EMA Weekly Forecast: EMA to Honor George Miller With Lifetime Achievement Award
EMA to Honor George Miller With Lifetime Achievement Award
Join EMA and Just Label It On October 15th for a #ConcealOrReveal Day of Action
To bring more attention and support to EMA & Just Label It's #ConcealOrReveal campaign, we're asking you to help spread the message via social media this coming Thursday.
"The Conceal or Reveal campaign was launched by Organic Voices to bring light to the companies that are funding state and federal efforts to block mandatory GMO labeling and to urge them to support mandatory FDA labeling. Coca-Cola and other brands we love are spending millions to deny us the right to know what’s in our food and how it’s grown. This year alone, Coca-Cola has spent $5 million lobbying in Washington, which includes trying to block mandatory FDA labeling of GMOs. Polls consistently show that more than 90% of Americans support GMO labeling and it is time for these companies to step up and support transparency for their consumers. Join us in telling Coca-Cola and others to stop spending big bucks to block GMO labeling!"
If mandatory GMO Labeling is something you're passionate about, share the suggested posts below across your social platforms, along with a link to the petition at www.concealorreveal.org.
The DARK Act will keep us guessing what's in our food, and we have the right to know. Sign & share Justlabelit.org/reveal #ConcealOrReveal
Join @JustLabelIt in asking @PepsiCo, @The Coca-Cola Company, @Kellogg’s & General Mills to stop funding anti-GMO labeling initiatives that keep American consumers in the dark. Please sign and share: Justlabelit.org/reveal #ConcealOrReveal #JustLabelit
Join JustLabelIt! in asking @thecocacolaco, @PepsiCoOfficial, @KelloggUS & @GeneralMills to stop funding anti-GMO labeling initiatives that keep American consumers in the dark. Sign and share: http://bit.ly/1IN295d#ConcealOrReveal #JustLabelIt
Don’t let companies keep us in the DARK about our food. Tell them to #JustLabelIt!: Justlabelit.org/reveal #ConcealOrReveal
Our favorite companies are spending more than $100 million on anti-labeling efforts. Tell @PepsiCo, @Coca-Cola, @Kellogg’s & General Mills to stop funding anti-GMO labeling campaigns that keep us in the dark. Please sign and share: Justlabelit.org/reveal #ConcealOrReveal #JustLabelIt!
Some of your favorites, @thecocacolaco, @PepsiCoOfficial, @KelloggUS and @GeneralMills, are spending millions of dollars on funding anti-GMO labeling initiatives that keep their American consumers in the dark. Let’s change that together: http://bit.ly/1IN295d #ConcealorReveal #JustLabelIt
George Miller to Receive Environmental Media’s Lifetime Achievement Award
We are so excited and humbled to present legendary director George Miller with an Environmental Media Association Lifetime Achievement Award. The director will be the eighth recipient of this honor, joining the likes of Ted Turner, Bill McKibben, and Kelly Meyer.
George Miller has included a strong sense of eco-concerns in many of his films. For instance, his iconic Mad Max series, which got its start with 1979s "Mad Max", starring a young Mel Gibson, tells the story of a post-apocalyptic world where oil is king.
This year, the director/writer returned to his beloved series with a critically-acclaimed new chapter "Mad Max: Fury Road", starring Tom Hardy as the rugged hero Max Rockatansky. In an article on the Sierra Club‘s blog, “Mad Max: Fury Road” director, George Miller, is quoted as saying, “IMAGINE WHAT THE WORLD WOULD look like 50 years from now if every ominous environmental trend of today were to play out: climate change, deforestation, water shortages—plus a couple of thermonuclear strikes for good measure.” That was the mood he had set for the cast and crew before filming began. The result: a critically acclaimed, action-packed movie with a strong environmental message. For this reason, "Mad Max: Fury Road" is a nominee for best feature film at this year's awards show.
We're thrilled to have George Miller attending the 2015 EMA Awards, and look forward to honoring him with a much deserved lifetime achievement award. He will be presented the award by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who plays The Splendid Angharad in "Mad Max: Fury Road". You won't want to miss it!
#ActInParis: Jared Leto Narrates Virtual Reality PSA on Climate Change
EMA Partners With Sierra Club, RYOT News, and Jared Leto for Virtual Reality Climate Change Campaign
This week, EMA, along with Sierra Club & RYOT News, launched the first virtual reality climate change PSA to draw attention to #ActInParis. The 360-degree video, narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto, reveals the breathtaking beauty of the Alaskan Tundra. Why Alaska? Because the effects of global warming are already starting to take a toll on the majestic landscape, and the people that call it home. Watch the video!
(Video) Jared Leto Tour Guides Alaska's Melting Glaciers in 360°: Act In Paris
So, why now? Why Paris? Because a lot of very important people are meeting in the city of lights to negotiate a global climate agreement that will guide how our planet responds to climate change over the next couple of years. In other words, the 2015 Paris Climate Summit could be a game-changer or a major letdown. According to Sierra Club,
“The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference aims to achieve, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, a meaningful agreement on climate action. This is critical because we know that the climate crisis has reached its tipping point, and we are the first generation that is seeing the lasting effects of the climate crisis but may be the last generation that has the chance to do anything about it. With that in mind, the 195 countries that participate in this annual conference will be gathering in just a few short months to attempt to agree on how to combat climate disruption. They’ll develop objectives, rules, and outline their individual climate action contributions at this conference.”
Instead of waiting around to see what happens, EMA joined forces with Sierra Club, RYOT News, and Jared Leto to galvanize people to send messages to their leaders urging them to be bold and #ActInParis. The PSA is meant to show people, in an experience second only to visiting in person, the stunning beauty of the Arctic Tundra. This landscape, along with many others, is in serious risk of changing due to global warming. By showing people what we could potentially lose, we hope to inspire action. In addition to sharing the video with friends and family, there are plenty of other ways to get involved with the campaign. Visit the link below for more information!
