Related Stories
After Recess: Change the World
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of New York Times
Posted: February 14th, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/kristof-aft...
A battle between a class of fourth graders and a major movie studio would seem an unequal fight. So it proved to be: the studio buckled. And therein lies a story of how new Internet tools are allowing very ordinary people to defeat some of the most powerful corporate and political interests around by threatening the titans with the online equivalent of a tarring and feathering. Take Ted Wellss fourth-grade class in Brookline, Mass. The kids read the Dr. Seuss story The Lorax and admired its emphasis on protecting nature, so they were delighted to hear that Universal Studios would be releasing a movie version in March. But when the kids went to the movies Web site, they were crushed that the site seemed to ignore the environmental themes. So last month they started a petition on Change.org, the go-to site for Web uprisings. They demanded that Universal Studios let the Lorax speak for the trees. The petition went viral, quickly gathering more than 57,000 signatures, and the studio updated the movie site with the environmental message that the kids had dictated. It was exactly what the kids asked for the kids were through the roof, Wells [said], recalling the celebratory party that the children held during their snack break. These kids are really feeling the glow of making the world a better place. Theyre feeling that power. Change.org has grown from 20 employees a year ago to 100 now, in offices on four continents.
Note: Never doubt that a small group of committed people can make a big difference. For lots more inspiring new articles like this, click here.
Related Stories
Top Inspiring News Articles
Top Inspiring News Articles from Years Past
