Why It's Time to Stop Saving the Planet*

We care about the planet. But what if it's time to stop "saving it"?

Western cultures — and even some climate scientists and sustainability advocates — often share the idea that there is the “natural world” and the “human world.” The natural world is seen as pristine and untouched, while the human world is chaotic and ever changing. But all living things change the world around them in order to build homes, eat, drink and move around. In this first episode, join host Rae Wynn-Grant, Ph.D., as she explores how humans can think differently about the way we change the environments around us, how we can do it better, and why doing so could be a key foundation for addressing climate change.

Based on the Jenny Price book "Stop Saving the Planet!"

Correction:
A previous version of this video had onscreen text that mistakenly identified the speaker as "Voice of Joshua Johnson, The Week, MSNBC." The speaker is actually Dominic Waghorn, appearing on the TV show The Week with Joshua Johnson and the video has been updated to correct this.

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And keep up with PBS Terra on:

[erichbrough]

"Our lives are foundationally environmental." 🎯 Thank you for clearly articulating something that should be obvious, but gets obscured.

[eric]

*People need to have a relationship with nature.* Back and forth. Give and take. Nature is not a product. Nature is a series of complex relationships of innumerable living things, lives and deaths and lives again.

[everyoneisinterestinggg]

I'm stoked PBS just said all this out loud and for everyone to hear. 📣 (you are it.) 💛🌱

[dustman]

In other words, our lives are utterly dependent on natural processes. We destroy nature, we destroy ourselves. It's that simple.

[floydwhatchacallit]

I grew up in a rural area, and I've been saying this for years. I think some people are still missing point. We need to see everything as an ecosystem. New York city is an ecosystem regardless if it's healthy or not.

So how do we optimize it for us and wildlife? How do produce what a city needs within the city itself? How do we encourage local plant and wildlife diversity in a city? If we can figure these things out, we'll benefit the planet. Tightening our belt won't work.

[masterchinese]

I remember the forest fires in Yellowstone in 1988. They brought smoke and darkness to thousands of square miles. It was devastating.
Then for the next few years, we saw a steady stream of "can you believe how the flora and fauna is returning?" It was a healing, restorative time. There was a bright side to the destruction. The indigenous people's seemed to have understood the cycle and used it in a positive, sustainable way.
Humans changing their environment is not inherently bad. Through deliberate maintaining of our forests and habitats, the change we make can be a force for good.

[yoshi]

There was a shaman who laughed at the slogan 'Save the Planet!' He said that the planet would be fine, it is humans that need saving from themselves.

[randydickison]

This shows the intelligence of the of the original native people on this continent in the west. Many thought the natives were very unintelligent and uncivilized because they wore little to no clothing in good weather. Many thought they were unintelligent because some western tribes had no concept of war, or weapons to kill people. They were very intelligent how they managed their environment, and clothing is not needed when the weather is comfortable. That is just a waste of resources. They were very civilized with how the people within tribes took care of the children and learned from and cared for the elderly. Modern society should look back a little and learn from the past from all people on the planet and use some of their knowledge to improve the environment. That can be done while also advancing science manufacturing and modern comforts, and urban environments. We are all a part of the environment, not apart from the environment.

[edwardliechti]

If we need to accept that there is no “out there” nature, we must also recognize that there is no “out there” industry. We cannot save the environment without changing ourselves, but we cannot banish industries without changing ourselves either.

[playwithlight]

You are in relationship with everything. It’s up to you whether it’s a loving relationship or not.

[prettynoose]

I live in Sydney Australia, and I have turned my little garden into a safe-haven for wildlife just by planting native bushes and trees, and also putting fresh clean water out every day for wildlife. I also keep domestic cats out of my garden. My garden is full of life, there are lots of wildlife and tons of insects like bees in my garden. Everyone with a garden can do the same.

[Trag-zjyo]

Unfortunately, we live in a "what's in it for me society."

[axle.australian.patriot]

One of the issues that I have with most extreme environmental movements is that they don't class humans as part of the environment or ecology of the planet. It's a Humans bad vs "the other" natural world good, like we are somehow abstract and not part of the big picture.
Humans are as much a part of the evolution of this planet as any other creature or object, for better or for worse. But what is better or worse? Who decides the future evolution of planet earth? Who gets to play God and construct their vision of nature?
Or should we just allow the universe to follow it's own path and us just continue to be part of that natural evolution wherever it may go? Who is to say that the adversity we appear to bring upon ourselves isn't just a natural pathway required to evolve a better understanding, to further evolve as humans in a harsh and unforgiving universe.

[garrytreymendeziii]

Yes. Every time someone talks to me about saving the planet I respond by saying “The planet will be fine. The planet will go on. Save the humans. We need to make the planet hospitable for our kids so that human beings don’t go extinct!”

[medusianAllure]

Thank you for this content! My hometown is an industrial city and it's clear my health issues stem from growing up near the factories.

[PhilipEvang]

What an important program! It shows us how essential it is that we first identify the needs of our ecosystems and THEN create whatever nature genuinely requires. "Feel Good" conservation needs to give way to "Objectively Good" thinking and action! What a tremendous lesson. Way to go PBS SoCal!

[kaceybongarzone]

I feel this episode should have mentioned or went into how people can REDUCE the amount of garbage they produce. Figuratively and metaphorically.
Love the mushroom sound effect in the beginning! 💛

[shantanusapru]

I've been saying this for YEARS!!!
We ought to save the environment for OURSELVES!! Be selfish!
The planet was there before we were there, and it will go on without us, when we are not there....likely of our own making...
People have got this all wrong!
Also, it's simply better marketing/advertising strategy to appeal to people's own self-interest/self-preservation, rather than something altruistic, esp. for something as abstract and as expansive & complex as the 'environment' (or 'climate')....

[jacquetthompson]

Thank you! The Planet doesn't need Humanity to save it because it will still exist whether we are here or not. It existed as a Planet long before Humanity arrived. We need to save Humanity.

[mind-of-neo]

The solution is simple. Stop trying to control every single tiny thing an individual can do, and maybe actually restrict a corporation for once.