Wall-E The Movie

A Reflection on Wall-E

WALL-E (2008)

After watching Wall-E the movie for the second time, I could see the environmentalist message this movie has with a much more understanding and significant value. Wall-E is a robot that collects and organizes trash and lives on earth. The setting of the movie is at some point in the future in an earth that is inhabitable by humans and full of trash. After an exiting adventure where Wall-E goes to a space-ship, he is able to return to Earth and finds a plant growing, signifying the return of the humans to Earth.

Such a future would seem too drastic to imagine except that it may become a reality unless something is done The United States can be a good yet not proud example of a country that generates much trash. Recent statistics have found that even though the US has 5% of the world population, it produces 30% of the world's waste, 99% of the things that are bought are not in use in the next 6 months. 

Wall-E shows a planet earth that is filled with trash but it does not show all the other problems that arise from pollution. One of the major issues that we face today is global warming ; it is estimated that there will be a 4 degree increase in temperature by 2060, this will result in unfortunate events such as extreme weather and droughts, spread disease, and other negative externalities. If we continue with the same level of natural resource utilization, Wall-E's earth full of trash can be even more realistic. 

I was strongly moved by Wall-E's ending. Towards the end, Wall-E goes back to earth and plants a plant he rescued in his adventure and that is what it starts a new hope for a green earth. This made me think of the importance of land ethic in our society, which means having a relationship with the environment we live and protecting not just our species but all parts of nature. If we are using the earth's resources, it's our responsibility to use them responsibly and protect them. 

The creators of Wall-E said it best: 

For us, WALL-E presents the most powerful environmental statement made by either Disney or Pixar studios: We must protect earth and its resources because leaving it behind cannot effectively preserve humankind.

Plant rescued by Wall E