Sting's SOS Rainforest YouTube Video
Team Earth Helps Spread Musician Sting's Message about Rainforests
Oct 1, 2009
In advance of the December 2009 meeting of world leaders in Copenhagen for important negotiations on climate change, Team Earth is actively helping to spread a message delivered by the musician Sting about rainforest deforestation.
Team Earth, an environmental organization made up of corporations, non-profits, teachers, and students, uses social networking to combat issues such as rainforest deforestation. By encouraging people to spread Sting’s video via Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, Team Earth hopes to get the issue of rainforest deforestation to the top of the agenda in Copenhagen.
Sting’s YouTube Video about Rainforest Deforestation
Sting, who introduces himself in the two-minute YouTube video as a “rainforest campaigner,” uses his song “Message in a Bottle” to “send an SOS to the world” about rainforest deforestation. The video, which is a production of the Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP), also includes other famous personalities such as Robin Williams, Rod Stewart, Vivienne Westwood, Billy Connelly, Rod Stewart, Stephen Fry, and Harrison Ford.
Team Earth’s Collective Action Challenge for PRP
Team Earth uses “collective action challenges” to address environmental issues, and the first Team Earth collective action challenge is the PRP. Team Earth encourages people to join the collective action challenges on the Team Earth website, and they also promote direct support and involvement of the organization being supported—in this case, the PRP.
The Prince’s Rainforests Project
The PRP launched its public awareness phase in May of 2009, and the Rainforest SOS campaign was launched on 30 September 2009. According to a press release issued by the PRP, “the PRP is now asking people across the globe to send a Rainforest SOS message to show their support for emergency action for the rainforests.”
How to Help Save the Rainforests
Sending an SOS is accomplished through the PRP website by adding one’s name and an optional message. “This message,” according to a PRP spokesperson, “is to demonstrate the level of public support for action to be taken to stop rainforest destruction because of the impact of the burning of forests on climate change.”
The Rainforest SOS campaign will culminate in November at a rainforest event hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales. A representation of all those who have signed up during the campaign will be included in a book of rainforest photographs, which will then be given to world leaders before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
Why Save Rainforests?
Rainforests are critical to the survival of life as it is currently known on planet Earth. In addition to regulating rainfall and preserving biodiversity, rainforests store carbon. As such, tropical rainforest deforestation is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing rainforest deforestation is an essential part of mitigating catastrophic climate change.
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