The National Parks Conservation Association recently launched a public service advertising campaign to raise awareness of conservation efforts and the struggles of the national parks to sustain themselves. There is a series of three gorgeous blueprint diagrams -- Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, and a giant Sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park (pictured here) -- each stamped "It's not like we can make new ones."
They've also put up streaming video ads from Jerry Seinfeld, Allan Houston, Walter Cronkite, Richard Dreyfuss and Morgan Freeman, all of whom donated their time to the cause. You can get more information on broadcasting and publicizing these ads in your community here.
Tip's off to whoever came up with this design. Really clever, very well-executed.
Posted by: Mel. on June 2, 2006 8:01 PM
This ad campaign contradicts itself. It says we can't make any more, then shows how we can. It would be better if it could underline the true unmanufactured quality of the parks.
Over on BLDGBLOG, commentors have pointed out that Delicate Arch is delicate enough that the NPS is passively debating whether or not to reinforce it in some way. So there is irony.
Note also that if you register your car in Washington state, you can get special super-nifty license plates benefiting various park projects, including the Washington National Park Foundation, whose mandate is similar to NPCA. Other states probably have similar license programs. This program ties tab renewal to charitable giving, for a variety of causes... When you renew you have to make another donation. I'd like to see more non-profits using this program, giving drivers a wider range of causes to support.
Posted by: Paul Mitchum on June 3, 2006 10:01 AM
I actually disagree, Paul. I think the point here in creating a blueprint for manufacturing a giant sequoia is not to demonstrate to viewers that you *can* make a new one by following this diagram. I hear what you are saying about the irony of potentially reinforcing Delicate Arch by human-created means, but I actually don't think that undermines the irony here.
In my mind, there is a difference between bolstering a weakened structure and believing that somehow if we wipe our our ancient forests, we can just slap together some new trees and mass produce what's been lost. Maybe it's silly to reinforce the arch if its natural course would be collapse, but I think these ads are poignant and spot-on.
worldchanging was founded on the idea that real solutions already exist for building the future we want. it's just a matter of grabbing hold and getting moving.
The National Parks Conservation Association recently launched a public service advertising campaign to raise awareness of conservation efforts and the struggles of the national parks to sustain themselves. There is a series of three gorgeous blueprint diagrams -- Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park, and a giant Sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park (pictured here) -- each stamped "It's not like we can make new ones." 
