This year, Friends for Change is expanding and broadening efforts to not only help the planet, but to also make a lasting, positive impact on the people and animals that live on it. In communities across the globe, kids and families can organize and design projects such as organizing a food collection, planting a community garden or starting a Friends for Change club.

Kids and families are invited to visit Disney.com/Friends for additional ideas on how to make a difference, learn more about applying for a Friends for Change grant and find out about local service activities and events happening in their communities. Kids are also encouraged to make a Friends for Change pledge. In addition, project champions can check out the Friends for Change Action Kits.

Friends for Change is a multi-platform initiative that inspires kids and families to join together and make a positive impact on their world by helping people, communities and the planet. And while these activities may vary, they are united by an overarching emphasis on fostering creativity, conservation and compassion. Through PSAs on-air and online action kits, the program aims to provide useful resources to encourage kids to make small changes that add up to big differences. Friends for Change, along with Youth Service America provide grants to support youth-service projects in communities across the world. Friends for Change currently has almost five million actions taking place from kids in 33 countries throughout Europe, Latin America, China and the United States. For more information, please visit Disney.com/friends.

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Post tags: Community, Environment, Environmentality, Friends for Change

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The Jane Goodall Institute was awarded $5,000 for veterinary supplies to vaccinate chimpanzees and staff against a dangerous measles outbreak at the Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chimpanzees are highly susceptible to human diseases, and the high cost of vaccines for 146 chimpanzees and 60 staff members jeopardized the team’s ability to cope with future medical emergencies.

The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) was also awarded $3,000 to assist in the relocation of four orphaned chimpanzees confiscated from smugglers in Sudan. The chimpanzees, Cocoa, Minni, Sarah, and Medina, are all orphans of bushmeat trade and are believed to have been smuggled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are too young to be able to care for themselves but Minni and the others are adjusting well to their new sanctuary home in Uganda. DWCF helped cover the cost of air travel to relocate the chimpanzees from Sudan to Uganda.

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Rapid Response Fund provides emergency funding to wildlife and wild places in the aftermath of disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and disease outbreaks. Since the beginning of 2011, DWCF has contributed more than $40,000 to emergency relief efforts worldwide including repairing an educational walkway damaged in a storm in Zimbabwe to allow for continued youth conservation education efforts, and supporting the needs of the International Primatological Society and Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums following the devastating earthquake in Japan. The funding for these emergency grants has been provided through a partnership with Disney’s Friends for Change and iTunes, thanks to several anthems created by stars from the Disney Channel. Coinciding with the premiere of the most recent song by Bridgit Mendler, “We can Change the World,” Disney contributed $250,000 to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to help the planet when it needs it most.

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“Being a respected global citizen isn’t just good for our employees and the communities in which we operate, it is critical to the growth and success of our business,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney President and CEO. “Our next step is to build upon our existing programs and initiatives by clarifying our commitments and expanding our efforts to track and measure our progress.”

Highlights of the 2010 Report include:

The interactive multimedia report, now available online only at www.disney.com/citizenship2010, includes comprehensive coverage of eight key areas: family entertainment, inspiring kids and communities, nature conservation, environment, community, workplaces, supply chain, and human rights. An interactive map provides insights into Disney’s activities around the world. The report follows the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

The citizenship report anchors a broader suite of publications. Six additional reports provide information on local impacts of our Parks & Resorts segment.

The voting is part of an overall call to action for kids to make a difference in their local communities. Registered participants make personal promises to reduce their impact on the environment by changing their everyday actions. They can also help allocate Disney’s $1 million commitment to fund environmental programs worldwide.

Voting is continuous throughout the year. Kids have the opportunity to vote on five different projects per quarter. Each project is managed by leading environmental nonprofit organizations. The projects are centered on Disney Friends for Change’s four focus areas — climate, habitat, waste and water. With nearly 2.5 million votes, Disney Friends for Change kids have helped direct almost $2 million to 41 projects in 21 countries since the program was launched in May 2009.

