In what ends up being a serendipitous crossover with the
most recent MissElaineous blog post, I recently watched the latest animation of
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.
The story is full of Seuss’ patented whimsical drawings,
imaginary words, and sprightly rhythm, but it tells the serious tale of greed, consumerism,
and environmental degradation. It has been a long while since I had read the book
myself, but I had a former boss who liked to joke that he became
environmentally radicalised when he was told the story as a child. It clearly had some effect: his life continues
to have a focus on sustainability.
The film version has been updated for a modern audience,
but it is true to the core of the original story and even adds an additional
layer of plastic pollution to the mix. It ends with a quote from the book that
I think perfectly sums up why everything you do towards making the world
better matters:
UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.
So a big thank you to everyone who has stepped forward to
show that you care about cleaning up Chippenham. Here’s a new date for your diary: Saturday, 13
May. We are working with several other
groups to conduct a big river clean up, so please stay tuned for confirmation and the
time of the event.