Do The Green Thing (.com)
One of my favourite recent online discoveries is Do the Green Thing: “a not-for-profit public service that inspires people to lead a greener life”. It’s admirable ethos and clever approach deserve a well-earned shout-out. It’s a beautifully designed, heart-warming site whose media production department understand the value and effectiveness of keeping their (mostly animation-based) videos simple and to the point. As a plus, they are often very witty. Excellent script-writing is key here.
Here’s SEVEN things you can do to stay green…
Here’s a little production that let’s us know some of the things we may notice when we decide to walk…
I’m now feeling a touch guilty about that new ipad – but perhaps if I unplug my laptop in the other room…
And finally, the plight of the vegetable… Not many people know the damaging effect of the livestock industry. Do the Green Thing says,
cows, pigs, sheep and chickens are reared uses lots of fossil fuels and creates lots of CO2 – more than the car industry. So go Easy On The Meat. Even chopping out several portions a week would make a decent difference.
And Ode Magazine (another great online portal) asks,
What’s the biggest cause of climate change? Cars? Planes? Factories? No. The meat we eat. Producing chicken, lamb, pork and beef takes up one-quarter of the Earth’s surface. Nearly a third of the world’s fertile agricultural land is used to grow feed grains. And to serve the burgeoning meat industry, tropical forests—which are very useful in compensating for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions—are cut down to make room for vast grasslands… CO2 is not the main byproduct of livestock farming, though it is responsible for 9 percent of it. Nitrous oxide and methane respectively contribute 300 and 23 times more to the greenhouse effect than CO2—and livestock is responsible for 65 percent of nitrous oxide emissions and 37 percent of methane emissions …
I think I might start limiting my weekly meat ration. It’s going to be very difficult that’s a certainty. Perhaps this this hilarious low-budget spot, which does an excellent job of bringing attention to the “DotheGreenThing” brand, will draw you to the seasonal vegetable option…
Hi Emily, When you talk about buying local I assume you refer to the carbon footprint that results from long-distance shipping and air-travel (please correct me if I'm wrong). Certainly, this is another addition to the Green lifestyle. It also plays an essential part in building communities. It is a difficult one, though. As far as food importation is concerned, a reduction is certainly necessary. With regards to other products, I wonder over the extent to which such action might affect global trade and thus counter-act globalization on some level. Being able to rapidly get a product from the Philippines to the UK, for example, is certainly one of humankind's achievements - and such a luxury is something that people should be free to strive for. On the whole though, it's an issue which traverses the social, economic and political spectrum. A widespread change in mentality obviously plays a substantial part in shaping the future, but I know my desire to see technology achieve means to allow global trade to continue (and increase) - but without the negative effects - rests firm. It's media platforms like Do the Green thing, and hopefully the UT, that encourage the necessary shift in mentality. I digress... A major decrease in non-local trade is probably a necessary sacrifice. It is one which - based on the rate of potential technological advancement - might only last a generation. I am an optimist, I know! For some, sadly, even this is far too long! I would love to see the UT post an intensive How-To-be-Green guide that had the backing of some experts who are wiser and more informed than myself. Such an amalgamation of up-to-date statistical information that feed into lifestyle tips is what we hope to achieve in the long-term. And to supplement it with great visual media to capture the imagination! Alex
Interesting post, Alex. I didn't see anything here about buying local. What are your thoughts?
Hi Emily, When you talk about buying local I assume you refer to the carbon footprint that results from long-distance shipping and air-travel (please correct me if I'm wrong). Certainly, this is another addition to the Green lifestyle. It also plays an essential part in building communities. It is a difficult one, though. As far as food importation is concerned, a reduction is certainly necessary. With regards to other products, I wonder over the extent to which such action might affect global trade and thus counter-act globalization on some level. Being able to rapidly get a product from the Philippines to the UK, for example, is certainly one of humankind's achievements - and such a luxury is something that people should be free to strive for. On the whole though, it's an issue which traverses the social, economic and political spectrum. A widespread change in mentality obviously plays a substantial part in shaping the future, but I know my desire to see technology achieve means to allow global trade to continue (and increase) - but without the negative effects - rests firm. It's media platforms like Do the Green thing, and hopefully the UT, that encourage the necessary shift in mentality. I digress... A major decrease in non-local trade is probably a necessary sacrifice. It is one which - based on the rate of potential technological advancement - might only last a generation. I am an optimist, I know! For some, sadly, even this is far too long! I would love to see the UT post an intensive How-To-be-Green guide that had the backing of some experts who are wiser and more informed than myself. Such an amalgamation of up-to-date statistical information that feed into lifestyle tips is what we hope to achieve in the long-term. And to supplement it with great visual media to capture the imagination! Alex
Interesting post, Alex. I didn't see anything here about buying local. What are your thoughts?
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