A New Voice for the Trees

Last month, when I found out that a new movie version of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax was in the works, I wondered and worried how the story's original messages of consuming less and preserving nature would line up with the film industry's typical promotional campaign strategies, which tend to rely heavily on consumption (think Happy Meal toys).

It turns out that thanks to a fourth-grade class in Massachusetts, my worries weren't totally necessary. Initially, the film's distributor, Universal Pictures, developed a Web site that contained no information about what people can do to help the environment. When the children discovered this, they petitioned the studio to correct the problem. As this story shows, they were successful.

That's totally awesome. I tip my hat to the children. Dr. Seuss and the Lorax would be proud. Now, we'll have to see how many thneeds are produced in support of the film's marketing campaign.