Thursday 22nd December 2005 Get cycling, urges Hollywood movie's website http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=6336
Starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, and William Hurt, the new Warner Bros film 'Syriana' is a complex thriller set against the backdrop of a world thirsty for oil, and with politicians and oil producers and terrorists eager to get their slice of the action. The film's production company has set up a campaigning website to further explore the West's crippling dependence on oil. The Peak Oil concept is therefore going mainstream and the first point in a 'reduce your oil use' action plan is to cycle instead of drive. However, the 'Oil Change' website majors on getting Americans to switch to energy efficient cars and there's even a tie-in with the Segway Corp to win a battery-driven Segway. These 'Human Transporters' may have less of an energy footprint than cars but they're hardly as eco-sound as bicycles... Not exactly normal Hollywood material, 'Syriana' offers a "gripping portrayal of the moral, political and financial corruption unleashed by the world's insatiable thirst for oil." 'Syriana' takes audiences inside a global energy system that "keeps us warm at night, gets us to work in the morning, and creates devastating potential for conflict and violence." Participant Productions, one of the producers of 'Syriana', teamed up with the US Natural Resources Defense Council and the nature lovers at the Sierra Club to create Oil Change, a web-delivered public campaign that provides "smarter energy solutions that will lower energy bills and cut our dependence on oil." "Syriana is crystallizing the growing concern up and down the political spectrum that we are paying too high a price for our oil," said NRDC Media Director Jon Coifman, who has been closely involved with the project. "The movie is hitting at a critical moment in terms of national consciousness, and it's doing so in a way that people really connect with. That's why it is so crucial to tap that audience energy." The film was premiered in New York City last week. Participant Productions was founded in 2004 by eBay pioneer Jeff Skoll. Two of the first three 'Lifestyle Oil Savings Tips' in an Oil Change PDF are cycle-friendly: "1. Take a Ride. Go for a Stroll. Instead of driving to the corner store or a friend's house, walk there or ride your bike. Youll enjoy the fresh air and get a little exercise. And your doctor will tell you its good for your heart. 3. Find a Walkable Community. Moving? Try to pick a place thats close to work and lets you get around without firing up the car. Communities that combine residential neighborhoods, jobs and shopping -- and which support pedestrian and bike opportunities -- reduce aggravating commute time and help keep you and our planet -- in shape." http://www.participate.net/oilchange _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
