The ‘Date With History’ contest is an opportunity for young people around the globe to inspire the leaders of the world to act boldly and with urgency on key issues impacting the future of our planet. Entrants can upload a video speech below, and the top videos voted by the online public will be shared at the upcoming Rio Earth Summit in June.

A diverse jury of prominent celebrities, environmental activists and thought leaders will select one winner who will travel to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the summit and to share their vision!
Watch the Video »

Check out some photos from last night's event

Submissions must:

Be humorous
Address the issue of clean energy and/or green jobs
Reach a broad audience beyond just environmentalists
Be an original production
Be less than three minutes
Posted to Eco-Comedy Video Competition 2012 YouTube Channel

Click here to watch the video

Eligibility

(for Complete Eligibility, click here)

You must:

• Be between 13-18 years old in September 2012.
• Be a middle or high school student (in grades 7-11) in September 2012.
• Be a resident of the 50 United States or District of Columbia.
• Be able to commit to a term from September 2012 - June 2014.
• Be available for bi-weekly web meetings with fellow Council members.
• Be able to travel for a special, expense-paid, kick-off leadership training event  (tentative dates July 31st - August 5, 2012).

Benefits

Thanks to the generous support of The Hasbro Children's Fund, the Youth Advisory Council provides youth from across the country the opportunity to:

• Engage in creative work with a nonprofit organization focused on youth and service.
• Partner with like-minded youth with unique perspectives from around the country.
• Inform generationOn programming while learning about approaches for engaging youth in community service.
• Act as a service-learning ambassador in their region by playing a leadership role in engaging youth in service and service-learning.

Application Process

• The generationOn Youth Advisory Council application will be available online starting Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 10:00am EDT.
• Applications must be received by Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 5:00pm EDT.
• All applicants will be notified of the status of their application on or around Friday, April 27, 2012.
• Phone and video interviews may be requested of finalists in mid-April.
• Final notifications will be sent on or around Friday, May 14, 2012.

 Download a flyer to share this information with others.

A year later, we continue to hear many stories about the human and environmental impact of the aftermath. Most recently we are learning of the resulting 3 to 4 million tons of marine debris that washed into the ocean in Japan, a small percentage of which is floating toward the Pacific coastline of the United States.

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami was a human tragedy and an unpreventable natural disaster. But the trash that finds its way into our ocean every day is preventable. The debris from the Japanese tsunami is a small part of the larger problem of ocean trash. By removing and reducing the amount of trash in our ocean and waterways, we can help ensure that the ocean is more resilient in the face of unavoidable natural disasters. Common items like plastic bags, bottles, and cigarette butts discarded long distances from the coastal areas find their way into waterways and rivers and ultimately end up in the ocean, creating a growing problem for marine habitats, resources, and all of us who depend on them for survival.

My organization EarthEcho International (in conjunction with partners including Toyota USA Foundation, Participant Media, Discovery Education, and Ocean Conservancy) has created tools and resources for young people to do something about this issue of trash. It is one small way that young people can take control of the future, starting in their own backyards, schools, and communities. From students and educators to parents and community leaders, EarthEcho provides resources and tools to help people make a positive difference in their communities and beyond. The good news is it's something we can all start today. Coordinate a waterway or park cleanup in your community, create an awareness campaign at your school about the effects of plastic bottles, and practice safe disposal methods in your home.

As we reflect back at the devastating events of a year ago where so much was beyond control, it's an opportunity to look at what is in our control every day to ensure a brighter future.

Visit WaterPlanetChallenge.org to start your efforts today.

Watch Philippe Cousteau's interview about tsunami debris on CBS by clicking here

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The summer 2011 algal bloom outbreak in the western section of Lake Erie was the worst that has ever been recorded according to a new report by the National Wildlife Federation. Researchers have different opinions on what caused this “perfect storm” of algal growth this summer, but all agree that immediate action must take place to prevent this from happening again.

Akron’s Coventry Middle School students have been studying this environmental catastrophe through their Disney Planet Challenge project, What is an algal bloom?...You are about to enter the Dead Zone! Disney’s Planet Challenge (DPC) is a project-based learning environmental competition for classrooms across the U.S. DPC teaches kids about science and conservation while empowering them to make a positive impact on their communities and planet.

Coventry students have been working with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Surface Water Division and participating in several labs on nutrient overloading. Community involvement will include “storm drain marking” on a minimum of 25 storm drains throughout the village.

