Urban Forest Project

My friend and fellow socially conscious designer Mark Randall of World Studio/World Studio Foundation, talks about his Urban Forest Project:

Bollywood Style Safe Sex Video

The "Condom Song" in Telugu from the Nrityanjali Academy, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India...



Thanks John!

RIP George Carlin

George Carlin was a great satirist whose dirty mouth will be missed. Here's some of his very NOT safe for work Seven Dirty Words routine...





Thanks Mica!

Your Backyard Farmer

The ultimate local food is what you grown in your own yard, and for folks in Oregon a new service makes that even easier. Your Backyard Farmer actually provides farmers that come and cultivate your own yard and turn it into a mini organic produce farm for your family...

Community Graffiti

Artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada makes urban murals of everyday people...

Secret Life of Cell Phones

The Secret Life of Cell Phones is a mini-documentary from Inform on the environmental reality of our cell phone addiction ...

via Inhabitat

F*&@# Planet Earth!

A funny take on the truly lovely Planet Earth series (warning: contains NSFW language!)...


Thanks Leah! Via Current

Take The Reaper Bowling

A great classic PSA from Australia...

Body of War

Body of War is a new documentary about what happens to a soldier who returns home paralyzed after fighting in Iraq...




Thanks Melinda!

Buy Daryl Hannah's Biodiesel El Camino

Apparently Daryl Hannah is selling her biodiesel car (along with a pump & station!) via her website, details to come on December 20th. While you wait you can watch her show about sustainable living: Love Life.

Thanks Xtine!

Iraqi Journalist Killed

I was extremely saddened to hear of the death of Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi, an Iraqi correspondent for Alive in Baghdad. Alive in Baghdad is one of the only outlets for Iraqi journalists to give a real view of daily life in their country via weekly videos. Ali Shafeya was killed in his home by Iraqi National Guard force. Get more details and find out how to help Ali's family HERE.

How Much Advertisers Pay For Your Attention

Good Magazine has put together this nice little video showing the actual costs of some of the myriad ads you can encounter in NYC everyday. Of course their own magazine is filled with ads, so perhaps this isn't meant to be a critique after all...




Thanks Mica! Via 5min

Richie Bush

If you haven't read a copy of artist/activist Peter Kuper's depressingly funny parody of a Richie Rich comic book featuring George W. you can watch an animated version HERE.

Vote for an Ecospot

You have until November 9th to vote on Current's contest for creating a new environmental PSA: ":60 Seconds To Save The Earth." Celebrity judges whittled the entries down to 20 semi-finalists and now the final choice is up to you. Watch the entries and make your choice (after logging in) HERE.

P.S. My friend Leah made the one titled "I did noth'N" so I would be remiss if I didn't say she would very much appreciate your vote!

How to Shut Down McDonald's

Steve Lambert of the Anti Advertising Agency "shut down" all the McDonalds in Manhattan on September 15th. Find out the details HERE and check out this press conference featuring "Ronald McDonald" explaining his actions...



via StayFree!

Coffee Bikes

Good magazine tells the story of how a Portland coffee roaster helps coffee growers in Rawanda with bicycles...



Thanks Vickie!

King Corn Trailer

King Corn looks like it will be an excellent companion to the book Omnivore's Dilemma. Watch the trailer here...



Thanks Chris!

Lessig on Corruption

Writer/Professor Lawrence Lessig explains on Danish TV why he's switched his focus from copyright issues to the issue of government corruption...




Thanks Russ!

Kleenex Strikes Out

In a follow up to their previous hijacking of a Kleenex commercial in NYC the folks at Greenpeace follow the film crew to Chicago as part of their Kleerkut campaign to encourage Kimberly-Clark to stop using old growth forest trees in their paper products...

Work It Out

Dancer/Choreographer Bill Shannon developed a unique performance style in response to his bilateral hip deformity that requires the use of crutches. His work challenges stereotypes about disability and is also just plain cool. Check him out in this recent Rjd2 video...

