Once again, we're presenting y'all with a video that has a message. But the message from this one comes at the very end, so watch it all the way through if you want to get it. It'll go fast though, since it's a gorgeous animation and a really soulful song. Although it's a courtship song, the artist who did the animation definitely kicked it up a  notch.

We don't want to blow the end for you, but we will tell you this:  It took us 2 years to get this video!  We saw it and knew we wanted it for Link TV, but desiring and getting are two very different things. It's not that easy to communicate with China and we had to try many different vectors before we found the person who could actually deliver the video to us in broadcast format.

We're linking you to a news story again, too. Take a minute to read the story and then think about the video. After you put it all together let us know what you think. The images may be bright and beautiful in the video, but the issue is as serious as the survival of our species.

if you're a girl and reading this, you more than likely share in the love of scented candles that afflicts most females. We collect them, purchase them at often astronomical prices, and love to just perouse the stores and smell them.

But they're not all roses and sunshine (or peachy, or strawberry-shortcake, or vanilla).. Regular old candles consist of wax made from petroleum (an environmental threat in itself) and release soot- carcogenic soot- into the air after burning, which certainly isn't good for the indoor air quality of your home or, in turn, your health. But there is an alternative available- perhaps not so widely, but easy enough to find, anyhow- soy candles.

Made from soy wax, the candles are a great deal better for the planet than ones made from oil, and, as an added benefit, doesn't release any of the soot that paraffin wax candles do- making them far better for your health. Also, most soy candles are produced by companies who have environmental responsibility in mind and therefore utilize recycled paper and lead-free wicks.

Let's just say that soy-candles are an all-around better choice.

 

(Also, if you are a non-candle buying male, relay the information on to a candle-purchasing friend or relative!)

 

For more information, see:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/commentary/40603

For the month of October, Just 1 Click will support The Greening of Detroit and its mission to "guide and inspire the growth of a 'greener' Detroit through planting and educational programs, environmental leadership, advocacy, and by building community capacity." From community vegetable gardens to park restorations, The Greening of Detroit is making important change in its backyard. Click to support its efforts! 

 

Click to support the Greening of Detroit, and organization that is improving the quality of life in Detroit through educational, environmental and community-building programs. 100,000 clicks = $500!!

 

It only takes a second to help out a great cause, so what are you waiting for?! Help now!!

If you're managing a sports team, and your most famous player walks away, something serious is going on.  If two of your A-list members walk away, and find themselves accompanied by a handful of additional teammates, then you might be best suited considering a major change of approach. 

At least, that's the logic which appears to be at the heart of Nike's recent decision to quit the Board of Directors in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.Yesterday, Nike announced that they will be vacating their position because the Chamber opposes new environmental policies from the EPA which many believe are important to secure the future of not only the environment, but also of American business.

The walkout began when Apple quit the Chamber altogether on Tuesday along with a number of energy companies.  The improved environmental policies that Nike and friends want to see adopted are good for us all, because they will reduce carbon emissions, deforestation, and garbage production.  But you don't even have to really care about those issues to see why Nike and their buddies would feel strongly about these policies.

Large companies like Nike and Apple are big, easy targets for environmental activists and watchdogs, and with good reason.  After all, the larger a company, the greater its impact on all of our lives.  As a result of the scrutiny, Nike and company are essentially forced to become trendsetters and role models through their voluntary adoption of progressive environmental policies. 

But what about companies who aren't being watched and criticized?  Without a law in place, there's nothing to guarantee that they run an ecologically responsible business.  It takes trendsetters like Nike and Apple to make corporate responsibility into standard practice instead of a 'nice idea'. 

If standards aren't updated with the times, business practices won't be either, and many American businesses will eventually find themselves in the same situation as the car-makers in Detroit-- unable to compete in an increasingly eco-friendly marketplace, and driven bankrupt after years of resisting change.

Hats off to all the companies that walked out this week-- someone needs to drive home the importance of high environmental standards for ALL companies.  This isn't just about Nike or Apple, it's about the air we breathe and the future of our economy!

"Humans produce more energy for their mass than the Sun! We just need to tap into that bio-energy and beating gasoline will be a breeze.  Biking is great. I would argue that in an urban setting biking is just a fast as driving (and you don't have to pay for parking). I'm really stoked to have won, and I hope more people start beating gasoline by biking."

Thanks,
Khiza Mazwi

Khiza Mazwi is the grand prize winner of Nike's Beat Gasoline contest.  Besides receiving his Nike 6.0 package which included a BMX bike, shoes, apparel, and a $1000 Global Gift Giving Card, he continued to share his enthusiasm for beating gasoline(read below).  With a response like that to an email congratulating him as the winner of Nike's Beat Gasoline contest, you know he deserved to win it all.

(Khiza posing with the star of the video)

Alright Khiza, the people want to know about your video and how you beat gasoline, but lets start with the basics.  Where are you from?  What are you doing?

I was born and raised in Zimbabwe, went to school in Botswana and am currently in my 3rd year at USC studying Chemical Engineering and Material Science.

You got a lot on your plate, yet you still had the time to put together a stellar video entry, tell us about the concept of the video.

Living in LA can get pretty hectic, with the traffic, sometimes it can take an hour to get somewhere 10 miles away.  I had originally bought a motorcycle which helped beat traffic but I was still heavily dependent on gasoline so I decided to use a bicycle as my primary mode of transport.  I wanted the video to be focused on the bicycle itself so all the shots are of the bike itself getting around Los Angeles.

It was a really modern type of video.  Almost like a music video, really fast, quick edits, it makes the viewers really feel what its like to pedal through the streets of Los Angeles.  What are some of the benefits of riding a bicycle in a big city?

I actually saw this chart online that compares different vehicles and their overall fuel usage.  The bike is the most efficient besides walking.  For one, a bike is a simple machine that doesn't require any fuel and very little maintenance.  You can get around just as fast as a car, you don't have to sit in traffic.  You don't have to pay for parking and you'll always be able to ride it directly where you're headed, you won't be in a parking lot two blocks away.  Of course, riding a bicycle is good for your health, you feel immediate effects when you start riding a bike everywhere, I feel more fit and I have more money in my pocket.  It's win/win.

And I imagine that you would get to see the nooks and crannies of the City that most people who were driving wouldn't notice.

Oh yeah most definitely, you really get to experience the city, see all the little things that you normally wouldn't pay attention to.

I also liked your track selection, what made you decide to go with The Strokes, it really set up a good vibe in the video.

Thats just the kind of music I'm into.  I thought it would go well, and I'm happy with the result.  I like rock n' roll music and I love bicycles, why not have them all at once.

Well Khiza, thank you again for participating in our Beat Gasoline Campaign and congratulations on winning the grand prize, did you get your new bike yet?

Yes, I received it earlier his week and I'm putting it together.  Thanks YouthNoise Play City and Nike for pimping my ride!  It couldn't have come at a better time, the bike that I used in the video just broke recently.  I just wanted to show something that I feel very strongly about and enjoy.  Thank you for the opportunity.

(Unpacking his brand new prize.)

(Already running into some security with his new ride.)

Thanks to Khiza and to everyone who participated in the Beat Gasoline Contest.  Just because the contest is over doesn't mean that we still can't keep beating gasoline.  Keep riding, walking, skating, hovering anywhere and everywhere to keep the movement alive.