Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax tells a story of ecosystem collapse and regeneration in five parts:
First, the Once-ler decides to chop down Truffula Trees for their tufts and decides to use the tufts to knit “Thneeds”.
Second, the Once-ler’s decisions to chop down Truffula Trees and use the tufts to knit Thneeds creates cascading ecological crises – deforestation (Truffula Trees), species extinctions (Bar-ba-loots, Swomee-Swans and Humming-Fish), aerosol pollutants (smogulous smoke) and synthetic pollutants (Gluppity-Glupp & Schloppity-Schlopp) – and collapse of the Truffula Tree ecosystem.
Third, with the disappearance of each of the species (Bar-ba-loots, Swomee-Swans, Humming-Fish), the Lorax calls the Once-ler’s attention to each of the species’ tragedies. The Lorax himself disappears with the chopping down of the last Truffula Tree and leaves behind the word “UNLESS.”
Fourth, after long years of worrying, the Once-ler comes to understand that Truffula Trees are what everybody needs.[1]
Fifth, the Once-ler’s shift in consciousness contains the seed (the last of the Truffula Seeds) – together with someone like you who cares a whole awful lot – for the regeneration of the Truffula Tree ecosystem.
As an allegory for the planet’s cascading ecological crises and the decision-making creating them, The Lorax cannot be beat.
So why did I think (wrongly) that I could improve on The Lorax?
First, in my book, We Can Reverse the Planet’s Eco-crises, I depict the decision-making system for meeting human physical needs (called “the Human Enterprise”) that is creating the planet’s eco-crises.
I thought that if I referred to concepts of The Lorax (the Once-ler, Truffula Trees, Thneeds, Bar-ba-loots, Shloppity-Schlopp, etc.) in an article based on my book, it might help readers better understand my story through their familiarity with the story of The Lorax.
Wrong. Trying to import the simplicity of The Lorax into my story did not make my story simpler. All it did was detract from the beauty and inspiration of The Lorax.
Second, I thought that I could improve on the ending of the Lorax. From a problem-solving point of view, I thought that I could do better than Dr. Seuss’s post-collapse, high-risk, single-Seed strategy for regenerating the Truffula Tree ecosystem.
That was wrong too. I didn’t see the ending of The Lorax for what it was: a simple and powerful metaphor for a shift in consciousness preparing the ground for the seed of regeneration.
Finally, to refer to concepts from The Lorax in an article based on my book, I would have had to make my own images improving on those of Dr. Seuss. Improve on Dr. Seuss’s illustrations? Forget about it!
Go and read The Lorax. There’s no better story for understanding the “Once-ler” decision-making that is creating the planet’s ecological crises. There’s no better story of shift in consciousness (“UNLESS”) for regeneration of the planet’s biosphere.
And – if you’re so inclined – take a look at my book, We Can Reverse the Planet’s Eco-crises. Like The Lorax, it tells a story of “Human Enterprise” decision-making that is creating the planet’s eco-crises. Like the Lorax, it gives the reader a seed for regeneration in the form of a decision-making process – usable by decision-makers everywhere – for reversing the planet’s eco-crises as a whole.
Yes, compared to Dr. Seuss, it’s technical and charmless, and the artwork sucks. BUT it’s short (103 pages) and simple (mostly pictures). Please consider reading it even though it sucks (compared to Dr. Seuss).
I’m grateful for your consideration.
[1] It also might be said that “Humboldt Martens are what everyone needs.”
Reversing the planet’s eco-crises is simple when you learn the simple process. You can learn the simple process from my short (103 pages) & simple (mostly pics) e-book, We Can Reverse the Planet’s Eco-crises, free for download at https://www.erikkvam.com/we-can-reverse-the-planets-eco-crises/
You also can learn the simple process and receive the e-book by subscribing to my Regenerative Decision-making newsletter at:
Aloha and Mahalo!
P.S. I cross-posted this article on Medium to give it greater reach.