Kermit the Frog and the Green Movement

Kermit's Role in Green Politics and Waste Renewal

Nov 5, 2008

In the 21st century, Kermit the Frog is progressing as a character and is shifting his focus from Sesame Street to environmental issues.

Spanish Golden Age dramatist and poet Pedro Calderon de la Barca said, "Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises."

While one quarter of all mammal species face extinction in the next thirty years, Kermit the Frog survives in the hearts of many. Jim Henson’s creation may have been an astoundingly popular character on Sesame Street but he has been taking his act to bigger and broader horizons these days. Instead of changing the world one child at a time as he did for most of his career, Kermit can now claim to be the world’s greenest advocate.

Kermit the Frog and Smokey the Bear

Henson probably did not create Kermit the Frog to invoke any sympathetic feelings for the environmental movement or waste renewal movement. Yet along with the throught-provoking sentiments of Smokey the Bear, Kermit is one of the most recognizable characters in today’s green movement. One only needs to look at Kermit’s conception to understand his unique quality in today’s age of conservation and waste renewal.

Prototype Kermit

No human can say that they were conceived and born like Kermit the Frog. How can they? After all, Kermit was created from a green ladies' coat that Jim Henson's mother had thrown into a waste bin, and two ping pong balls for eyes. The color of his skin is not so subtle. He is green all over except for those burgeoning eyes. If he gets annual checkups at the doctor, he may encounter trouble checking in the color/ethnicity box. Maybe he should get a tattoo that reads “1 of 1.”

Henson and Kermit did not know it but over a half-century has passed and the story of the world’s most famous frog may be more beneficial than ever before. Kermit always will maintain a visceral appeal in the minds of his followers. His motivational messages have inspired children and adults alike since his creation in 1955. While Kermit's performances on Sesame Street have long expired, his character was showcased on the world’s most televised stage: the Super Bowl.

Kermit’s Super Bowl Commercial

While Kermit evolved into a hero from trash, he also made a living on a catchy phrase that has caught on for generations, “It’s not easy being green.” Ford Motors recently invited the green spokesman to, once again, share his message with the world.

During the 2006 Super Bowl, Kermit the Frog appeared in a commercial for the Ford Escape Hybrid. In the advertisement, Kermit the Frog struggles to successfully complete many outdoor adventures such as kayaking, mountain biking and mountain climbing. As he summits the mountainside, an unusual sight appears: the silver Ford Escape. Kermit could only utter, “Wow!" The phrase "It's not easy being green" is heard in the background as Kermit examines the car. He grunts to intimate that he is impressed when, all of a sudden, he notices a sign on the back of the Ford. An environment-friendly green leaf logo is pasted on the rear of the vehicle clarifying that it is a Hybrid. Turning to the camera in awe, Kermit exclaims, "I guess it is easy being green!"

If Sesame Street is any indication, then Kermit’s involvement in the green movement should be a resounding success in the upcoming years.

The copyright of the article Kermit the Frog and the Green Movement in Environmentalism is owned by Max Sherry. Permission to republish Kermit the Frog and the Green Movement in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.