I don’t know if anyone but Greenpeace is aware of this, but in case you didn’t know it a plastic doll is the one responsible for killing the rainforest. According to Bustar Maitar, head of Greenpeace’s efforts to save forests in Indonesia, “Barbie is trashing rainforests and pushing critically endangered wildlife, like tigers, towards extinction.” The organization is accusing the doll of being a sadistic serial killer.
If I were a kid I would certainly think it’d be pretty cool to have a sadistic serial rainforest killing Barbie. She’d probably come with some really neat accessories like a bulldozer and chainsaw. Her outfits would be those working clothes construction workers wear and she’d have a hard hat. Maybe she’d come with trees that groaned as Barbie cut them down. We’d also have to get Ken into the act. He’d be responsible for killing any of the endangered species that tried to attack Barbie. I can only imagine the hours of fun and entertainment that could be provided from playing with such a toy.
In order to make a point and draw attention to their cause Greenpeace activists lowered themselves down the 15-story Mattel headquarters building in El Segundo, Calif. to hang a huge banner that said “Barbie, it’s over. I don’t date girls that are into deforestation.” It’s also worthy to mention that a female activist dressed as Barbie was at the protest. After such a beautiful display I’m sure many people were overwhelmed with the plight of the rainforest and immediately ran home to burn their Barbie doll in effigy and dedicate themselves to stopping deforestation of the rainforest. In my neighborhood, it might not have had the desired effect.
“They did what?”
“Lowered a banner off of a building that said Ken didn’t date girls into deforestation and it was over between them.”
“That’s ridiculous. I bet they don’t even know Ken.”
“Then the activists including one dressed like Barbie got arrested for hanging posters.”
“Well if she’s into deforestation why was she hanging posters against it?”
“I guess she must really want to get back with Ken.”
Greenpeace opened an investigation against the makers of Barbie when forensic testing revealed the origin of her packaging. Huh? I guess there are not enough crime scenes around these days so labs need be used for truly important things like the forensic testing of packages. The organization says they have obtained company certificates which show the packaging used for Barbie is produced by a company that was previously exposed for wrecking rainforests.
“Are the results of the murder scene back from the lab yet?”
“No, but the lab did discover the sandwich you ate for lunch was wrapped in packaging made from a pine tree in Tacoma, Washington.”
“I hope Greenpeace never finds out.”
“It’s our secret.”
Talk about a group of people with a lot of time on their hands. Greenpeace is no stranger to providing the world with entertainment on a never before seen scale. On August 8, 2007, in an effort to protest global warming six hundred people took off their clothes on a glacier in the Swiss Alps. That doesn’t make much sense to me. If I was going to protest global warming I’d choose someplace warm to shed my clothes. The only problem with that is I’d be the only protester. If any reporter knew I was going to shed my clothes for any reason they wouldn’t go within a hundred-mile radius of the place. I bet they’d also call in the National Guard to stop it.
In June of 2002, Greenpeace had fifty activists dressed in black suits force-feed baby dolls in front of Nestles company headquarters in Switzerland to protest the company’s alleged ruthless overseas practices. I wonder if Nestle should protest Greenpeace for their ruthless treatment of dolls? Maybe that’s what got Barbie so angry.
The Barbie doll is no stranger to controversy. One of the biggest criticisms of Barbie is how thin she appears. I suppose the fact that she’s just a doll and not intended to be an example of body image to real girls doesn’t matter. I would hate to see an Obese Barbie that sits around eating junk food and playing video games all day. Unfortunately, I think there’s probably a large market for such a toy these days. In 2003 Saudi Arabia outlawed the sale of Barbie dolls. However, the desire of little girls to play with such a doll did not go unnoticed. In some Middle Eastern countries, there is an alternative doll called “Fulla” (Not going there). In Iran, Sara and Dar dolls are available as alternates to Barbie. If they ever come out with a Jihad Barbie, I’m getting into the protesting business myself.
It’s unfortunate that a group like Greenpeace worries about the packaging on a product that has brought so much fun to little girls over the years. Barbie has changed and adapted to our developing society and still is a very popular product. I hope that someday there’s a person who lets Greenpeace know that trees can be replanted. For people like me the protests of Greenpeace do get noticed, they’re just very difficult to take seriously.
Here is a link to the story.
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