I re-watched Two Towers the other day and it brought up something I've been contemplating. First off, I'd like to discuss how villainy and evil is shown in media, specifically high fantasy. Sometimes they either have killed or plan to kill a whole bunch of people, cruel to animals, enslave people etc. While I was watching Two Towers another displays of vileness occurred to me that is more common than you'd think. Causing damage to the environment. Tolkien depicts the evil war machine of Sauramons army and the "fires of industry" as a huge threat. He cuts down a forest and everyone gets up in arms and the Ents come down to do battle. This theme comes up a lot you just might not notice it as much. Space balls, Harry Potter, Narnia, and countless Disney movies and fairy tales feature an antagonist who is not much of a tree hugger.
This made me question why we ignore this even though it is so repulsive while you watch it. I believe it has something to do with what is acceptable in society. Obviously murder is terrible and never okay, so we notice it in movies and books but environmental destruction happens every day, and we depend on it. If you see pictures of the aftermath of clear cutting or strip mining, you will most likely say, "That’s awful!" or get concerned for a day or two and then forget about it. We don't like to think about it because that strip mining is how you got the aluminum can you're drinking soda out of right now. The same principal applies to watching movies with the same content. You can learn that what a villain is doing wrong with a lot of stuff. If someone went out and started a slave trade or genocide, they would be hated by everyone but no one really cares if you start an industrial company and cut down forests. The environment doesn't have Ents or elves to defend itself so next time you see some picture of a baby koala from wherever that doesn't have a home, or some beautiful mountain that’s been mined to the ground, and nothings left don't bury it away, then do something about it. You can write letters to politicians or heads of huge companies, or just recycle and compost waste.