I recently watched the blockbuster Wall-E and was impressed by its cleverness. Additionally, I was impressed with the apt and relevant environmental lessons weaved into the movie.

First was the problem with unsustainable consumerism. In Wall-E, Earth was drained and completely commodified. As a result, humans left Earth on starships, since paradise was lost, and with the help of robots created a cleaner sustained environment on their starships. Ironically, humans could not achieve the same feat on Earth, but supposedly on the starships humans started from scratch and applied lessons learned. Nonetheless, after more than 700 years Homo sapiens had evolved into a controlled species that lacked individuality. Humans had become a fat, immobile and dependent species that received total care from their corporate-government caretaker.

The environment on the starship was weirdly benign and somewhat quasi-utopian. Life on the starship did not ideally promote individuality but happiness, orderliness, and perfection were observed elements. Humans were to remain in this odd unnatural environment until Earth restored itself. As a result, the movie focused on a tiny plant, which symbolized Earth’s rejuvenation and consequently a sign that humans could return.

In the movie, the corporation and government were indistinguishable. Presumably, corporation and government were so blended that they evolved into the one entity. Are we truly heading to a similar existence where corporation and government are indistinguishable and we squander one little plant as a symbol of our mistakes and future hope? Personally, I am not sure, but I do believe environmentalism as a very diverse and malleable mass movement is strong and more commonsensical then conservatives give credit.

If we continue to consume unsustainably and waste fragrantly then our civilization may regress. I have always wondered how much our economy can grow or what are its limits? Will the markets naturally force sustainability?

Currently, the economy’s health is measured by growth and consumption. However, how much longer can we grow under the current socioeconomic paradigm? Cutbacks are already happening. For example, Starbuck’s is closing 5% of its US market, while fuel prices change our behavior.

Some conservatives have noted their disgust for Wall-E and accuse it of anti-capitalist eco-propaganda. What does this reasoning even mean? I consider myself an environmentalist but I also consider myself a capitalist. However, I also understand that capitalism is inherently destructive to nature. It’s an inescapable observation. As a result, efficiency and sustainability should be themes weaved into capitalism. False claims that partner environmentalists with Communism, Socialism, or even Nazism are created by lies and rhetoric. In reality, life is much more complex, since we are individuals with a choice. Conservatives that are threatened by a movie such as Wall-E fail to recognize the utility in its message. Furthermore, these conservatives ignore not only environmental problems but also themes from within their own ideology. Consider Patrick J. Ford of The American Conservative:

The real tragedy of these callous conservative critics (say that three times fast) is that they are missing the real lessons of the movie, ones I found immediately attractive to a traditional conservative. In the film, it becomes clear that mass consumerism is not just the product of big business, but of big business wedded with big government. In fact, the two are indistinguishable in WALL-E’s future. The government unilaterally provided it’s citizens with everything they needed, and this lack of variety led to Earth’s downfall.

Another lesson missed is portrayed perfectly in Coffin’s claim that WALL-E points out the “evils of mankind.” The only evils of mankind portrayed are those that come about from losing touch with our own humanity. Staples of small-town conservative life such as the small farm, the “atomic family,” and old-fashioned and wholesome entertainment like “Hello, Dolly” are looked upon by the suddenly awakened humans as beautiful and desirable. By steering conservative families away from WALL-E, these commentators are doing their readers a great disservice.

Greg Pollowitz of Planet Gore interpreted the movie differently:

I saw WALL-E with my five year old on Saturday night. It was like a 90-minute lecture on the dangers of over consumption, big corporations, and the destruction of the environment. All this from mega-company Disney, who wants us to buy WALL-E kitsch for our kids that are manufactured in China at environment-destroying factories and packed in plastic that will take hundreds of year to biodegrade in our landfills.

Much to Disney’s chagrin, I will do my part to avoid future environmental armageddon by boycotting any and all WALL-E merchandise and I hope others join my crusade.

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