The award amount is contingent upon how many votes each project receives. This is the third round of award voting, and the first to include international votes. The results are as follows:

First Place, $100,000 award
BirdLife International, Saving Spoony’s Chinese Wetlands: The project contributes to the conservation of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a unique and highly threatened migratory shorebird. The project raises awareness among local governments and communities about the importance of the species and of the inter-tidal wetlands that are vital for its survival. This is the third project funded by Disney Friends for Change program in China, totaling $175,000 of support from the program in the country. Other funded projects in China include work supported by The Nature Conservancy as well as Roots and Shoots, a program supervised by the Jane Goodall Institute.

Second Place, $50,000 award
The Nature Conservancy, Protecting Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest: The project trains local students to monitor local wildlife in an effort to protect the rainforest, home to such animals as grizzly bears and wolves. This is the first Disney Friends for Change program funded in Canada.

Third Place, $50,000
Fauna and Flora International, Iberian Lynx Habitat Conservation: Once considered common, the Iberian Lynx is now the rarest of all the cat species. Less than 100 of the Iberian Lynx now live in the wild. The population crash is due to habitat loss in Spain and Portugal and declining

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The plush, manufactured by licensee Dream, continues to have the ability to be precisely positioned on store shelves (sitting on what ironically resembles a toilet in this blog’s opinion) as well as offer the same amount of information, while using far less materials.

According to EnvironmentalLeader.com, the immediate savings as a result of the change is equal to about eight metric tons of cardboard annually based on the existing sales figures for the plush. Because the packaging consumes less physical space, the article also attributes additional potential savings in reduced transportation requirements.

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Post tags: Awards, DCP, Environment, Environmentality, Merchandise, Toys, Winnie-the-Pooh

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The aim of this ambitious movement is to empower children to take charge when it comes to the environment, whether it’s their own piece of the planet or a big picture approach.

“With Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green, kids are discovering that helping the planet is easy and fun when they work together and have the right tools,” said Jennifer Anopolsky, senior vice president, Corporate Responsibility, The Walt Disney Company. “In just one year, participation has exceeded our wildest expectations and we’re building on that momentum by extending Friends for Change to kids in other parts of the world and enhancing the program with fresh new content, local community events, and more grant money that will empower kids with even more ways to get involved.”

Twelve months after the launch of Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green, kids have made nearly two million personal promises to change their daily routines, from unplugging electrical devices when not in use, to taking shorter showers.

Kids can also go global with their votes on where to allocate Disney grant money. As a result, one million dollars in grants from Disney are now supporting 25 critical environmental projects around the world.

With the new videos and web content debuting May 30, young people will learn even more ways to recycle, save water, help habitats and reduce energy consumption. They will also have the opportunity to again vote on how another $1 million in grants will support worthy environmental causes throughout the year.

Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green is setting the pace for environmental initiative. With nearly two million promises, kids have pledged to:

Kids are also learning about the power of their vote. Thanks to their input, Disney has donated more than one million dollars to 25 environmental projects in 15 countries, including:

Kids can turn their own local environmental project

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With new advanced sewage treatment systems, it’s lack of shoreside power that keeps DCL from earning a top score (at least until its excursions into Alaska begin). The inability to power the ship directly from the ports means that the ship must burn off ‘dirty fuel’ while docked in order to provide electricity to the ship.

Disney Cruise Line has told the organization that the Disney Wonder will be upgraded to be able to operate on shoreside power when docked by the end of 2010 and that both the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy will offer shoreside power as well as the advanced sewage treatment systems.

For more information on the Disney Cruise Line rating as well as those of other cruise lines, visit the report’s methodology page.

