the environmental message behind ‘the lorax’ «
DESCRIPTION
by CBS New YorkTRANSCRIPT
11/25/2015 The Environmental Message Behind ‘The Lorax’ « CBS New York
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/09/theenvironmentalmessagebehindthelorax/ 1/4
Home News Sports Weather Traffic Photos Video Audio Best Of Events Health Directory Travel Deals Autos
FOLLOW US ON
Sign Up for Newsletters
Advertisements
1. 14 BathroomInventions... 4 months agohuffingtonpost.com Huffington PostHuffingtonPost.com (AOL) TheHuffington Post News Team TheHuffington Post News Team(sponsored) Trips to the bathroom aremostly utilitarian. You’re in...
Log In Register Search
42°
FOLLOW US
New York SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
The Environmental Message Behind ‘The Lorax’By Kyle Ayers
April 9, 2012 2:18 PM
Filed Under: Dr. Seuss, Earth Day, Kyle Ayers, The Lorax
(Photo Credit: Thinkstock)
The recent movie adaptation of The Lorax was a smash hit attheaters, drawing viewers into a 3D version of the world Dr. Seusscreated over 40 years ago. Hollywood expands upon the classicenvironmental tale but loses the simplicity of the message in updatingthe story for a modern audience. But the message — that theenvironment must be protected against those who would profit from it— is important. With Earth Day nearly upon us, it’s worth taking acloser look at the children’s book that spawned the movie.
In The Lorax, a boy ventures off to the far end of town “…where theGricklegrass grows, and the wind smells slowandsour when itblows…” He finds the old house of the evil Onceler and hears thestory of how his world came to be so gray and polluted.
As the Onceler tells it, he discovered this colorful place long ago,teeming with Brown Barbaloots, HummingFish and luscious,beautiful Truffula Trees. The trees were of particular interest, sincethey could be made into a garment called a Thneed. “A Thneed’s AFineSomethingThatAllPeopleNeed! It’s a shirt. It’s a sock. It’s aglove. It’s a hat. But it has other uses. Yes, far beyond that.” The
LISTEN LIVE
11/25/2015 The Environmental Message Behind ‘The Lorax’ « CBS New York
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/09/theenvironmentalmessagebehindthelorax/ 2/4
MORE NEWS(Photo Credit: Random House Books forYoung Readers)
Dr. Seuss (Photo Credit: Library ofCongress Prints and Photographs Division)
Lorax, who speaks for the trees,protests. But no one listens.
The Onceler cranks up Thneedproduction, building a factory andexpanding capacity to meet the needsof consumers. The Lorax pleads withhim to keep the trees alive, but theOnceler, driven by money, pays noattention. Soon the Barbaloots andthen the fish are driven off, becausethey can’t survive in a habitat with sofew trees. With the last Truffula treechopped down, Thneed production stops, workers leave, the factorycloses up and the Onceler is left in a grim, desolate world of his owncreation. Even the Lorax, whose persistent warnings went unheeded,takes off in search of someplace better. The book ends, back in thepresent, with the Onceler giving the boy the last remaining TruffulaTree seed, in the hope that he can bring back the beautiful trees.
The fable isn’t subtle, nor should it be. Seuss personifies industry asa whole with the Onceler, to draw interest and attention tounchecked corporate greed as a threat to nature. The Lorax soundsthe warning siren, but is ignored, as environmental groups often are,until it’s too late. But industry isn’t the sole culprit in this cautionarytale. Industry will only produce what it thinks consumers will buy. Soon a certain level, we’re all responsible for the fate of theenvironment. Dr. Seuss goes easy on us in his story, but ourcomplicity is heavily implied. If we, as consumers, are so easilyswayed by the next big thing, without regard for how it’s made, thenthis is the world we’ll end up with.