The students held a fishing derby at the Division of Wildlife Fish Hatchery in Portage Lakes. Student Adam Marsh attended the derby with his mother and 2 siblings, stating that the reason he participated in the event “was to have fun and enjoy the outdoors in a clean and safe environment.” The students visited the Ohio State’s Aquatic Research Facility on Gibraltar Island observing the algal bloom first hand and completing water quality testing and stream monitoring.

Middle School students realize the economic and recreational significance of Lake Erie and hope to bring this ecological disaster to the forefront of environmental issues. Teachers Chris Lorence and Jim Trogdon are the coordinators of the project. Trogdon states, “The first step in solving any problem is to make people aware of the current situation and then take action. This is the goal of our project.” Coventry Middle School students are actively working with a variety of resources including the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio State’s Aquatic Research Center, Stone Lab, Underwriter’s Laboratories and Ohio EPA Surface Water Division of Summit County.

Alec McClellan, President of Good Nature Organic LawnCare, partnered with Coventry Middle School to help promote the students’ Disney Project. Good Nature will donate $30 to the school’s outdoor education program for anyone who signs up for a full lawncare program. For more information, call Good Nature Organic Lawncare at 216-285-1881. Best of luck to these young environmentalists as they continue their work.

Students from across the country – and Canada! – tuned in to hear Brent Kim and Ralph Loglisci of Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future and me, as we discussed the environmental and community impact of daily food choices, the issues associated with modern industrial food production and its environmental impacts, and the history and effectiveness of the Meatless Monday campaign.

So share the What’s On Your Fork resources with your friends, family, colleagues and other students. Have a discussion with each other about the ways you can make a difference by making small changes to your daily routine. Remember, everything you do makes a difference…even at mealtime.

Click here and scroll down to the video player to watch our webinar and learn how YOU can make a difference

GUIDELINES
The contest is open to anyone who prepares a short, funny video for YouTube, which communicates a clear message about clean energy and/or green jobs.

Submissions must:

Be humorous!
Address the issue of clean energy and/or green jobs.
Reach a broad audience beyond just environmentalists.
Be an original production.
Be less than three minutes.
Posted to Eco-Comedy Video Competition 2012 YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/ecocomedy2012
Submitted by 11:59pm on March 2, 2012.
There will be six judges representing the Center for Environmental Filmmaking, Sierra Club, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Mill Reef Productions, and EcoSense. The decision of the judges is final. Awards are based on overall merit of the entries. Judges reserve the right not to grant an award. The organizations listed above reserve the right to post submissions on their websites.

Submissions are due by March 2, 2012.

Instructions for submission:

1. Visit www.youtube.com/ecocomedy2012

2. Click on the “Eco-Comedy Video Competition Spring 2012” video.

3. Below the video, click inside the Comments box.

4. Below the right side of the Comments box, click on “Create a video response”.

5. Upload your video by either clicking on “Choose a Video”, if you have already uploaded it to your account; OR if you have not, click on “Upload a Video” to begin the process. Then follow the upload instructions on the screen.

NOTE: Submitted videos will not be visible under “video responses” until they have been approved.

We look forward to watching your videos and awarding the winner $1,000! Good luck!

The winning entry will be announced and shown at American University on Tuesday, March 20 at the DC Environmental Film Festival. The creator will receive a $1,000 award from the Sierra Club. In the event of a tie, the monetary prize will be split between the winners equally.

GENERAL RULES
1. Videos must be the original work of the applicants. Applicants must hold the rights to any music, graphics, or stock footage used in their productions. Music Contestants may use any music that they own the rights to or that is not copyright protected to begin with. For example, contestants may use their own original music, music composed by friends, music that is found through creativecommons.org, or royalty free music that has been purchased from a source such as digitaljuice.com. Contestants may NOT use music that is copyright protected (for example, a song by the Rolling Stones) without obtaining the rights to it.

2. Any factual claims or references to research must be credited.

3. If a submission involves two or more applicants, the award will be divided equally among them.

4. Videos must be no longer than three (3) minutes.

5. Videos must not have received extensive funding from non-profits, government agencies, or private companies.

Format Rules
Videos should be submitted in the form of a YouTube post.

For More Information
Please e-mail Chris Palmer at palmer@american.edu.