Archived press release

Friends of the Earth's new website gives digital facelift to community activism

13 August 2009

Friends of the Earth launched an innovative flash website for its Get Serious About CO2 campaign today, demanding councils play their part in tackling climate change by reducing local emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020.

Designed by CHI & Partners, the environmental campaign group's new Get Serious About CO2 website - gives political activism a digital facelift to deliver increased impact and participation.

Visitors to the site are invited to come together online to register just how serious they are about local councils tackling climate change. To sign up, people are asked to upload a photo of their most serious face. This online movement will support the campaigning of Friends of the Earth's local groups around the country - which are lobbying their local councils to cut emissions in their area by at least 40 per cent by 2020. The uploaded photos will be used to petition the Government for more money and less hassle for councils so they can get on with fitting green energy, insulating homes and improving public transport.

The uploaded images will join those taken by award winning photographer Adam Hinton, who snapped the first 100 petitioners.

As well as arming activists with hard facts about the issue, Friend's of the Earth's new website also asks them to register how serious they are about a selection of topics ranging from renewable energy to stinky cheese.

Visitors are then able to organise themselves into tribes - shown as a swirling wall of interactive images - based on shared levels of seriousness. Friends of the Earth thinks the combination of serious messages and entertaining functionality will encourage protestors to spread the word to their friends and family.

Individuals are also encouraged to return to the site regularly to track the growth and evolution of the movement. Through Friends of the Earth local groups providing regular news feeds and updates on the site, individuals can keep up to date with the Get Serious About CO₂ campaign in their local area. So, unlike other campaign sites where registering your interest or making a donation is the end of a supporter's involvement, here it is just the beginning.

Commenting on the launch of the new website, Christian Graham, Friends of the Earth's Publishing and New Media Manager, said:

"The Get Serious About CO2 website is a key part of our work to reach out to a new generation of activists.

"We're hoping the interactivity of the site will draw people more deeply into our work and establish a community of people serious about councils cutting CO2, so we can exert the pressure we need to tackle climate change at a local level."

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1. Friends of the Earth's campaign - Get Serious About CO2 - is calling on councils to commit to cutting carbon dioxide in the local area by at least 40 per cent by 2020 - and produce an action plan detailing how it's going to happen. The campaign is also calling for more money and less hassle for councils to do things like improve public transport, insulate more homes and install green energy, and for a new duty on councils that fail to act on climate change.

2. The Get Serious About CO2 campaign is supported by the TUC, UNISON, the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health and Environment Protection UK.

3. Friends of the Earth believes the environment is for everyone. We want a healthy planet and a good quality of life for all those who live on it. We inspire people to act together for a thriving environment. For further information visit: http://www.foe.co.uk/.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust