Frogs and Princes: Saving the Rainforest

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Britain’s Prince Charles called on his Hollywood pals and the Dalai Lama to launch his latest campaign to save the planet’s rainforests, and he’s asking the rest of the world to join him.

With the help of Daniel Craig, Robin Williams, Harrison Ford, a couple of young princes, and even Kermit the Frog, the heir to the British throne sends viewers to his web site for information about the problems associated with deforestation and ways to get involved and spread the word to stop it.

“Our aim is to build an online community to call, from the bottom up, for urgent action to protect the rainforests by the time the world’s leader gather in Copenhagen for crucially important international climate discussions at the end of this year,” Charles says in an introductory message.

“Unless we protect the rainforests, we will most certainly lose the battle against catastrophic climate change.”

The video is charming, but the Prince’s Rainforest Project has substance as well.

Last month, Charles gathered world leaders to discuss incentives for developing nations to stop deforestation. His project is proposing a public-private emergency funding mechanism to help developing countries focus on more environmentally friendly economic development rather than forest-destroying projects, such as palm oil plantations and expanded ranching.

“Every year, destruction of the Earth’s rainforests releases more carbon dioxin into the atmosphere than all the world’s cars, planes and ships put together,” the prince says. “We must act now. Future generations are depending on it.”

Watch Robin Williams, frog translator, along with Prince William, Prince Harry and the others in the video, and learn more about the project at rainforestsos.org.

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