Imagine you’re eight years old and picture the Arctic. There are no oil rigs, no industrial shipping and no politicians fighting over it. It’s just an endless sparkling expanse of sea and ice, populated by brave scientific explorers, magical animals and Indigenous Peoples who have called the far north home for millennia. An enchanted place to explore, create stories and let you imagination run free. At least that’s what LEGO is telling kids. Its new Arctic play set has brought the magical polar north into kids’ bedrooms around the globe. And by doing that it’s helping to educate children and create a generation of Arctic supporters who will be inspired to protect it. But sadly LEGO is only telling kids half the story. What it’s not telling them is how it’s also helping Shell to threaten this beautiful and fragile place. It’s done a deal with Shell that’s helping the oil giant clean up its image as one of the world’s most dangerous Arctic drillers.
Shell wants to take advantage of the melting ice to drill for more of the fuels that caused the melting in the first place. But scientists say an oil spill there would be impossible to clean up, devastating the Arctic’s unique wildlife. It’s faced fierce criticism for its plans from environmental NGOs and regulators, and reputation-wrecking media coverage. Shell knows it needs to fix its bad reputation to keep its Arctic scheme alive. And a deal with LEGO, the world’s favourite toy company, is a PR dream come true. Already more than 16 million Shell-branded LEGO sets have been sold or given away at petrol stations in 26 countries. Shell is so delighted by the results that further promotions are already planned for this year. But LEGO, the biggest toy company in the world, has built its brand on its continued promise of leaving a better world for children. And by teaming up with Shell it’s letting kids down. Global warming is perhaps the biggest threat facing all children around the world, and protecting the Arctic is about protecting the climate.
By letting Shell get its oily hands on kids’ toys, LEGO is allowing Shell to pretend it’s a caring, family friendly company and helping it to get away with its Arctic aggression. And children love the Arctic and its unique wildlife like polar bears, narwhals and walruses that are completely dependent on the Arctic sea ice. They wouldn’t want to see them threatened. Their deal is also helping Shell to flog more of its dirty oil, build trust with its customers, and even exploit kids’ love of their toys to build life-long loyalty it just doesn’t deserve. We can’t let this go on. Now Shell is threatening the Arctic, it’s time for LEGO to finally pull the plug on this deal. That’s why today we’re launching a massive global campaign calling on LEGO to block Shell. In countries on six continents, our movement of more than 5 million Arctic defenders will mobilise to break this relationship. Together we’ll call on LEGO to stand up for Arctic protection, and for children, by ditching Shell for good.
We know this toy story can have a happy ending but LEGO will only listen if millions of people around the world, like you, ask Lego to stop cleaning up Shell’s image. Sign the petition here and help save the Arctic!L.A. NowLiving near freeways makes people sick. L.A. keeps building next to them anyway Man smuggling protected orchids in Lego box and My Pillow Pets toy pleads guilty Victor Manuel Arias Cucho had packed the necessities for his trip last month from Australia to Peru, including a My Pillow Pets plush toy and a Lego box.But what really mattered was what was inside the children’s items -- more than 200 protected orchids, in violation of an international wildlife treaty. During a layover at Los Angeles International Airport, federal authorities nipped Cucho's scheme in the bud.Cucho pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Wednesday to a federal offense of illegal trade in a protected species. The Peruvian national, aware that he couldn't bring the orchids into the United States or Peru without proper documentation, concealed them in his luggage, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.
The orchid plants were hidden inside a pillow shaped like a bee, according to photos, a tissue box, a Lego Ninjago box and a plastic tube that stores posters, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section.Cucho had been flying from Australia -- after attending an orchid trade show in Sydney -- to Peru on Sept. 24, when he had the layover at LAX. There, Cucho submitted a customs declaration, in which he denied carrying any plants. He was then sent by customs authorities to a secondary agricultural inspection, and that’s where his illicit cargo was discovered. The orchids are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.The case against Cucho is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Stevenson sentenced Cucho to two years of probation and he was ordered to pay a $7,500 fine.Twitter: @brittny_mejiaALSOCrash victim ejected from car lands on 5 Freeway sign in GlendaleMalibu-based filmmaker sues Humane Society over $1-million pledgeFire conditions elevated to 'extreme' as gusty winds hit Southern California
Ms Snowden first posed her farmer among a germinating crop and — like the crop — the Lego Farmer's popularity has grown and grown."When I first started, I thought it would be a bit of fun," she said."But after a little while, I realised it had a lot of potential as a way to start a conversation around production and farming in a different way. "I don't want farmers to be portrayed in a negative way. I want it to be positive. That is my main driver." Ms Snowden said using the toy enabled her to capture a wider audience — parents and their kids, city residents who may have grown up in the country, and people who loved Lego.She said she first noticed how engaged children were with the little plastic farmer while attending an exhibition of the building blocks in Melbourne."We shared the story of oats with a tactile display and we found there was such an interest from kids, and even the adults," Ms Snowden said. "It creates interaction and a conversation with kids and their parents."
In September, during the Year of the Pulse, Little Brick Pastoral teamed up with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to create a teaching resource.Ms Snowden developed 12 agricultural characters and together with the DPI, produced On the Pulse, a kit containing classroom activities designed for primary school-aged children. Its goal was to connect students with where their food comes from, teach them about careers in the industry, and increase their agricultural literacy using minifigs as a storytelling tool. The initial rollout of 200 kits was very popular and Ms Snowden said while feedback on its success was still to come, she hoped there would be more opportunity to work with schools."It was very well received. The kits went quickly and we know there is a strong interest, and the DPI would like to continue working with us," she said.Ms Snowden would like to see characters like the Lego Farmer highlighting the various careers in agriculture — from paddock to plate — in classrooms around the country.
However, individual state curriculums mean liaising with various education boards."Because my background is not in education, I need to partner with people who can provide that input," she explained.In the meantime, Ms Snowden continues to use her blog to tell the story of farming in Australia.Apart from increasing awareness and offering an insight into the Lego Farmer's life, Little Brick Pastoral provides access to up-to-date information about agriculture in Australia. It provides industry links to resources designed to help other farmers, students, teachers and representative groups.But the farmer's fame is not restricted to the blog — he has almost 8,000 followers on Facebook, uses Twitter, and shares photos on Instagram where other Lego photographers congregate.And yes, there is a female Lego farmer too, although most of her time is spent behind the scenes."Women play an important role in all agriculture and in fact, they make up 43 per cent of the world's agricultural labour force," Ms Snowden said.