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3 min read

This essay, “I Speak for the Trees” by Miles Mathis, critiques the modern environmental movement, arguing it has been hijacked by billionaires and big business since Earth Day in 1970. Mathis contrasts this with a genuine form of environmentalism that prioritizes the stewardship of the Earth. He begins by referencing Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, a character he admires for speaking for trees, and criticizes environmentalists like Emma Marris, who he claims are hired by the wealthy to promote a watered-down, inclusive environmentalism that distracts from real issues.

Mathis recounts personal experiences illustrating the destruction of old trees, starting with the Mother of the Forest and Discovery Tree in 1853, which were felled for an exhibition at the New York Crystal Palace. He then details the poisoning of Treaty Oak in Austin, Texas, in 1989, the destruction of cottonwoods at Deep Eddy pool in West Austin around 2000, and the felling of a large tree in Tarrytown, Austin, after its owner, Jean Baldwin, died. He also describes the felling of a large chestnut tree in Amherst, Massachusetts, around 2000, despite its historical and aesthetic value. In California, he notes that PG&E prioritizes power lines over tree preservation.

Mathis posits that this destruction stems from a human-centric worldview, a “miseducation” that places humans above all other life. He argues that from Nature’s perspective, trees are more valuable due to their longer lifespans. He distinguishes between this real environmentalism and the “fake environmentalism” promoted by figures like Greta Thunberg, which he believes benefits the rich through schemes like carbon credits and global warming discussions. He identifies chemical and plastic pollution, habitat destruction, and destructive farming as the true environmental problems, arguing they require legal overhauls, not higher taxes. He also points to the government and the military as significant polluters.

Mathis concludes by advocating for reclaiming the original definitions of words like “liberalism” and “environmentalism,” which he believes have been redefined by a “rapacious ruling class.” He asserts his continued commitment to these original meanings, defining himself as both a liberal and an environmentalist in opposition to those who exploit the Earth and its inhabitants. He adds a footnote regarding the General Sherman Tree and Tecumseh, criticizing the naming of the tree after Sherman, who he describes as a war criminal responsible for the massacre of Natives at Washita and the rigged trials of Satanta and Big Tree.

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