Shock Resistance

I just can't get enough of Naomi Klein. She recently worked with filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón to create a short film which explains the basic premise of her new book The Shock Doctrine.
Not only is it visually powerful and beautifully executed but it ends with a hopeful message.

San Diego Mayor on Gay Marriage

Footage from a recent press conference where San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders explains his decision to support marriage equality...



via StayFree!

Henry Rollins' Ember of Rage

Henry Rollins talking in Israel about his experiences volunteering with the USO...



via Glumbert

Thanks Melinda!

Read A !#&% Book!

This is the controversial parody PSA rap video "Read A Book" which has been running on BET recently... NOTE: This is really, really not work safe (language-wise).

Food Fight!

The Farm Bill Food Battle site, gives information on the current plan to revise the allocation of food subsidies in the US and encourages folks to support a fair Bill (rather than one that focuses on giant agribusinesses). Which side of the battle are you on?...

Not again.

When the current Iraq war started someone (I wish I could remember who) told me that we would see Iran targeted for a war next, and apparently, according to FOX, that time has arrived...

Kevin Nealon is NOT a vegetarian.

While I'm generally not a fan of PETA's marketing tactics, this new video featuring actual vegetarian Kevin Nealon (from Weeds and SNL) is quite entertaining...



You can also seen an amusing PETA interview with Mr. Nealon here.

Thanks Mica!

Pennies and Dimes

This is a video I created for the band Gaskets for their recently released Loose Change album/DVD, it's created entirely with public domain footage from the Prelinger Archive. and made under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. Here's Teddy Blanks, one half of the duo, with the story behind the song/video:

“Pennies and Dimes” is a song that was written when I was close to graduating college and entering what people call the ‘real world’. It deals with my own anxieties about the prospect of making a living as well as some of the frustrations I had with corporate consumer culture, informed by many of the ideas discussed in the “Design Rebels” class I took with Noah. It seemed fitting that Noah direct the video. He expertly cut together a hilarious selection of economic cartoons and food packaging assembly-line footage into an ironically optimistic visual accompaniment to an overtly cynical song.

Lewis Black on Gun Violence

Comedian Lewis Black has made this short video for the Brady Center which is hosting an anti-gun violence video contest (warning this site has audio when you first open it). Current submissions to the campaign can be seen here.

NYC 2057AD

According to designer/director Stephen W. Brandt's short animated film "nyc 2057ad" the future of dating will be determined by your personal corporate sponsor. Watch it here.

Tsunami Orphan Music Video?

Actually these are the credits for a new documentary AmmA, about orphans in Sri Lanka, which is in its final stages. To find out more at Simba Share.

Foodometer

Watch Your (Fo)odometer is a succinct video explanation of the benefits of eating locally by artist Molly Schwartz. It accompanies an essay on fast food by Donna Schaper on TheNation.com.


Thanks Jessica!

The Joy of Balloon Hats

I've been obsessed with the Balloon Hat project for many years and am hoping their recent foray into web video (despite being sponsored by an alcohol company) will expose this great bit of art/activism to an even wider audience. This introduction explains what it's all about...




More videos can be seen here.

For The Love of Public Transit

Ralf Youtz was comissioned by Good Magazine to compose this sweet love song for public transit and perform it while riding on the new arial tram in Portland, Oregon.

While we're feeling all warm and mushy about public transportation let's not forget Billy Strayhorn's unforgettable tune Take The A Train, as performed by Ray Nance.



Award for best lyrics in an ode to public transportation would have to go to the Muppets for this rousing number which describes the subway as 'the biggest travel bargain in town - the longest running show underground'
Take it away, guys...

Drug Testing vs. Soap Testing

Check out this awesome bit of bizarre news, turned into humorously positive marketing for the excellent Dr. Bronner's soaps...



via WFMU

The VideoVets Project

As part of their latest anti-war campaign, The VideoVets Project, MoveOn.org has collected 20+ interviews with actual Iraq war veterans and their families willing to speak out. Now they're asking for visitors to the site to help decide which are the most powerful and eventually they will be turned into a TV commercial by Oliver Stone. You can watch them all now and vote here or sample one below...