Madison Lindsay

Conservation Biology, BIOL1120

The Lorax Assignment 20 pts

I. Instructions:
1. Read and/or view The Lorax by Dr. Seuss PRIOR to class.
2. Answer the below comprehension questions (10 points)
3. Answer 5 of the below reflection questions (10 points)
4. Submit via Assignments Tool.

II. Comprehension Questions: Write a 1 sentence answer to the below questions.

1. The Truffula Trees were scarce, valuable natural resources. What made it
valuable and scarce?
It was valuable because it was the sole resource to make Thneeds, and it was scarce
because they took so long to regrow and they were all cut down.
2. Why did the Once-ler chop down the first Truffula Tree?
The Once-ler shopped down the first Truffula Tree to utilize the fluff to knit a Thneed.
3. What benefit did the Thneed have for consumers?

A Thneed was something all consumers could use - a sock, glove, hat, carpet, curtains
and many other uses, anything you can think of.
4 . The Lorax did not think anyone would want to purchase a Thneed. Was he
correct?
The Lorax was wrong, as many everyone wanted to buy a Thneed.
5. What new capital resource did the Once-ler invent? How did this help his
business?
The Once-ler invented a super ax hacker, which cut down four Truffula Trees at once.
6. Who was harmed as more and more Truffula Trees were chopped down and
they became more scarce?
The Brown Barbaloots didnt have a place to live, fish had garbage in their home, the
Lorax saw the forest ruined. Swans had to fly away, then the fish left.
7. Was it wise of the Once-ler to chop down all the trees?
No, he created his own demise by depleting all of the resources he relied on.
8. In the story, all the trees were chopped down. In the modern U.S. economy,
why would this not happen?
There are regulations and governing bodies in place to prevent this from happening in
our country, such as the wilderness preservation.
9. What situation or condition would promote the cutting down of all trees or the
overuse of natural resources?
Natural resources are overused when humans rely on a product, or there is a revenue
driven business behind the resource.
10. When a good, service, or natural resource becomes more and more scarce,
what happens to the price?
The price increases for a good or service as natural resources becomes more scarce to
create the product.
11. Compare the Once-ler's attitude toward the environment at the beginning of
the story with his attitude at the end.
In the beginning the Once-ler didnt want to be inconvenienced and wanted to continue
to use the resources to his pleasing; someone else would do it so he may as well. At
the end he was saddened by his destruction and wanted to replenish the trees and
animals that lived there.
III. Reflection Questions: Using 2-3 sentences, answer FIVE of the following.

1. Both the Onceler and the Lorax were passionate about their goals. Discuss several
reasons to explain why the Onceler succeeded while the Lorax failed.
The Once-ler was the producer of a product in high demand. He was supported with
vast amounts of money, and a huge support of the people who wanted his product. The
Lorax didnt have anyone to support his cause, and he didnt have a monetary value of
why the Truffula Trees should be saved. This caused the Once-ler to success over the
Lorax.
3. Can aesthetic appreciation and value be taught? Why or why not? Is it possible to
persuade someone that a mountain vista or seashore is beautiful if they did not already
appreciate it? Why or why not?
Yes, aesthetic appreciate and value can be taught, and people can be persuaded to
appreciate nature if they didnt already. As with The Lorax, the plants and animals
werent appreciated until they were gone. I think if you were able to show someone
examples of ecosystems before when they were pristine, and after when they were
destroyed, that person may have an appreciation for the areas that are maintained
around them.

4. Many countries have laws that prohibit the abuse of animals. Discuss reasons for
these laws to exist. Do these laws establish that the animals have a moral standing in
their own right?
If such preservations laws did not exist, resources and animals would most likely be
exploited to the max, and typically for a monetary gain for someone or a company.
Because there are laws in place to protect animals, this demonstrates the animals do
have a moral standing. All things have a right to exist with the land and humans, and
such regulations allow animals to try to maintain a healthy and uninterrupted lifestyle to
continue their genetic diversity.

8. The Once-ler explains his actions by saying, "If I didn't do it, someone else would." Is
this a good excuse for doing what he did?

I dont think its a valid excuse to say, If I didnt do it, someone else would. This isnt
necessarily true; If more people had a land ethic and didnt exploit natural resources for
money, there isnt always going to be someone else who would do it. Furthermore, that
person should have a better conscious and not do it anyway, even if it were true
someone else is going to. Its greedy and wasteful to have this as your attitude in life.

9. The Lorax says he speaks for the trees. What does this mean to you? What is the
Lorax's attitude at the end of the story?

When the Lorax says he speaks for the trees, to me it means he speaks for plants and
animals, or things that cannot speak for themselves. Humans have a louder voice than
the resources we diminish for our gain, and the Lorax is the voice speaking against that.
At the end of the story, the Lorax was saddened and disappointment and had to leave
the area. He does leave a small hope behind, that unless someone cares a whole awful
lot, nothing is going to get better.