n Yves Engler
Michael Moore versus the environmentalists Planet of the Humans generates major criticism from environmentalists, but just how controversial are the facts Michael Moore’s new movie presents?
T
he backlash may be more revealing than the film itself, but both inform us where we are at in the fight against climate change and ecological collapse. The environmental establishment’s frenzied attacks against Planet of the Humans says a lot about their commitment to big-money and technological solutions. A number of prominent individuals tried to ban the film by Jeff Gibbs and Michael Moore. Others berated the filmmakers for being white, male and overweight. Many thought leaders have declared they won’t watch it. Despite the hullabaloo, the central points in the film aren’t particularly controversial. Corporate-industrial society is driving human civilisation/humanity towards the ecological abyss and environmental groups have largely made peace with capitalism. As such, they tout (profitable) techno fixes that are sometimes more ecologically damaging than fossil fuels (such as biomass or ethanol) or require incredible amounts of resources/space if pursued on a mass scale (such as solar and
POLARISING: Planet of the Humans has created a storm of anger in the environmental community.
wind). It also notes the number of human beings on the planet has grown more than sevenfold over the past 200 years.
I
t should not be controversial to note that the corporate consumption juggernaut is destroying our ability to survive on this planet. From agroindustry razing animal habitat to plastic manufacturers’ waste killing sea life to the auto industrial complex’s greenhouse gases, the examples of corporations wreaking ecological havoc are manifold. Every year since 1969
humanity’s resource consumption has exceeded earth’s capacity to regenerate those resources by an ever-greater volume. It is a statement of fact that environmental groups have deep ties to the corporate set. Almost all the major environmental groups receive significant cash from the mega-rich or their foundations. Many of them partner directly with large corporations. Additionally, their outreach strategies often rely on corporate media and other business mediated spheres. It beggar’s belief that these dependencies don’t shape their policy
ColdType | Mid-May 2020 | www.coldtype.net
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