Tim Blair, Andrew Bolt, and Green Heroes worthy of a Green Award

It might have escaped you, but the Daily Terror and other esteemed Murdoch publications are now cheerfully providing links to an exceptional news.com.au highlight, a Green Heroes/Green Awards competition for 2009. Quick, nominations are open until 24th July.

Can we enter Tim Blair and Andrew Bolt?

They've done so much for the cause, and keep on working hard to promote efficient use of resources in ways that regularly tear at my heart strings. Their aspiration to save the planet is daunting, fearless, a combination of the qualities of a boy scout, a Dominican nun and a girl guide. Sure, it's a tad gender bending, but hey these guys will embrace anything, even a little TS experimentation, if it can help spread the green word.

The face of the competition is former Miss Universe Australia Erin McNaught, whom we're breathlessly assured grew up green thanks to her scientist father and a childhood spent bushwalking and camping in our national parks.

The news.com.au team are serious - they're splashing $30k in prizes across ten categories, including Green Hero, Junior Green Hero, Green Household, Green Business, Scientific Breakthrough, the mean Green Machine and the incredibly Green Hulk (sorry, think those last two categories might be invalid). And they're terribly concerned:

News.com.au editor David Higgins said the awards were coming at a crucial time for all Australians.

“A news.com.au survey carried out for the 2009 Green Awards found that with the current economic crisis, the environment has become less of a priority for some Australians,” Mr Higgins said.

“But while the economy will recover, the effects of climate change are often irreversible.

“The news.com.au Green Awards aims to identify quiet achievers working behind the scenes to limit the impact of climate change.

“We encourage readers to get involved by nominating everyday people with novel approaches or clever, practical measures that can be adopted at home, work or in the local community.”

 

Wow. You can - thanks to Toshiba - win a lap top worth more than 3k (and rated as one of the world's greenest), and get judged by people who sensibly agree that news.com.au is fiercely dedicated to saving the planet.

Go here for links to entry forms and ongoing information and details of the various awards. You can also catch the video featuring a couple of comedians and amazing personalities like Catriona Rowntree and an actual Sydney Swans footballer. It's the second year in a row that the Murdoch team have fought hard to tackle our greatest global challenge - climate change.

Oh and you can leave comments, like this sampling from these dedicated greenie readers:

Tony

Every time you breathe out you produce carbon dioxide - stop breathing and save the planet. Greenie oxygen thieves!!

Matt Yates 
meat's not green. 30% of the World's greenhouse emissions are caused by the rearing of livestock. Go veg!!

Mark
The first prize should be an all expenses one way trip to a cave in the middle of nowhere, so our favourite green hypocrite of the year can truly minimise their impact on the environment. With any luck they'll get eaten by a wild animal, thus sparing the poor planet of the oppressiveness of their very existence.

Peter Hartley

Is this little greenie weekie feel-good exercise in any way related to the ELF mob. IS this their PR arm? Just asking 'tis all!

Golly, they're such fierce supporters of the cause. Seeing as how the planet's delicate ecoystems are in such precarious peril 'n all.

Oh no, a sudden thought hit me. Is it likely that Tim Blair and Andrew Bolt would send this competition up shitless? Surely it's the kind of half baked compromise that would irritate the hell out of them, and cause all kinds of sardonic sneers and asides. You know, Hulk mad, Hulk angry, Hulk hate greenies.

I guess if they don't say anything we can take it as some kind of fervent endorsement. Yes, that's it, all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. So if they ignore it, do nothing, it's because they agree with it. It's not evil at work, but inspirational Chairman Murdoch wholesome goodness at work. So their silence would be a superhuman effort on their part, an heroic sacrifice. Not even a word about how tacky the video clip is? 

Yep, it's a done deal. I'm nominating them for Green Hero awards, the pair of them. Unless of course they send the competition up shitless. But they wouldn't would they? Not those loyal team playing lads.

Fortunately there's even a category for derelict behavior, which might involve a leer or a sneer or a pursing of the lips or a cheap shot or a quick kick to the green crutch:

The news.com.au Can Do Better citation 
This category is aimed at highlighting examples of poor environmental management or practices. Nominations may be for an Australian individual or organisation either straggling or doing environmental damage by their actions - or lack of them. 

Oh yes, come on down baby, is this a win-win situation for our lads or what. Either a "heroes" or a "can do better" citation. The path is clear, the gateless gate is open, let the voting begin ...

And remember you too can play your part, by nominating yourself or by nominating someone you feel deserves the recognition the award will provide. Please, oh please, remember Tim and Andrew. They're such deserving, plucky lads ...

I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim
Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them, for ever and ever
Oh we can be heroes, just for one day

I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day