Earth Promise: Disney's Got The Power

“Help Save the planet, one drop at a time! Just imagine what we can do, send it on….”

These inspirational words and lyrics are the quintessential mantra from Disney these days. A small scale, tweeners Band-Aid-esque group (remember, We are the World?) has been formed, called, Disney Friends for Change: Project Green. Their environmental message, via song (Send It On) is the eco-zeitgeist. Disney knows what it’s doing. They have the ideal captive audience using their most popular talents. Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Selena Gomez are the star power behind this green initiative. Using all media forms to invite young people to make a difference, Disney Friends For Change can be seen and heard on Disney Channel, XD, Radio Disney Channel and Disney.com.

So what is this tweener’s green initiative all about? It is a new program that encourages kids to pledge to change their daily habits to help the environment. It’s quite simple: you go to the site , register and make pledges (or promises) to make our earth a better place. Hey, if these hip youngsters are doing it, why not you?! At least that is Disney’s thought process. The pledges to choose from are under specified headings: climate, water, waste, and habitat. After making your initial “pledges,” kids can then “Send it on” (to other friends to spread the word.) Disney’s Worldwide Conservation Fund receives 100% of the proceeds when people purchase the song, Send It On through iTunes.

As well as learning bits of environmental information and tracking their pledges, kids can have a voice by deciding how Disney will donate one million dollars to charitable environmental projects. So far to date as a result of their votes:

• $100,000 will help protect arctic wildlife, including polar bears, from the effects of climate change (to be implemented by Wildlife Conservation Society).
• $50,000 will be contributed to the Children’s Forest in Los Angeles, where kids can help plant new trees (to be implemented by San Bernardino National Forest Association).
• $50,000 will help protect endangered tropical forests in the Philippines (to be implemented by Birdlife International and its partner, Haribon).
• $25,000 will be donated to help end deforestation and introduce fuel efficient stoves to protect local habitats in Rwanda (to be implemented by CHF International).
• $25,000 will go towards helping end the deforestation in Central Mexico’s Oyamel forest (to be implemented by ECOLIFE Foundation).
• $10,000 will help replant trees in wildfire-damaged Florida state forests (to be implemented by Arbor Day Foundation).

If spreading environmental stewardship utilizing top talents helps the planet, then Disney’s doing a good job.

Come to Earth Promise, a grown-up version, to make your promises (pledges)!!!