While we’re on the subject: good Stumbleupon friend HarleyJane18 sent this to me last week. Houston Chronicle cartoonist Nick Anderson does some great 3D animation videos with song parodies… this one is based on Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” (specifically the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of it).

See also:

Ecoscraps: Shades of Green — The Four Horsemen

sustainablog: Shades of Green and The Green House: by Brad Gilchrist and Peter Menice (interview)

Gorilla  in the Greenhouse, an episodic show premiering today, doesn’t preach at kids, but instead engages them on their terms and empowers them to take action. Animated by the people behind such web classics as The Meatrix, it features four smart kids and a wise green gorilla, facing the big green challenges of our day, with inventiveness, action, and most importantly, a rockin’ song.

Not many people could pull off making a catchy tune about a garbage island in the Pacific Ocean, but in the first episode, “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” they show otherwise. With people such as Ralph Guggenheim, one of Pixar’s founders producing, this moves beyond merely being entertainment to being a bridge to further conversation with your children about things happening in the real world, and what can be done about them.

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Humor can be an effective way to reach people and get them to think. When you add good design and presentation, you've got an even more powerful (and potentially more funny) message. The folks at Free Range Studios seem to know this very well. This design and multimedia firm specializes in communicating messages with meaning and inspiring change through their design work. They sum up what they are all about very nicely on their web site:

We know we could be using our talents to sell cheeseburgers or sneakers. But as message shapers and image makers, we choose to inspire, educate and move people toward action.

That's why we concentrate on offering top-quality design, communication and strategy services to companies and organizations whose vision goes beyond turning the world into a strip mall. And while our clients range from world-wide activists like Amnesty International to corporations focused on sustainable business like Clif Bar, they all share our belief that in each of our actions there is potential for positive change.

These sound like my kind of people! Free Range Studios has produced numerous communication materials promoting green living, sustainable food choices, and the greater good, and I have been following their progress for several years now. They are probably best known for their hilarious and effective Flash movies. These videos explore serious topics such as conflict diamonds, politics, factory farming, and organic food using a bold graphic style and a barrel of laughs.

One of the first of their movies that I saw was "The Meatrix," an animated short film inspired by The Matrix, starring farm animals who expose the truth behind America's factory farming industry. This movie was very successful and educational, and was certainly an influence in my decision to go vegetarian. They have since created two sequels to the movie, which star Moopheus the cow, Leo the pig, and Chickity the chicken."The Meatrix" won several awards and spread the truth about where our meat comes from.

Soon Free Range Studios was at it again, this time promoting organic food. Their hilarious spoof on Star Wars, called "Store Wars" features the Organic Rebellion, a group of organic foods fighting the dark side of The Farm in a supermarket not far away. The video follows Cuke Skywalker's mission to rescue Princess Lettuce from Dark Tater, all while educating consumers about how conventional food is grown and why they should choose organic options. This movie was influential in my choice to eat organic food whenever possible.

The latest humorous video from Free Range Studios is "The Mouth Revolution," a film in which the mouths of the world unite in refusing to eat unwholesome food. The mouths (pictured above) stage an "international shut-up" demanding real food and refusing to open for artificial ingredients and chemicals. Their "mouthifesto" demands no trans-fats, no GMOs, no pesticides, and no artificial anything. The mouth revolutionaries fly banners saying "Real Food Now!" and spit out food that doesn't fit their mouthifesto. They cut off pesticide supplies and topple fast food giants while spreading the revolution around the world. This video is hilarious and inspiring, and you can join the revolution by uploading a picture of your mouth on the web site. Viva la Mouthalution!

After you're done laughing at these funny videos, Free Range Studios inspires you to think and act. Their videos have certainly helped convince me to change my lifestyle for the better, and I hope they continue to have the same effect on many others. Now, I wonder if they're hiring…