The War on Smog, part two

 

The War on Smog, part two

https://youtu.be/bdQWvMQrs0A

This is a short experimental moviepoem (poetry film, ~1 minute) by Finn Harvor, part of his ongoing “The War on Smog” series. It highlights the environmental paradox of militarism: militaries are justified as protectors of nations and people, yet their operations are among the largest polluters on the planet, actively worsening the climate crisis and making the world less livable.

The piece confronts the irony of “immense defense budgets” causing a “slow, borderless catastrophe.” Key lines from the series (including this installment) include:

“The big planners / Are sure / Whatever they do / Is a form of tough minded / Solution….”

It questions whether militaries can “protect us from an unliveable planet” when their training, wars, fuel consumption, weapons production, and logistics emit massive amounts of greenhouse gases, create toxic pollution, and contribute to smog, wildfires, rising seas, and systemic environmental risk. The narration blends ironic corporate/military-speak with poetic critique, portraying “protection” as self-defeating.

Visual and Stylistic Elements

Consistent with Harvor’s ambient/authorial style (seen in his earlier works like Thievanomics and Meat: The Weapons Folks’ Buffet), it uses layered visuals paired with rhythmic music and text overlays to create a haunting, ironic tone. 

 #climateemergency, #ecopoetics, #futureofwar, and #artandactivism.