'An Inconvenient Truth' Dubious PR Pollution?

Paramount Classics:: 'An Inconvenient Truth' Dubious PR Pollution?
'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' is the First Carbon-Neutral Documentary

    HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Classics,
Participant Productions, and NativeEnergy have joined forces to offset 100%
of the carbon dioxide emissions from air and ground transportation and
hotels for production and promotional activities associated with the
documentary "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH" making the film the first
carbon-neutral documentary ever. The announcement was made today by John
Lesher, President of Paramount Vantage and Paramount Classics.
    "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH," is a riveting documentary that weaves the
science of global warming with former Vice President Al Gore's personal
history and longtime commitment to communicating the need to reverse the
effects of global climate change. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, "AN
INCONVENIENT TRUTH" was produced by Laurie David, Lawrence Bender and Scott
Z. Burns. Jeff Skoll, Davis Guggenheim, Diane Weyermann, Ricky Strauss and
Jeff Ivers are the executive producers and the co-producer is Lesley
Chilcott. The film opened on May 24, to rave reviews and record-breaking
per screen grosses in New York and Los Angeles and will expand to every
major market across the country.
    "We are so excited by the opening weekend response to 'AN INCONVENIENT
TRUTH' in New York and Los Angeles," said Division President, John Lesher.
"We think that the promotional activities were essential to getting people
to turn out in these numbers and we are grateful that NativeEnergy has
created a way for us and Participant Productions to compensate for any
negative impact caused by these efforts."
    NativeEnergy, which works with individuals and organizations to help
them compensate for their contributions to global warming, calculated the
"carbon footprint" from producing "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH," including all
travel, office, and accommodations related emissions. The company then
offset emissions through renewable energy credits or "green tags" from new
renewable energy projects. Paramount Classics and Participant will split
the cost of these tags; the funds will go towards helping build new Native
American, Alaskan Native Village, and farmer-owned renewable energy
projects, creating sustainable economies for communities in need and
diversifying our energy supply.
    "It only seemed right to try to counteract the pollution we created in
our production and promotion of 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.' It would be
ironic, not to mention wrong, if we added to the global warming that Al
Gore warns about in his film," says Participant founder Jeff Skoll. "Plus,
these renewable energy projects offer options that will decrease our demand
for fossil fuels and otherwise would likely not happen without these kinds
of investments. So we are happy to be a part of this for all these
reasons."
    "As a company, our mandate is to create projects that not only
entertain but inspire audiences to take action," adds Participant president
Ricky Strauss. "In the case of 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH,' this partnership
with NativeEnergy illustrates just one way of doing this."
    "This film is generating tremendous awareness and understanding about
the climate crisis, and so many people and organizations now see how easy
it is to participate in change by helping build new renewable energy
projects," says NativeEnergy president & CEO Tom Boucher.
    This partnership between "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH" and NativeEnergy will
bring critical revenues to these renewable energy endeavors, directly
aiding their development and construction through the purchase of shares of
the offsets the projects are estimated to generate over their operating
lives. Renewable energy sources such as wind and farm methane provide clean
electricity and reduce pollution that would otherwise have to come from
fossil fuels. Simultaneously, these projects help Native American tribes
and family farms operate sustainable businesses in balance with the earth.
    Participant, NativeEnergy and Warner Bros. partnered in a similar way
on Stephen Gaghan's provocative thriller about the global oil industry,
Syriana. As a result, Syriana became the first "climate neutral" major
motion picture, as 100% of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the
production were translated into investments into renewable energy.
    ABOUT PARAMOUNT VANTAGE AND PARAMOUNT CLASSICS
    Paramount Classics and Paramount Vantage are the two labels that
comprise the specialty film division of Paramount Pictures, which is part
of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIAB), a
leading global entertainment content company, with prominent and respected
brands in focused demographics.
    ABOUT PARTICIPANT PRODUCTIONS
    Participant Productions is a Los Angeles-based production company that
focuses on compelling entertainment that highlights important social issues
in order to awaken, inspire and empower audiences to make a difference. The
company was founded in January 2004 by philanthropist Jeff Skoll and is
headed by Skoll and President Ricky Strauss. Participant's recent films
have included Good Night, and Good Luck, Syriana, North Country and
Murderball, which received a total of 11 Academy Award nominations in 2005.
Coming soon from Participant Productions is the documentary, The World
According to Sesame Street by Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins
Costigan. In cooperation with "Sesame Street Workshop" the film explores
the drama and complexities behind producing international versions of the
world's most-watched children's television program. It airs on PBS on
October 24, 2006. Also from Participant is Richard Linklater's Fast Food
Nation, which debuted at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, to be released in
North America by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Fast Food Nation, a fictional,
dramatic feature, based on Eric Schlosser's best-selling book, reveals the
shocking and Byzantine nature of the billion dollar fast food industry
through intersecting yet disparate storylines involving characters from all
segments of society.
    ABOUT NativeENERGY
    American Indian majority-owned, NativeEnergy is a leading national
marketer of renewable energy credits (RECs) or "green tags," offering
individuals and organizations a means to compensate for their global
warming pollution, or to effectively power their homes and businesses with
renewable energy. NativeEnergy's patent-pending Future RECs bring upfront
payment to renewable projects for their future REC output, enabling its
customers to help finance the construction of new wind farms and other
renewable energy projects, such as tribal wind projects and methane
digesters on family dairy farms. NativeEnergy also offers Green-e certified
RECs from operating wind farms and Climate Neutral Network certified
offsets from a variety of CO2 mitigation projects. Online at:
http://www.nativeenergy.com.
    Contacts:
    Paramount Classics            Participant Productions
    Karen Paul                    Rachel Aberly
    323-956-2424                  310-612-3044
    Karen_paul@paramount.com      smachel@aol.com

    Native Energy
    Billy Connelly
    617-877-6745
    Billy.Connelly@NativeEnergy.com

SOURCE Paramount Classics