The Lorax is a fairly grim talecompared to Green Eggs and Ham orThe Cat in the Hat, for sure. But itreflects the era in which it was written.In 1971, when the book was released,the United States was embroiled inenvironmental issues left over fromthe 1960s. The deforestation of thePacific Northwest was chief amongthem; logging companies were cuttingdown trees at alarming rates.Needless to say, the logging industrywas not happy about The Lorax. The
book was banned from many schools and libraries near thrivingtimber communities. Timber industry groups even sponsored a
De Blasio 'Disgusted' ByChristie's RefugeeComments, Shows PictureOf Dead Syrian BoyPolice: Man Shot WhileAnswering Door In DixHills
With Girl On Life Support,Brooklyn Family WantsAnswers In First Grader’sChoking
11/25/2015 The Environmental Message Behind ‘The Lorax’ « CBS New York
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/09/theenvironmentalmessagebehindthelorax/ 3/4
More Promoted Stories We Recommend
Comments
Promoted Stories
rebuttal book, called The Truax, which helped kids understand thenecessity of harvesting timber.
Learn about the history of Earth Day.
At no point does The Lorax say “don’t cut down trees”; a worldwithout industry is no better an option than a world without trees. Thebook simply attempts to increase awareness of the possible extremeshould industry go unchecked. Seuss thinks society needs to strike abalance. Let’s not forget that the books he sold — millions of them —were all printed on paper from, you guessed it, trees. As the Loraxputs it, “they say I’m oldfashioned, and live in the past, butsometimes I think progress progresses too fast!”
The Lorax remains a staple of children’s reading lists for its whimsicalcharacters and wonderful, Seussical wordplay. But its cautionarymessage is as important today as it ever was. Respect for theenvironment and all living creatures will help us preserve the planetfor ourselves and future generations. And that respect can live inharmony with economic progress. The fable rings true, as we prepareto celebrate another Earth Day.
Visit the Earth Day section at CBS Local.
Kyle Ayers is a writer for CBS Local and KorkedBats.com, as well asa stand up comedian living in New York, Earth. Follow Kyle on Twitter@kyleayers.
Japanese nuclearenergy: Nuclearwatchdog seeks newoperator for fast breeder(Nikkei Asian Review)
India nuclear: Australiaexporting uranium toSouth Asia(Nikkei Asian Review)
How long can yousurvive after beingdecapitated?(STEAM Register)
Death Toll Rises After Paris Shooters Slay Animal Advocates Release Video, Claim
Buy Ticke ts Orde r Food More SearchLOG IN REGISTERFOLLOW US
11/25/2015 The Environmental Message Behind ‘The Lorax’ « CBS New York
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/09/theenvironmentalmessagebehindthelorax/ 4/4
Recommended by
Eagles Of Death Metal Concert Goers (RadarOnline)
Japanese nuclear energy: Nuclear watchdogseeks new operator for fast breeder reactor(Nikkei Asian Review)
Hong Kong's bane: Budget tours comingunder fire (Nikkei Asian Review)
Mobile App Install Tracking: 5 Questions (Appsflyer)
Becoming A Millionaire Is Really EasyFollowing This Strategy (Forex The Investment Dr)
China’s Insurance Funds To Lead NextWave Of Global Real Estate Acquisitions(JLL)
Abuses By NYC HorseDrawn CarriageIndustry
Students Evacuated After Dorm Fire AtStony Brook University
Police: 9YearOld Girl Dies After Pit BullAttack At LI Home
Boomer & Carton: Brian Cashman Isn'tExpecting An Invite To Jeter's Wedding
Officials: Fuselage, Other Debris FoundFrom North Salem Plane Crash
Man Swings Samurai Sword Inside FifthAvenue Apple Store
FOLLOW US
NEWS
New York NewsNew Jersey NewsConnecticut NewsTrafficWeatherBusinessConsumerEntertainmentHealthPoliticsTechnologyLocal
SPORTS
YankeesMetsGiantsJetsKnicksNetsRangersDevilsIslandersNYCFC
BEST OF NY
Arts & CultureShopping & StyleFood & DrinkNightlife & MusicFamily & PetsNina In New YorkTravelEvents
WATCH + LISTEN
CBS 21010 WINSWCBS Newsradio 880WFAN Sportsradio66/101.9
WFAN SHOWS
Boomer & CartonMike FrancesaJoe & EvanSteve SomersOnAir ScheduleStreaming Schedule
CORPORATE
About UsAdvertiseBusiness DevelopmentContactMobileConnectOnly CBS
©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved.Powered by WordPress.com VIP Privacy Policy Terms of Use Your California Privacy Rights Mobile User Agreement Ad
Choices EEO Reports WCBSTV Public File WLNYTV Public File CBS Radio JobsCBS Television Jobs Deals
By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our Video Services Policy