Is Avatar inspiring activism?
Much like the Navi people on Pandora - our activists are taking action to stop environmental destruction -- only we do it with banners and bloggers instead of bows and arrows.
I was put off by all the hype around Avatar and the amount of money spent on it. And I actually resisted going to see it because I felt that the 500 million or so bucks would have been better spent on more deserving projects. But just recently I caved and found myself riveted by the beautifully animated 3D world of Pandora. It is an amazing film with breathtaking animation that's deserving of the rave reviews. But I left the theater a lot more impressed by the underlying message rather than the 3D graphics that have rocked the cinematic world.
Avatar obviously has a strong environmental message as director James Cameron fully intended. But I wonder how many people have absorbed this message with the realisation that amazing biological treasures, similar to the ones on Pandora, actually exist here on Earth... and that the environmental movement has been fighting to protect them for decades. I wonder how many people walked away from the film towards a future as an environmental activist?
How many people know that ancient forests with massive trees that support entire communities of animals and humans - are threatened by the palm oil and paper industries. How many are aware that thanks to Greenpeace activists and supporters and the help of companies like Unilever - we're now seeing considerable victories for the trees!
Did you know that plants do actually communicate with each other via complex root systems - just like in Avatar? Did you know that the the amazing biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest is threatened by cattle ranches but with the backing of companies like Nike who responded to our Amazon campaign - this threat is now being reduced?
James Cameron said during an interview with the UK's Sun about Avatar. "We are causing a global climate change that's going to be absolutely devastating to the coral reefs".
But how many people are aware that elaborate coral reefs with bioluminescent creatures and delicate Christmas tree worms - almost identical to the giant ones on Pandora - are threatened by bottom trawling, overfishing, pollution and climate change. Across the world - we're pushing for a network of marine reserves that will protect 40% of the world's oceans. Perhaps their extra-terrestrial style appearance in Avatar will inspire more people to care about the creatures right here - in our own oceans. I hope so.
Another (perhaps only coincidental) similarity I noticed -- is the equipment used on Pandora to extract the 'unobtanium'. It's just like the open pit mining machinery used in Canada's dirty tar sands. Maybe Cameron was inspired by our activists who put themselves in front of these machines to stop the destruction there last year. We may not have been able to defeat the baddies here yet - but we're working on it! We're running an ongoing 'Stop the Tar Sands' campaign that has brought increasing attention and scrutiny to the environmental devastation caused by the extraction and processing of this source of dirty oil.
Perhaps Avatar, has provided the inspiration that Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth lacked. Perhaps it has added some much needed global motivation that will help us combat the lack of political will for an energy revolution. But while I've been converted from an Avatar doubter to an Avatar evangelist - literally overnight - I still wonder if it's enough. Is the message strong enough to truly change global perceptions? James Cameron admitted that he deliberately designed Avatar to be a movie with a message. "Avatar asks us all to be warriors for the earth”.
So my question to you is - have you noticed your friends, family or colleagues talking about the issues raised in Avatar? Do you think this movie may have delivered a new generation of environmental activists? Let me know by leaving a comment below or @Greenpeace on twitter.
And just in case Cameron's movie didn't inspire you enough. Here's one we made earlier!
>>Greenpeace exists because this fragile planet deserves a voice. You can become a warrior for the earth with us. And if you hear people talking about Avatar's message - maybe you can encourage them to sign up too!
Follow Greenpeace »
Comments
Eu acho que sim, pelo menos me inspirou bastante... Ao mesmo tempo q me dói uma sátira de quanto estúpidos que nós somos destruindo "apenas arvores", fico muito feliz em ver cada vez mais a mídia mostrando que existe uma forma diferente de ver a vida e o mundo! Vamos lá natureza!!! Estamos juntos com você mãe...
Posted by: érico pierotto filho | February 24, 2010 6:35 PM
It has been my privilige more tha once to be there chained, handcuffed and what not.
At the end of the day you do it because it means that much to you.
I am and will always be humbled and thanfull for you all , every time I know you are there with us. Thanks for having our backs.
Posted by: Steve Wiggs | February 24, 2010 8:30 PM
avatar es una buena pelicula, pero eso no es suficiente para que la gente se de cuenta de lo que le estamos haciendo al planeta...la mayoria de personas no capta el sentido ambientalista de la pelicula...pero al menos es un paso adelante para poder conservar lo que aun nos queda de la tierra...el cambio climatico lo estamos viviendo y cada segundo que pasa es una oportunidad para salvarnos o undirnos...en fin la pelicula es una gran trampolin para los activistas...sigamos adelante... :)
Posted by: diana andrade | February 24, 2010 9:39 PM
Great post, Lizardfish.. er... Lisa. And don't forget that other commonality between Greenpeace and Avatar... Sigourney Weaver!
There's also a very old animated film called FernGully -- the Last Rainforest which tells almost exactly the same story as Avatar, except on planet Earth in the Amazon. Greenpeace honcho David McTaggart had a hand in promoting that film, and it's worth a watch.
Posted by: Brian | February 24, 2010 10:20 PM
Well i think there is a message and this is good, but most people are only saying, that they learned much in the film.
But much don't know what to do.
Maybe we should make an advert after the Avatar movie(s).
And that with 5 big words.
We only have one earth!
Posted by: Dustin Hielscher | February 24, 2010 11:44 PM
Its interesting for me to have had this article sent to my e-mail. After I first watched Avatar I was undoubtably impressed with the visual effects, as was everyone else, but I felt the true value of the movie was in the message it potentially delivered to the thousands (millions?) who watched it.
Posted by: Derek Pluim | February 25, 2010 3:16 AM
I SEE YOU......I KNOW YOU......LETS FIGHT TOGETHER , LETS SET ASIDE OUR Diff's and be ONE strong global link to fight for our HOME - MOTHER EARTH. Love and peace too all. Dion Basson, South Africa.
Posted by: Dion Basson | February 25, 2010 4:33 AM
I want to become a warrior for the earth with you.too! the poor Earth need warriors to defend...!
Posted by: Fatma Jamal | February 26, 2010 6:38 AM
I absolutely got the environmental message of Avatar. It brought tears to my eyes. It is for this reason I had hoped it would take the Best Picture Oscar. This movie hit home because it captured hearts and minds - something the environmental movement has yet to do on a large scale. I think people often understand what they're being told about pressing environmental issues but it's not being absorbed on an emotional level. And it's the emotional level that will propel people to take action and demand change.
Posted by: Deanna Giles | March 17, 2010 10:51 PM