Activism, Disney and Fracking
Apparently, Lisa Hoyos is a bit cheesed off with Disney. She sent me an email to the effect that she is “disturbed” that Disney would help dirty-energy companies promote fracking and oil drilling to our nation’s children. “Disturbed,” perhaps, but not exactly astonished, I would bet. She writes:
Dear Craig,
News broke recently that Radio Disney is promoting fracking and pipelines to kids in a music-filled show called “Rocking in Ohio.” Funded through a partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, the road show is being presented everywhere from schools to county fairs under the guise of teaching kids “science.” Worse yet, this initiative may be expanded nationwide in 2014.
As a mom of two young boys, I’m disturbed that Disney would help dirty-energy companies promote fracking and oil drilling. That’s why I started my own campaign on CREDOMobilize.com, which allows activists to start their own petitions. My petition, which is to Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, says the following:
Immediately halt your road show promoting oil and gas extraction and pipelines to kids, and sever your partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. Radio Disney should not–under the guise of teaching kids “science”–promote fracking and oil drilling, which give kids asthma, pollute our air and water, and fuel climate change.
Tell Radio Disney: End your partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association.
In the road show, popular Radio Disney DJ’s lead kids in interactive presentations where–with pop music blaring in the background–they play games, build pretend pipelines out of colorful plastic, and even receive prizes with Disney movie and Radio Disney branding. Rhonda Reda, a representative of the educational arm of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, said of the road show, “It allows science to be fun. Who better to help than Radio Disney?”
With more than 600 fracking wells and dozens of fracking wastewater disposal sites in Ohio raising concerns about earthquakes and the contamination of drinking-water supplies, it’s no surprise that industry groups feel the need to mislead children about dangerous oil and gas extraction projects. And If Disney doesn’t feel major pressure for running this program in Ohio it will likely expand to other states soon.
It is also easy to understand why the fossil fuel industry would want to partner with Radio Disney. Broadcast in more than 35 markets around the country and online, the radio network asserts that it is the “unrivaled broadcast radio network for kids and families.”
A family brand like Disney should not be peddling fossil fuels to kids at a time when the childhood asthma rate is soaring, and climate impacts–from superstorms to droughts–are harming communities across the country.
Disney’s target audience, from its radio programming to its movie franchise to its theme parks and stores, is children. If Disney is going to engage its listeners and viewers about energy, it should be championing energy that is “kid-safe and climate-safe”–not carbon-polluting fossil fuels that put children at risk.
Thank you for your support.
Lisa Hoyos
