Show numero uno that ruins the environment: Deadliest Catch (and all other large-scale fishing-related shows). I have to be honest, like most of the others, I've spent some serious time kicking back to this. Here's the problem though: it's a show about fishing... really overfishing. This has become a giant problem for biodiversity and environmental health. Though fishermen will never admit it, the populations of the species sought after are dropping rapidly. Any time you start messing around with nature, it's going to start to have issues. It's kind of like the overly sensitive kid who sobs every time you throw his housekeys into the sewer drain. (nevermind...) OK not really but when we F with nature, it never has a positive outcome.
Second, and maybe the most obvious: American Loggers. Are you kidding me? What happened to all the jibba-jabba about saving the Earth? Probably 70-90% of shows on Discovery support saving the environment, but then you glorify professions like fucking LOGGING, the WORST THING IMAGINABLE for the Earth on the same channel!!! This is a pretty sick thing in my eyes. I've said enough.
Third, Dirty Jobs. Mike Rowe is not superhuman, he's actually kind of a douche. Don't get me wrong, he's entertaining, even attractive for a middle-aged dude. (yep, that comfortable with being straight) But half of these jobs he glorifies (again, and for lack of a better alternative), they are destroying the Earth. OK fine, it's not even close to half. But it's another example of how at times, a DC show can make ruining the world look good.
Four, Howe and Howe Tech. A stretch perhaps, but this crap certainly isn't doing anything positive.
Five, and I don't like admitting it. Man Vs. Wild. The only reason Bear eats all of the animals on the show (salmon, frog, snakes, OTTER, etc etc) is to sell the show. Yeah, he's supposedly showing you how to survive, but let's be honest it's just a sales pitch in the commercials. I really like this show, so this one hurts a little bit, but when you're sleeping in a hotel half the night (rumors perhaps, but after this: I don't know) you don't need to kill that many animals unnecessarily.
As a side note, I'd like to add that Ghost Trackers should also get off Discovery. I thought this was a science-oriented channel, not a superstition-driven one. C'mon.
All in all, the Discovery Channel and its programming probably does more good than bad for the Earth. Look, I'm sure there is no argument as to who is increasing awareness and whatnot about environmental degradation and general issues when DC is compared with other stations. I just want to point out that if you are going to have a channel whose mission statement seems to involve environmental awareness and protection, you can't be glorifying professions that do quite the opposite. That's my opinion. Stay classy San Diego.
