We haven’t heard from our favorite eco-warrior, David de Rothschild in some time, but that doesn’t mean the youngest heir to the Rothschild banking fortune has fizzled into obscurity.
Instead, since he responded to our call to save Israel’s Adullam Valley from his (extended) family’s oil shale ambitions and published his crew’s riveting account of the Plastiki adventure across the Pacific, he has been busy with a host of exciting environmental programs. Including Mpact, his latest venture.
Cutting through the noise
A brand new initiative that aims to mobilize humanity’s innate desire to do good, Mpact teaches charities, non-profit organizations and social enterprises such as the Ocean Conservation Society how to get the most support from a growing band of earth-conscious citizens.
Developed under the World Exposure Agency umbrella, Mpact comprises a small team of highly skilled men and women who know how to use digital media and data to rally their own tribe to support worthy environmental and social impact organizations working to generate either awareness or raise funds (or both).
With so many Facebook causes floating around and desperate letters from organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) seeking help to expose the latest economic and social travesty, it’s hard to decide who to support. As a result, if you’re anything like me, the overabundance of options often causes a terrible case of indecision.
In other words, nobody gets the pledge.
Mpact cuts through the noise with de Rothschild’s signature brand of energized creativity. He, better than most, understands that in order to move people to action, it is essential to empower them with light-hearted facts and storytelling.
Pictures of polar bears floating on melting blocks of ice accompanied with celebrity pleas are no longer compelling enough to get people to click the donate button, since we have become desensitized to these messages, and because we’re inundated by the sadness of it all.
Through his experience with the recycled plastic catamaran he built and sailed across the Pacific and other environmental education programs he has led, David has learned how to communicate the earth’s message to a contemporary, educated audience in a positive, uplifting manner.
He and his team amassed an enormous following with his creative marketing strategies. Thousands of people around the globe waited anxiously for Plastiki to sail out of San Francisco, and kept up with the crew as they struggled with long hours, limited water supply, the psychology of small spaces, and an ocean virtually barren of life.
Now he hopes to infuse other environmental campaigns with a similar vitality in order to maximize their impact.
The facts – gently please
The graphic above comes from the Ocean Conservation Society, which used data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to demonstrate how long marine debris survives in our oceans.
This simple infographic delivers staggering facts (a fishing line lasts up to 600 years, a disposable diaper 450 years, and plastic rings used to hold soda and beer packs together have a 200 year lifespan before they biodegrade.)
But they are delivered in gentle, soft manner – the way a grandparent might steer their grandchild. And this is what David de Rothschild has always done well. Albeit just 35 years old, this emerging National Geographic explorer focuses his boundless creative agency with sage wisdom that encourages good people to make good choices.
Still in its infancy, Mpact is still being shaped. Head over there if you’d like to learn more.
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
If the corporations were so inclined they could organize to safely recycle 100% of all human-generated waste materials and re-create a healthy planet, but as everyone knows they are instinctively devoted to their bottom line, the growth of wealthy power, so any and all tactics and techniques are used.
450 years for a waterlogged Pampers disposable diaper to disintegrate?
It’ll probably wind up getting swallowed by something first.
Audit the fed