action in anyone about anything. Whether the story is true or simply based on real issues such as climate change or deforestation, experiencing a narrative that centers around these ideas can make them seem more real and more pressing. Regardless of the topic, there are several options to choose from when it comes to a movie that will inspire one to "go green."

WALL-E

This Disney movie is set in a dystopian universe where humans have essentially "used up" all resources on earth. The surface of the earth has become inhabitable to humans, and WALL-E goes on an adventure to bring the passengers of an escape ship back to their home planet. The wasteland that we see portrayed as "Earth" is devastating, especially when compared to the videos that the passengers of the ship watch depicting how life used to be. This movie will easily inspire anyone to purchase some recycling equipment for their home.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest

This animated movie follows the journey of Crysta, a fairy, who accidentally shrinks down a human logger, Zak, to her size. Zak's fellow loggers continue destroying the forest and accidentally release Hexxus, a black, sludge-like creature, onto the forest. Crysta, Zac, and their friends have to band together to save their home from the evil monster. While this movie incorporates fanciful elements such as fairies and an evil goo monster, it is actually based on the real-life destruction of the earth's rainforests. Ferngully also features a character named Batty, a bat who has undergone copious amounts of lab testing. The effects that the testing has on Batty help the viewer to empathize with animals and care about the creatures with which we share our planet. 

Princess Mononoke

Miyazaki is known for some of his lighter works, such as Kiki's Delivery Service or Spirited Away. However, one of his most incredible pieces is Princess Mononoke. Set in historical Japan, this movie also features many fantasy elements, including forest spirits and a wolf-goddess. Princess Mononoke depicts a great war between the natural and the human world, rooted in the mistreatment and misuse of natural resources by humans. Mononoke represents the connection and simultaneous imbalance between the natural and human world. This movie causes viewers to see what impact their actions have on the natural world.

The Lorax

Dr. Seuss's The Lorax is the first introduction to environmentalism that many young people had. Disney adapted this book into a film in 2012, providing a new medium to experience this classic story. The town in which this movie takes place, Thneedville, is deprived of all plant life. All the trees, flowers, and other plants there are artificial. The story follows a child's journey to find a real tree to bring back to the town. The final words of this film speak to the way that it can inspire change for the future: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Conclusion

These four movies are cornerstones of environmental activism. While most of them are geared towards a younger audience, any person of any age can find a spark of inspiration from them. Sometimes, saving the planet can begin with something as simple as sitting down to watch a good movie.