Save The World For a Free T-Shirt

Now I know how much Buy Tees readers love a freebie, however this one’s for a rather more worthy cause, i.e saving the world!

If you have twenty friends in the world you qualify, that’s it. You simply let Al Gore and his mates at WeCanSolveIt.org email your compadres and if they all sign up for a free membership you get a freebie tee. It seems (as usual) that this is yet another offer that ignores most of the world, i.e non-Americans, which kind of sucks actually.

Perhaps they’re worried about their carbon footprint, or maybe Europe, Asia, Australia, and the rest just don’t count. I can see their point, America is still the dirtiest country in the world (ecologically speaking), but it wouldn’t do any harm to use Al Gore’s clout to help set up a few international offices and actually save the world, instead of a ‘bit of it’.

The problem will only get worse if we don’t focus on this as a global issue, and we all know exactly why we don’t. Who is going to pressure the new emerging economies such as China and India to clean up their act? Within the next few years I’m sure America can begin to make a difference on it’s awful environmental legacy, I’ve heard Hollywood celebs are clambering over each other for the latest in Hydrogen Cell cars, (but even producing them damages the earth). I can imagine most of the West having to penalise themselves with taxes to clip the wings of the worst offenders, even tax cuts and other incentives for those who contribute to the solution (but don’t hold your breath). The USA is the largest economy in the world that doesn’t have a proper integrated public transport network, there are few major railways, Greyhound Buses roll on diesel, and everyone who doesn’t drive is treated like a freak.

I don’t drive, I’m a freak! I can be in Europe, I couldn’t do this in The States, they offer no other option, it’s cars or nothing over there, sure technology will help, but the logistics of distribution, be it food or any other product, means that most Americans truly have no choice. They are for the main part stuck in the middle of nowhere. I’d take advantage of the rivers and lakes first of all, remember boats? Yes they are slow, but they are far less damaging, and sailing is one the originals when it comes to green transportation.

Unfortunately most produce is grown or reared on such a grand scale that if the USA had to rely on a fleet of sailboats to deliver, they’d face a long wait. America as it happens, is also one of the fattest countries in the world. Hey I’ve got a solution, eat less, cycle, sail, horse ride, or even walk, and America will be saved. Driving to local Maccy D’s in your pickup truck won’t help, no matter how many people you introduce to WeCanSolveIt.org

I’ve also heard that since Al Gore spent a fortune turning his vast mansion ‘green’, he’s actually using more power than before, in fact as much as 200 average American family homes every year. Then again this is nothing compared to China, which will soon topple America’s reign as the world’s top polluter, you know they’re almost there, you can hardly see the Olympics for the smog at Beijing 2008. Russia has just pulled out of NATO, I doubt they’re in the mood for an ear bashing on green issues, and India helped to collapse 7 years of WTO tariff talks were meant to even out the field in world trade. If they had been discussing environmental caps, I doubt the talks would’ve lasted 7 minutes.

I’m no better, I don’t have a clockwork laptop, my house isn’t made from recycled bottle tops and nappies, I don’t have a garden to grow my own organic veggies, but I know there are far worse out there than me. I recycle, I repair, I buy second-hand where appropriate, I don’t eat too much, I don’t drive, if I travel it’s public transport, but I don’t preach, because I’m intelligent enough to realise, that if everyone did what I did, the world economy would collapse. The only thing that’s going to save the world is greed. if there’s more money in green, if the prices are cheaper regarding fuel, production, distribution, we will all jump on the bandwagon. Until then all we have are empty gestures and freebie t-shirt campaigns…

If we want the earth to survive we could always begin by not giving away free t-shirts to promote green issues. How can giving away millions of t-shirts to America actually help the world’s ecology? I’ve no idea. Anyway they’ve printed them now so you may as well get yours whilst you still can. I’m sure the price of sending these out will finally put an end to it, unless Al has his own fleet of Hydrogen fuel cell trucks ready and waiting.

So to clarify, if you’re from the States, you know 20 other Americans who want a free t-shirt promoting green issues, get yours at:-

WeCanSolveIt.org