Hi, Earth. Thanks for coming in today to talk about your performance as a planet. I’m sorry we haven’t done one of these reviews yet, but I figured I would give you a few million years to get comfortable with the solar system’s expectations before I grilled you. Right off the bat, let me mention that I will not be giving you a raise during this performance cycle. Keep your nose down and continue working hard, though, and we can chat about compensation next time around.
All right, let’s get into it. I took a broad look at your performance and I’m a little disappointed. You started off so well as a planet. You had over 15 billion acres of lush, green forests. You assumed a leadership role in various biodiversity projects. Your aquifer water levels were industry-best. Now, I barely recognize you.
First, we have to discuss and work on improving your carbon dioxide emissions. Your CO2 numbers were far too high this quarter. You’re currently on track to hit carbon dioxide levels that haven’t been seen in over 200 million years. And I don’t mean that in a good way. Come on, you’re better than this. Don’t tell the others, but you’re my favorite planet. You’re so full of potential. I love that thing you do with the Aurora Borealis — it’s amazing! But these CO2 numbers need to be fixed and they need to be fixed soon.
We also have to talk about your professional attire. All planets are expected to comply with our dress code policy. What happened to the colossal ice sheets and lush forests that used to cover you up in a professional manner? Your ice sheets are melted and covered in grime. Your forests are completely disheveled and torn up. This messiness violates the policies in the solar system handbook. Saturn adheres to the dress code by wearing elegant planetary rings, Mars wears business formal ice clouds, and Jupiter is covered in classy, gaseous pinstripes. Try your best to tidy up your ravaged forests and melted ice sheets.
Also, while we’re on the topic of appearance, I also have to bring up your personal hygiene. This feedback is difficult to share, but I’ve received a few complaints from Mars and Venus about your smell lately. It might have something to do with your increased methane gas emissions. I’m going to tell you what I told Neptune: methane gas is a natural part of many planets’ atmospheres, but we need to try to minimize it as much as possible so as not to disrupt our co-planets.
I don’t want to make any assumptions about your life outside of the office, but could your roommate situation have anything to do with this dip in performance? Looking at your numbers, things only started to go downhill after humans moved in with you. Maybe it’s time you sat them down and had a conversation about respecting personal space? From my vantage point, it looks like they’re not respecting your space and it’s clear that the stress of that relationship is bleeding into your performance as a planet.
Speaking of relationships, I can’t help but notice you have been missing our team’s weekly planetary happy hours. These are obviously not mandatory. However, they’re a great way to mingle and catch up with the other planets across our solar system in a more relaxed environment. Collaboration is key in our solar system. I mean, we all revolve around the same star, so we might as well get to know one another. I bet you don’t even know that Saturn recently found out it has a moon that can support life. How neat is that? Try to attend the next happy hour.
Again, I don’t want to make any assumptions, but maybe you’re always rushing out of here at 5 PM. because you’re worried about your roommate overpopulation. Look, I get it. Initially you said, “Sure, move in. I could use some help with the rent.” And now, the number of roommates you have is reaching unsustainable levels. I bet they’re drinking all of your water and eating all of your food, even though you’ve properly labeled everything. You have to cut them loose. It’s for your own good.
I almost feel like I’ve failed you as a manager by being too hands-off. I mean, just look at your biodiversity numbers. I turn around for one minute and suddenly all of your coral reefs are in the red and the dodo bird account has been terminated. You used to be my star planet. I’d use you as an example in my performance reviews with all of the other planets. Look at Earth, I’d say. Look at all of Earth’s amazing ecosystems and diverse species. Now, I look at you and I see a withered, polluted under-performer.
Listen to me. Cut the humans loose, Earth. They’re literally killing you. Most importantly, they’re killing your future in this solar system. I don’t want to fire you, but I won’t have much of a choice unless you reverse this trajectory you’re on. I haven’t fired a planet since Pluto in ’06 and you remember what a rigmarole that was. Pluto continued to show up to team meetings, drunk off its tiny, non-planetary ass. The whole thing was embarrassing.
Let’s make some big changes, all right? I’m giving you a rating of “Strongly Needs Improvement” for this performance cycle, but I believe in you. I think you’re going to turn things around.