Making it Cool: Internews Helps Produce Climate Change Series for MTV Viewers

Making it Cool: Internews Helps Produce Climate Change Series for MTV Viewers

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Half a billion MTV viewers around the world will be able to meet five dynamic young innovators in the race to combat global climate change, thanks to an inspiring new series of short films called Element launched today. Produced with the support of Internews (http://www.internews.org/), the Element series is a new package of films and public service announcements launched by MTV Networks International as part of its global climate change campaign, MTV Switch.

"In Element, we've worked to confront both the skeptics who think that climate change is just too big to tackle -- and those who hope that just changing their light bulbs is enough," said Mark Harvey, Internews Europe's Head of Development, who with Emily McDowell is the co-founder and co-producer of Element. He added, "Our five characters are from a new generation of climate activists who will connect with young people looking for those who embody lifestyle change, rather than preach about it."

Available in 162 countries, the first five Element films can be seen online on MTV Switch's dedicated website, http://www.mtvswitch.org/ and at http://www.element-tv.net/.

Internews worked with the lead producer of Element, the London-based Television Trust for the Environment, to scour the globe from Rio to Tehran to find young people who are reacting in very different ways to the challenges of global warming.

Viewers follow the stories of five young individuals who are tackling global warming head-on: Harsha, who won the Australian Young Designer of the Year award for an almost fossil fuel-free, bio-plastic molded car; Bremley, who is fighting deforestation and desertification in his native India; Courtney, an American living in England who manages carbon offsetting projects around the world; Igor, a Brazilian whose urban food gardens are slowly spreading across Rio de Janeiro; and Sepehr, named Iran's Best Environmental Blogger.

The Element Climate Change Series is a co-production of the Element Partnership and TVE, made with the support of Internews, the European Commission EuropeAid Cooperation Office, Oxfam Novib and the Com + Alliance of Communicators for Sustainable Development that includes UNEP, the World Bank and the Reuters Foundation.

In addition to its work on Element, Internews has also pioneered the Earth Journalism Network (http://www.internews.org/global/earth), an effort aimed at training the next generation of environmental journalists in developing countries.

CONTACT:
John Boit (jboit@melwoodglobal.com)
Tel: (202) 822-2093

Source: Internews

CONTACT: John Boit for Internews, +1-202-822-2093,
jboit@melwoodglobal.com

Web site: http://www.internews.org/
http://www.internews.org/global/earth
http://www.mtvswitch.org/
http://www.element-tv.net/

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