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

Emily@greenprintevents.com

Unless you’ve been hiding out in the wilderness with no ability to communicate (sounds nice really) then you know about Al Gore’s Live Earth Concert happening this Saturday. With 8 major citites participating and 1000s of ‘Friends of Live Earth’ events taking place, the production will bring together millions around the world, uniting with one common goal - let’s save our planet already.

I love the level of awareness that this will continue to bring to the issue of global warming, I just sincerely hope that all festival and concert goers remember to act in a way that is mindful of the environment. As an event planner I have seen so much waste generated at events and even with the best of intentions, gatherings of this scale are bound to have some shortfalls.

So please - if you are going to an event on 07/07/07, think carefully about the transportation you choose to get there, the purchases that you make and what you leave behind. (If you are going to be in Vancouver, check out the Friend’s of Live Earth Global Habitat Festival at Robson Square.) And if you aren’t participating in any Live Earth events perhaps take 07/07/07 as an opportunity to be aware of your actions and their bearing on the environment.

For further action, take the Live Earth pledge and share it with everybody you know. http://www.liveearthpledge.org/