The Simpsons Tackle Wind Power, Whale Rescue And More In Latest Episode

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by Michael Parrish DuDell April 27, 2010
Categories: Film/TV, People.

What the topical-environmental-issue-based episode is going on here?

Whether it’s Mad Cow Disease, solar power or vegetarianism, The Simpsons is never afraid to dig deep into the hottest environmental issues of the day, and this week’s episode is no different.

First there’s Homer, who hoping to cut down his electric bill purchases a wind turbine. Long story short, at first there isn’t enough wind to produce power, but after a storm hits Springfield the Simpson family has more electricity than they know what to do with.

Sadly, however, the storm wreaks havoc on the city and Lisa finds a beached whale on the shore. I regret to report the cartoon whale does not make it and Lisa is forced to accept the whale’s death.

So how did the episode go over? A reviewer on FireFox.org writes:

“This is the most uneven episode of The Simpsons this critic has ever seen, and she’s been watching the show since its first episode.It starts out solidly, with a funny trailer for “Tic Tac Toe – The Movie”; everything leading up to and including the energy fair works well.But the plot’s only a lead-in point for the whale story, which is far more somber.”

What do you think of episode? Check it out below and share your thoughts!

  • Kimitake Hiraoka

    I always feel it’s disgustingly inhumane that people flock to beached whales and prolong the suffering of the wretched creatures by covering them with sheets and pouring water on them. The whales have obviously chosen to end their lives. Why extend their suffering?

    If these do-gooder characters are serious about limiting the suffering of cetaceans, they would provide the coup de grâce and fire a penthrite-grenade into the beast’s brain as the IWC has confirmed this as a quick efficient means of ending the life of a whale. It is the humane thing to do.

    • From MN, with hope…

      They try to keep the whale alive so they may have a chance to get it back into the ocean, so it may live! They didn’t jump onto the shore purposely! If they did, show me the proof that choose to kill themselves. And the grenade-tipped harpoons are not a quick way to kill whales. If so, than I guess the whales thrashing about, and trying to dislodge the harpoon for a long quantity of time is just the nerves going crazy.

      You disgust me. That is just horrible to say. How would you like to have a grenade shoved into your hollow skull?

    • Kimitake Hiraoka

      The only explanation for the whales beaching themselves is that they are killing themselves as part of nature’s response to their overpopulation. Since the 1986 moratorium, their numbers have exploded and fish stocks have plummetted. So it is natural that the excess is killed, and beaching is the only way for a whale to end its own life.

      The IWC has stated itself that modern harpooning methods are a quick (if not instantaneous) means of putting down a whale. Sure there is propaganda footage of the occasional whale thrashing about following a harpooning, but this is not dissimilar from the chicken that runs around following the removal of its head. It’s dead, but still kicking is all.

      And for your information, my skull is not hollow thank you very much. It is full of brains and useful information. I am happy to share some with you if you’re willing to dispense with some of the Paul Watson nonsense you’ve filled yours up with?

      • Daws

        And this is why whaling continues. Because fools like you believe this nonsense. Or rather, you’ll believe anything as long as it keeps you supplied with seafood. There’s plenty of scientific research and theories out there concerning beaching. Committing suicide because of over fishing and some natural call is ridiculous. Inadvertently beaching themselves due to starvation/malnutrition is another thing.

        The logical thing to do, since we’re suppose to be an intelligent species, is to cut back on our fishing. Not kill off the top of the (marine) food chain so we can have what’s left for ourselves. Greedy. Selfish.

      • From MN, with hope…

        I leave the stuff I know about Paul Watson out of it, and I do my research when needed. It just leads to a hate war, not a debate.

        The only explanation? Check again, or do some ‘research’ yourself. Beached whales do it by complete accident! The currents may too strong for an old or injured whale, and it gets taken in with the tide, they follow their prey too closely too shore, bad weather carries whales in to shore, maybe SONAR messes up their echolocation, and they go in by accident! Why they may do it in pods is because they call for help from other whales in their pod, and they get caught up in the current that washes them ashore.

        Whales numbers have increased, chances are not exploded, because of the IWC, and just three nations continued to kill whales, while fish stocks declined due to increased fishing. Again, I say, prove to me that whales are the ONLY factor in fish population declination. Humans think that they’re the only species on the planet, but in reality we are not, and we are killing the ecosystem.

        I will admit that a grenade-tipped harpoon is better than just a harpoon itself. But you will never get me to believe that whales just thrash around, calling to their mates, for about half an hour, just because the nerves are freaking out? I think not. Why else would the whalers shoot the whale with a rifle if it isn’t already dead? Or electrocute it? It just puts lead or copper into the whale, or burns the meat.

        Robert, it was probably due to the weather, in that story there.

  • David

    “Beached whales do it by complete accident!”

    How do you know this? Do people ask the whales, because if not it is just a theory.

    “Why they may do it in pods is because they call for help from other whales in their pod, and they get caught up in the current that washes them ashore.”

    So these highly intelligent species aren’t smart enough to recognize danger, so they just follow each other to their death.

    “…and just three nations continued to kill whales, …”

    Actually 7 nations continue to kill whales.

    • From MN, with hope…

      Do you know for sure that they do it on purpose? Just by studying what happens we can make pretty accurate guesses. Would you save a comrade if they were in danger of death? Guess not by the looks of it. I also suppose those thousands of not millions of soldiers who saved their buddies lives in war are idiots. Would you say that to them, because that’s what you’re implying here. They(the whales) are smart enough to have a distress call, and travel in groups so if one is in danger, they may help another out. I guess you have no sense of comradeship for your friends or family. And its three nations that are mass-killing (taking hundreds) whales. out of curiosity what are the other 4? I know the US lets the native groups in Alaska whale, and some Russians may whale, if I’m not mistaken.

    • David

      The other two after the US (aboutbig 50 Bowhead) and Russia (about 125 Gray with an occasional Bowhead) are Greenland which takes between about 160 and 200 mostly Minke but some Fin whales. And the Faroe islands, not sure of numbers there because they aren’t part of the IWC so I am not sure where to find good numbers. St. Vincent & The Grenadines aso take 1 or 2 humpback whales and I have read that the Philipines takes some but have not been able to find a good source.

      The soldier analogy and me helping a comrade don’t really work, because in those cases the soldier or myself presumably have the means to help, How is a whale going help another whale that is stranded on a beach without getting themselves stranded?

      And there are also many stories of where people go to help their comrades and end up dying the same way. If you ever take OSHA HAZWOPER training they actually tell you NOT to go in after a coworker in a hazardous situation unless you have the proper protective equipment because more people die trying to rescue someone than the number of people that die in the initial incident.

      • From MN, with hope…

        The whales try to help out before the other whale gets stuck on the beach. And the comrades dying trying to help is exactly what happens with the whales. But in many cases it may work, but we just don’t know, because the whales never made it to the beach. Chances are the whales haven’t gone through a OSHA HAZWOPER training session, so they will try to help in any way they can. Though the OSHA HAZWOPER is for hazardous materials cleanup, so that is understandable.

        Thanks for the numbers on the US and Russia, and for applying me with Greenland, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, and the Faroe islands. Surprised to hear Greenland takes that many.

      • From MN, with hope…

        You are welcome David. I try to be as civil as I can. If you’re not civil, its a hate war.

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  • http://www.babyganics.com/ Steve

    Let nature think for itself people. Do not interfere with the balance of things. If you know that a whale is in peril, help the creature if you can. Don’t whine and share useless information to other people okay? Let your own idiocy eat your humanity. Do not infect other people. Just help nature by observing proper segregation of your trash, that way you just helped earth by .00001%. Be smart.

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