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Post tags: DCL, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Environment, Environmentality

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“Oceans” follows last year’s record-breaking film “Earth,” and features spectacular, never-before-seen imagery captured by the latest underwater technologies. Disney Cruise Line crew members will also raise additional funds through a “Walk for Oceans,” a late-night fundraiser that has become an annual tradition onboard the ships.

“The Bahamas have been home to Disney ships, and our private island, Castaway Cay, for more than a decade,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations.  “We have built significant long-standing relationships throughout the islands and care deeply about maintaining and preserving these precious ecosystems for all of us to enjoy today and in the future.  We are proud to be involved with The Nature Conservancy’s program to give back in such a meaningful way.”

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Post tags: Coral Reef, DCL, Disneynature, Donation, Environment, Environmentality, Nature Conservancy, OCEANS

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“Our players constantly ask for ways they can improve the virtual world of Club Penguin and the world at large, and we like to encourage that spirit of global citizenship and giving back,” says Lane Merrifield, co-founder of Club Penguin and executive vice president of Disney Online Studios. “Children today are far more environmentally aware than ever before and they truly want to make a difference. It’s important that their experiences on Club Penguin reflect and reinforce those ideals.”

The Earth Day party will allow the kids who play Club Penguin to work together to make good things happen in the online community, and will include the launch of a permanent recycling depot and community garden, which players will be responsible for maintaining. In addition, players will have the opportunity to help plant and nurture a community tree, which will become a permanent fixture on the virtual island’s snow-covered landscape. In an effort to further promote sustainability and encourage environmentally friendly behavior, Club Penguin will also offer suggestions on things kids can do in the real world.

“We hope by taking an active role in caring for the virtual environment of Club Penguin, where their penguin avatars live, work and play, the kids will realize they have an important role to play, and they’ll take those lessons into their home communities and find ways to make a positive difference in the real world,” says Merrifield.

Club Penguin is available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and is enjoyed by players in more than 190 countries. Word filters and live moderators monitor chat and activity on the site and work to prevent the sharing of inappropriate or personally identifiable information. Club Penguin is free to play, however paying members receive special features such as front-of-the-line access to game features, exclusive parties and opportunities to customize their penguin and igloo.

The 2010 Earth Day party is just one example of Club Penguin’s ongoing efforts to motivate its players to help change the world. A portion of the

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The report shares details on the line’s commitment in the areas of community outreach, environmental stewardship, and further outlines how the company provides a safe and comfortable workplace for cast and crew members.

“At Disney Cruise Line, we are proud to be involved with many communities around the world and strive to make a positive impact in all of the places we call home,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations.  “Through our relationships with local leaders, we are able to extend our special brand of Disney magic beyond our ships and into the local communities where we live, work and play.”

In 2009, Disney Cruise Line and its cast and crew members contributed more than $252,000 in charitable, cash and in-kind merchandise and equipment donations to local organizations focused on developing children and supporting the environment across 13 unique ports of call.

The community report reflects a company-wide effort to build an integrated, transparent strategy that focuses on serving the needs of guests, cast and crew members, shareholders, business partners and local communities.

Highlights from the report include:

Our Community
In 2009, Disney Cruise Line engaged communities by providing support to local non-profits through charitable giving and volunteer efforts, while also benefiting local economies by creating jobs and consuming goods and services.

The Environment
Environmental stewardship continues to be a cornerstone of our business.  This year’s efforts focused on utilizing new technologies and ongoing programs to increase fuel efficiency, minimize waste and promote conservation worldwide.  Key initiatives included:

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A few days ago, we revealed some of the new Earth Day limited-time-only merchandise from the Disney Store featuring the Alien from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 with the tag line SAVE PLANET EARTH. Today, DisneyStore.com launched its Earth Day Boutique and although you won’t find any of that merchandise online, you will find dozens of other eco-friendly merchandise including Alien tees, a tree planting kit (pictured), a Muppets water bottle and re-useable tote and more eco-friendly merchandise.

