Al Gore and Cameron Diaz launched a new video contest – ’60 Seconds to Save the Earth’, calling on people to submit videos on how they would battle climate change. Great concept right?
I was stunned to see the runner up prizing comprised of Sony TV’s and T Mobil Sidekicks! Exactly how do these things save the earth?! It’s actually quite the opposite. Anyway – geek of the world that I am, I wrote a letter to Al Gore today and thought I’d share it with you:
July 18, 2007
Dear Mr Gore,
First let me say, that like millions of other people, you are my personal hero. Your movie inspired me to drastically change my life, start a new business (sustainable event planning) and join an organization to help fight climate change. I credit you 100% for that.
I must say that I was supremely disappointed to see the list of runner up prizes for your new video contest. Sony TV’s and Sidekicks are products that are not produced from environmentally friendly materials, have a short life span and often end up in landfills. On average, mobile phones are replaced every three years. This type of prizing perpetuates the type of consumerism that is highly detrimental to our ecology and promotes an ideology that covets gadgets and high tech ‘disposables’ as items to be valued over the earth.
I would have been much happier to see environmentally inspired prizing, demonstrating that there are quality, high value items that are just as cool that won’t cost the earth. Surely there are hundreds of willing sponsors in the sustainable sector that have big enough budgets to attach to this venture.
Millions of people listen to you and are inspired to take action based on your actions. Please think organically the next time you venture into a noble contest like this one.
Regardless, you are still my inspiration and keep up the good work.
With warm regards,
Emily Murgatroyd
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Greenprint Events 
You tell em’ Em!!
EMILY YOU ROCK!!
and you are totally right, if they wanted to have good prizes– they could have used that as one more educational experience.. something like a Reware bag, some fly Re:Volve tees, a funky new rechargable usb charger, one of those fancy JV Bikes with the bionic electric motors…. seriously, you are totally right that they could have demonstrated the value and quality… totally. Oh, but one thing, fwiw in terms of effectiveness, from my experiences with the dood, you have to call him Mr. Vice President (and then after one time, he will say “Call me Al”), i know its pomp, but “Mr. Gore” falls on deaf ears…