EMA Celebrates #ActInParis with RYOT News and Sierra Club at Launch Party
We had a blast Thursday night at the RYOT News headquarters in Venice celebrating the launch of our #ActInParis campaign. Attendees were given the opportunity to try the virtual reality headsets and experience the Alaskan Tundra in 360 degrees. Words can't describe the closeness you feel to the environment when watching in VR. The video is beautiful, moving, and acts as a strong call to action.
The night concluded with inspiring speeches from EMA President Debbie Levin and Sierra Club's Executive Director Michael Brune. Michael presented the challenge of climate change and our fight to overcome it not as a responsibility, but an opportunity. In his words, "(fighting climate change) isn't something we have to do, it's something we get to do."
Take Action: Call on world leaders to act on climate in Paris! #ActInParis
#ActInParis in the News
Fast Company: Jared Leto Tours The Arctic In A New Virtual Reality Climate Change Campaign
Indiewire: Watch: Jared Leto Takes Us on a Virtual Reality Tour of Climate Change
Wareable: Jared Leto narrates VR climate change campaign
E! News: The Do-Gooder Gallery Jared Leto
EcoWatch: Jared Leto Takes You on a 360º Virtual Tour to See First-Hand Effects of Climate Change
People: Jared Leto’s Best Roles, Then and Now
The Video Ink: The Sierra Club Dives Into VR For Their Latest Climate Change Campaign
Planet Experts: #ActInParis: Explore Climate Change in Virtual Reality With Jared Leto
Celebuzz! Hottest Star Sightings
Hypergrid Business: Sierra Club, RYOT release first VR climate change PSA
ET Canada: WATCH: Jared Leto Narrates New Virtual Reality Climate Change PSA
Climate Rocks: Virtual Reality Tour of an Endangered EcoSystem, with Jared Leto
#ActInParis on Social
We want to see your #ActInParis photos, tweets, videos, etc.! Make sure you tag @green4ema, and we’ll share our favorites. Here are some highlights from yesterday.
EMA President Debbie Levin Chats About the 2015 EMA Awards on iHeart Radio's "Food, Drink, And Travel"
In anticipation of the 2015 Awards, EMA President Debbie Levin chatted with "Food, Drink, and Travel" host Nanci Jo Saper about the 25th Anniversary celebration on October 24th. The interview, which is streaming on iHeartRadio, starts at the 15:15 mark and ends at 26:40 (Episode 68).
Last chance to get your tickets and ads for our 25th Anniversary and support our work at EMA!
#MeatlessMondays with Gardein
Did you know that eating one burger has the same carbon footprint as driving 320 miles in your car? Better be a good burger, right? Or you could choose the more Eco-friendly, healthier option of going meatless every Monday. Our and Gardein's goal is to inspire people to give up the meat with the help of tantalizing vegetarian recipes. Pesto stuffed mushrooms, Thai fishless sliders, pasta Alfredo with walnut Parmesan...you get the point.
Do you have a favorite meatless recipe? Share it with us and we'll post it on our blog and social media. #MeatlessMonday will be a fun way to get people eating less meat and thinking about the environmental impacts of their eating habits. Also, you won't have to worry about what to make every Monday.
Want to submit a recipe for our blog? Have a question about how to tweet/instagram your #MeatlessMonday? Email our community manager Jay Jasinski at jayjasinski10@gmail.com
Environmental News and Stories
A dramatic worldwide coral bleaching event is now underway
Corals are incredibly important for the health of our oceans, which is why this is such troubling news. When you see images like the one above, it's hard to ignore the effects of climate change. Please urge world leaders to save our corals and #ActInParis this December.
A Big Win for Elephants! California Bans Nearly All Sales of Ivory
Co-sponsored by the Oakland Zoo, which collected 10,000 signatures from visitors, the bill is similar to a law Brown signed in 2011 banning the sale of shark fin soup, in that it aims to use California's economy to slow the decline of an iconic species."
Let's hope this galvanizes citizens of other states to urge lawmakers to pass similar bills and give elephants a better chance of survival.
Chile Proposes Creation of Largest Marine Park in the World
Last week, we shared the story of New Zealand's newly announced marine reserve the size of France. Well, it appears Chile read the article and decided to up the ante. According to an article by Mission Blue,
"Chilean President Michelle Bachelet led the way in announcing the establishment of the Nazca-Desventuradas marine park—which will cover a surface area of more than 297,000 square kilometers (over 114,000 square miles) surrounding the San Ambrosio and San Felix islands—and a commitment to create a second marine protected area encompassing over 600,000 square kilometers around Easter Island. These two areas combined would protect approximately one million square kilometers of ocean, 'becoming the largest marine protected area in the world,' according to President Bachelet at the conference. She continued, 'This is Chile’s contribution to our oceans, and to the sustainable development of the planet.'"
Let's keep the momentum going! America, Canada, Japan, where you at? There's nothing we like more than a friendly competition that benefits the planet. Our oceans have taken a beating thanks to over-fishing, climate change, and pollution, which is why we need more protected areas to assure biodiversity continues to survive and thrive.
Hopefully, we'll have an even larger marine reserve to report in next week's newsletter!
Whales Bask Under Northern Lights in Norway
As environmentalists, it's important we take the time to appreciate the planet we're fighting to save. Sometimes it's on a simple walk around the neighborhood, a swim in the ocean, or an incredible video from a part of the world we've never been. This week, BBC Earth shared a mesmerizing video of whales basking in the majestic glow of the northern lights. A beautiful moment the whole world can share thanks to video and the internet. Enjoy.