Saving Species Announces Partnership with 'Dreams of The Last Butterflies'

Online PR News – 29-January-2013 –Stuart Pimm, founder and president of SavingSpecies, today announced a new partnership with Thousand Names Productions. The partnership ensures that the company’s latest film, by award-winning New York City-based filmmaker Zina Brown, will be carbon neutral. It is among the first carbon neutral films produced and made in New York City.

In Brown’s imaginative, visionary work, Dreams of the Last Butterflies, performers wear realistic butterfly costumes to illustrate his epic poetry through a combination of dance and music. Kai Altair, one of the lead performers, is an acclaimed songwriter and dancer based in Brooklyn. She demonstrated her commitment to conservation and wildlife by creating the annual Mermaid Lagoon event where she performed to raise money for such efforts as the cleanup after the BP Gulf oil spill of 2010. The film features evocative imagery, music, and unique choreography to dramatize the decline of butterfly species around the globe.

Stuart Pimm, who is also the Doris Duke Chair of Conservation Ecology at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, said: "I am delighted that the scientific talents of SavingSpecies are being united with the artistic talents of Zina Brown and Kai Altair in this new partnership. Zina and Kai’s enthusiasm for our partnership demonstrates their strong commitment to wildlife and conservation. I hope other artists will look to their example and use their talents to help heal the planet. I thank Zina and Kai, and Thousand Names Productions for their support and all they are doing to protect biodiversity."

Zina Brown emphasizes the unique opportunity for artists to garner support for conservation efforts. At the same time, the artistic community can endeavor to minimize its environmental footprint. "Sadly, the earth has a climate crisis and an extinction crisis. Everyone, including we filmmakers and musicians, must use their talents for connecting with wide audiences to highlight these environmental challenges. At the same time, our actions must match our message. That’s why we’re so thrilled to partner with SavingSpecies to account for our carbon costs," said Brown.

Lead performer and songwriter Kai Altair agrees. In support of the partnership, she said, "Our planet is in serious trouble. We humans have caused a tremendous amount of damage to the earth, and the creatures nurtured by our planet have suffered greatly. All of us must do our part to reverse this trend, and bring hope and inspiration to a new movement towards change. I am so proud to work with Dr. Pimm and SavingSpecies in combining art and science to protect our beautiful earth."

Read SavingSpecies' blog about partnering with 'Dreams of The Last Butterflies'