Articles by Chris Schults

Is FishScam.com a scam?

I was reading the April 10th edition of The New Yorker this morning (for the cartoons, I'll admit). As I was flipping through the pages searching for the next illustration, I came across this full page ad that featured a message that caught me completely off guard.

The smaller text reads as follows:

Environmental scares about trace amounts of mercury in fish rely on a study of island natives who eat huge amounts of whale meat. However, scientists who study heavy fish-eaters find no health risks from mercury. So unless you're lunching on a Moby Dick sandwich, there's no reason to worry.

Fish is good for you. Baseless anxiety (or whale blubber) isn't.

No health risks from mercury? No reason to worry? Now, I don't eat fish, so I haven't researched this issue myself, but something fishy seems to be going on here.

Head on over to FishScam.com to get the background on this campaign. I'd be interested to read what y'all think of this.

Current TV: Make your own Yaris TV ad, and more

So you think you've got the chops to produce a television commercial after making your own Chevy Tahoe ad? Well, let's see how well you do when you have to shoot and edit it yourself! Still up to the challenge? If so, head on over to Current TV where they're seeking submissions for viewer-created ads for the Toyota Yaris.

What would you do with your Yaris? Now, you don't have to own a Yaris to take on this project. Just make a V-Cam commercial about what you would do with your Toyota Yaris. The operative word here is "you." Make it personal, engaging and compelling. Where would you go? Who would you take? What would you take with you? Whatever you do, have fun and let your freak-flag-fly. There. Now go make something.

Now, before you get all subversive, check this out: the Yaris supposedly gets up to 40 mpg on the highway, according to the Toyota website. Oh yeah, if your piece airs, you earn $1,000.

If you'd rather watch than create, Current has added several new enviro pieces to their Earth pod:

The Daily Grist Headline Battle Royale: Match 6

Is it Monday again? It seems just like yesterday we were celebrating "Flame! I Wanna Log Forever's" victory over "Silly Rabbit, Toxics Aren't for Kids!"

So, let's find out which witty headline won last week's rumble ... [drum roll] ... and it's "Freeport Your Mine, and Unrest Will Follow," with 39% of the vote. Damn! I was hoping for "They Got Seoul But They're Not Eco-Soldiers" -- proof that these bouts are not rigged.

Moving on ...

After I revealed that I normally choose one headline from each Daily Grist of a given week, I was informed that this just ain't right. It was explained to me that the Grist headline-generating machine has its good and bad days. Apparently Monday of last week was a good day. Thus, each of the seven Daily Grist headlines from Monday, March 27, is up for contention.

So, here are the nominees:

1. Tiiiiiime Is on Our Side, Yes It Is: Time cover story propels global warming into the mainstream
2. Ebb and Fla.: An interview with Michael Grunwald about his new Everglades book
3. Oh Say, Can You, Seattle?: Seattle commission unveils recommendations for meeting Kyoto goals
4. Oceans Delve: Umbra on measuring ocean temperatures
5. E-Waste Not, E-Want Not: Washington Gov. Gregoire signs far-reaching e-recycling law
6. Garden of Edens: Jason Edens, rural solar advocate, InterActivates
7. Bait and Switchgrass: New coal-powered ethanol plant a sign of things to come

Okay, voting time!

Rebranding “global warming”

As reported in the most recent Daily Grist, a New York-based marketing firm announced that it will help with the rebranding of global warming. As we're all armchair marketers from time-to-time, how would you rebrand "global warming"?

Share your thoughts in comments and we'll send them to the experts.