Other items of special interest in the store include merchandise supporting the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund and a special re-useable tote from Make-A-Wish in honor of its first annual World Wish Day on April 29 with proceeds going to charity.

To see all of the items now available for purchase, click the special link below.

DisneyStore.com Earth Day Boutique. Shop Now!

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Post tags: Conservation, dap, Disney Store, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, DisneyStore.com, DWCF, Earth Day, Environment, Environmentality, Make-A-Wish, MAW, Merchandise, Muppets, Toy Story, Toy Story 3, TS, TS3

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“It was such a tough decision for our judging committee to make. So many of the projects submitted exhibited environmental solutions grounded in science and teamwork”

Thousands of classrooms in all 50 states enrolled in Disney’s Planet Challenge, which is just in its first year as a national program. Since fall 2009, classes across the nation have been hard at work on environmental projects of their choosing. They spent months collecting data, conducting field research, coming up with solutions for problems, promoting community involvement and documenting their efforts along the way.

“It was such a tough decision for our judging committee to make. So many of the projects submitted exhibited environmental solutions grounded in science and teamwork,” said Dr. Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs for The Walt Disney Company. “Mrs. Schnedler’s class submission for ‘Operation: Save the Quail’ went above and beyond in demonstrating a dedication to understanding the environmental impacts of actions and initiating real-life change that they can be proud of.”

Winners were chosen by a judging committee made up of scientists, environmental experts and educators including representatives from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and WestEd K-12 Alliance. State and regional winners will be announced this week on the program web site www.disney.com/planetchallenge.

Mrs. Schnedler’s class, located in a small rural community in Iowa, focused on saving the Northern Bobwhite Quail population for their project. The waning quail population – due to harsh weather and decreased prairie land – is a significant environmental issue facing Des Moines County. To restore the quails’ natural habitat, students collected information through computer research and field work. With the help of community members, the class restored acres of existing conservation space in Luckenbill Woods by conducting a controlled burn to prepare the land and replanting native vegetation that will benefit local quails, promote diversity of wildlife and help to control soil erosion. Furthering their efforts, the students wrote to the local

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The Alien-themed ‘green’ merchandise include fashionable ‘Save Planet Earth’ tote bags made from seven recycled bottles that were cleaned, smashed, melted and reused. Disney Store’s aluminum bottles can be reused over and over again, and the “Save Planet Earth” journals are made from recycled paper. A new line of T-shirts made from 100% organic cotton with the message “Love” and “Save Planet Earth” will also be available. Since the adorable three-eyed green alien from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story serves as the mascot of these environmentally friendly products, Disney Store will also unveil an exclusive new plush alien to commemorate this special occasion.

[View with PicLens]

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In Florida, Walt Disney World Resort is a leader in the use of environmentally-friendly, low VOC paint.  Some of the chemicals found in paint are volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.  Previously, VOCs were considered essential to the durability and performance of paint, both in how well the paint withstood outdoor weather conditions and how quickly it dried.

Until Walt Disney World Resort began using the paint just a year or so ago, low VOC paint was not widely available at most large paint distributors in Florida.

Low VOC paint significantly reduces environmental emissions that react with other elements to produce ozone and cause air pollution.  Low VOC paint improves those emissions as the paint dries, in some cases by 90%.

The Blizzard Beach rehab is an excellent example of a large-scale project using the paints. The use of low VOC paint is not mandated in Florida but its use is consistent with Disney’s longstanding commitment to the environment.

“This is one of our largest rehabs that we’ve ever had.  We had a chance to go in while our park was closed and do a great refresh,” said Blizzard Beach GM Jean Gallagher. “With the ‘snow’ for example, we had our Imagineers and our art directors that come out and help direct what that painting looked like. So from the art side, you don’t just take a gallon of white paint – it’s got blue aspects, it’s got glistening ‘pixie dust’ so when the sun shines on it you can really see that shine.”

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Post tags: Blizzard Beach, Environment

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