In vogue the past couple of years, the documentary as an art form has deviated from the predictability of a Ken Burns-style documentary and has sought to provoke, not just educate, its audience. The successes of Michael Moore’s films and others of that ilk prove it is not just a video to be forced in front of the faces of sleepy schoolchildren, but can be used as a tool to question what they perceive to be the establishment. “Mine Your Own Business”, a film screened by Brown College Republicans on November 14, 2006, continued these new traditions. Described as “the world’s first anti-environmentalist documentary,” the filmmakers, Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney attempted to challenge the audience’s perception of environmentalists and the work they do in developing nations.
A former correspondent for the Financial Times and a contributor to BBC radio and television, Phelim McAleer along with Ann McElhinney directed and produced “Mine Your Own Business”; the documentary itself was written by McAleer. Both are fellows of the Moving Picture Institute, a non-profit organization focusing on advancing liberty by supporting like-minded films.
“Mine Your Own Business” addresses the tensions between the environmental movement and attempts to improve the economic situation in developing nations. The film focuses on Rosia Montana, a region in central Romania. Formerly the site of a state-owned mine that polluted the area, Gabriel Resources, a private mining corporation, wants to open a mine in the same region. The project would provide jobs for the impoverished area and give money to residents to relocate. The company also promises to clean up the damage from the state-owned mining company.
Environmental groups, such as Alburnus Maior, have been able to successfully
oppose the project, citing damage to nature as the main region the mining company should not be allowed to open. Rosia Montana would be best served if it could become a tourist destination, or if it were to invest in another type of industry. The only problem is that tourists are not flocking to Rosia Montana to hike in the mine-scarred hillsides or frolic in the polluted streams. Thus, working in the mines appears to be the only chance for the residents in this area to have a job.
George, an unemployed twenty-three year old Romanian, emerges as the most compelling character in the film. A character meant to be both loved and pitied; the viewer ignores his off-key, awkward singing and desperately wants him to have a job, any job. George eventually accompanies McAleer and McElhinney to Madagascar and Peru to visit more communities with halted mining projects. The Western environmentalists emerge as the perfect foil to earnest George who only wants to earn an honest living. The directors make sure to capture their obscene smugness and emphasize the fact many were not from the communities they were trying to “save.”
This characterization of environmentalist as foreign entities, although exaggerated, highlights an important point in this debate. Who should be making the decisions for these communities? The Western world had the ability to develop without having foreign powers, which includes Greenpeace, dictating to them what resources to use and how to use them. For a generation so attuned to political correctness, it is surprising that it does not offend our sensibilities when a Westerner controls the economic destiny of so many developing nations because of environmental concerns. The filmmakers claims it reeks of imperialism and racism—two ‘isms’ the Left has only been able to use thus far.
The representative from Gabriel Resources appears affable and trustworthy in comparison to the environmentalist depicted in the documentary. What “Mine Your Own Business” fails to do is address whether the claims made by mining companies, such as Gabriel Resources are true. After seeing photographs of landscapes permanently scarred by mining and pollution, it is not easy to except the smiles from the representative of Gabriel Resources. The duo who created the film focused on job creation and the improvement of infrastructure that would accompany the project, not the actual environment. The science behind preserving the landscape while still mining may have bored the viewer, but it would have been a perfect opportunity to educate the audience about “smart” environmentalism, or combining economic growth with preservation.
Perhaps the most delightful part of the “Mine Your Own Business” screening was the presence of one of the filmmakers, McElhinney. While answering questions from the audience about the film, she questioned why the environmental groups had the ability to speak on behalf of the welfare of these villages just because they were well-funded and organized. She praised SUV and the price of gas in America, while questioning whether the resources are so scarce while it remains cheap.
McElhinney also questioned claims about the state of the world. She spoke about how when she was a child, environmentalists claimed the world was on the cusp of experiencing another Ice Age. Now because of global warming, the world’s population will be swimming in melted polar icecaps. After such a drastic switch, it is difficult for McElhinney to take the warnings of the likes of Al Gore seriously.
Disturbed by the lack of faith in progress, McElhinney emphasized that those sitting in the room were creative and brilliant. She had faith the next generation would be able to address the negative consequences associated with economic development. With those statements, she pierced into the heart of the matter. Is the environmental situation so dire that we need to dictate to other people how to live?
