LONDON, June 3 /PRNewswire/ --

LONDON, June 3 /PRNewswire/ --

- Playhouse Disney Celebrates First Anniversary of its 'Playing for The
Planet' Campaign

- Leading Environmentalist Professor Bill McGuire Reveals Top
Ways for Kids to Make a Difference

Playhouse Disney's inaugural Playing for The Planet Awards were launched
today by campaign ambassador Tana Ramsay. The Awards mark the one year
anniversary of Playhouse Disney's Playing for The Planet campaign, the first
of its kind to bring environmentalism to life in a fun way for preschoolers,
families and nurseries around the UK.

To help preschoolers secure the future of the planet they will inherit,
Playhouse Disney has teamed up with leading environmentalist Professor Bill
McGuire to devise a set of recommendations to get them on the right track
from an early age. Each idea highlights something that preschoolers can do
everyday to help save the planet and reveals the positive impact that even
the country's youngest residents can make. The Playing for The Planet Guide
also offers ideas on making these planet saving changes fun by turning them
into games and activities to engage young children.

If the estimated 1.1 million (1) preschoolers and their families in the
UK make just one of the tiny changes to their daily lives outlined below, the
collective improvements to the planet are enormous.

Tip 1 - How preschoolers can help cut pollution:

Ask your parents to walk to nursery once a week instead of driving. Much
more fun and better for the environment too! If all preschoolers walked to
nursery just once a week instead of driving, we'd save 28,270 tonnes of
carbon dioxide.(2)

Tip 2 - How preschoolers can help save electricity

Make sure that all your gadgets such as TVs, videos, DVD players and 
computers are not left on stand-by mode when not in use. If the 1.1 million 
preschoolers across the UK got involved to save energy by turning off 
gadgets, 41,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year could be saved.(3)

Tip 3 - How preschoolers can recycle!

Make sure you throw all your empty cans, bottles and plastic containers
into the recycling bin and not the rubbish. Tell mummy and daddy to do this
to! If all preschoolers pitch in to help increase recycling at home, and
recycling increases by just 10 per cent, this would help to reduce carbon
emissions by 108,900 tonnes.(4)

Tip 4 - How preschoolers can help save water

Fill your water bottles / glasses with water from the tap instead of
using bottled water.

If all preschoolers filled their water bottles from the tap, this would
save 12,650 tonnes of carbon dioxide, plus saving more than one billion
litres of water - or the equivalent of 1000 Olympic sized swimming pools!(5)

Tip 5 - How preschoolers can spread the climate change message

Tell five friends today what you are doing to help the planet and how
they can play for the planet too!

The message is simple, if kids all around the country join
together to care for the environment, they will have a huge impact.

The total carbon dioxide emissions saved through these easy
steps would result in a saving of 191,620 tonnes (6) - the equivalent to
taking 87,100 cars off the road - a hugely positive impact by any measure.

Commenting on the findings, Professor Bill McGuire said: "It may seem
straight forward, but by teaching our children from an early age to take
these small steps towards a better world, they can make big changes as a
generation. If every family with preschoolers across the UK takes these
simple steps, it will stand our children in good stead for a brighter
future."

The Playing for The Planet campaign launched in May 2007. One year on,
The Playing for The Planet Awards aim to celebrate the planet-saving
achievements of Playhouse Disney's young viewers, their families and
nurseries across seven categories: Disney Eco Hero, The Big Idea, Greenest
Family, Greenest Nursery, Planet Saver, Local Eco-Warrior, and Greenest Star.
Supported across Playhouse Disney and its website
http://www.playhousedisney.co.uk/playingfortheplanet, the Awards will tie in
with bespoke, green-themed segments on the Channel, which will help to
educate and encourage families to lead eco-friendly lives.

Awards ambassador and mother of four, Tana Ramsay adds, "Like many
parents throughout the UK, I am committed to encouraging my children to
explore our natural environment and take steps to look after it. These awards
will celebrate the achievements of families, individuals and nurseries that
are forging ahead with green initiatives that are easy to adopt but make a
really important contribution to protecting our planet."

Playhouse Disney launched Playing for The Planet to help pave the way for
a whole new generation of preschoolers to grow up green. It was created
following new research, which found that UK parents are crying out for ways
to teach their preschoolers about the environment but didn't know how to
access information to help.

The campaign takes Playhouse Disney's vision of helping kids learn and
develop through play and applies it to simple environmental lessons around
recycling, water conservation and planting. In January 2008, Playhouse Disney
joined forces with the Preschool Learning Alliance to issue 8000 free
educational Playing for The Planet packs to nurseries across the UK,
receiving fantastic feedback received from both preschoolers and carers.

Michael Cairns, VP and General Manager, Disney Channel UK says, "Playing
for the Planet is about helping preschoolers, and their families take
positive steps to protect our planet by providing them with easy to access to
practical information on what they can do to help. Our award scheme will
build on this to help celebrate the achievements of all Playhouse Disney's
eco heroes big and small."

A supporter since the campaign's launch, much-loved TV presenter and
Chief Scout Peter Duncan commented, "Protecting our planet can't be an
optional extra, however busy we are. Instigating small changes at home can
make a big difference if we all take part. Children are our future and they
need to get involved from an early age to enable them to develop those all
important habits that can help to reduce waste and create a sustainable
world."

Notes to Editors

    Playing for the Planet Award Categories & Criteria

    Full Terms & Conditions available on the Playhouse Disney Website

    - Disney Eco Hero



Preschoolers are asked to design a Playhouse Disney character
out of recycled materials. Perhaps Mickey becomes a recycling crusader, or
Pluto saves the planet. What would Disney favourites look like gone green,
what special powers might they have? Choose your favourite character from
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Handy Manny, Bunny Town
and Little Einsteins.

Prize:

A fantastic 'Jungle Gym' outdoor activity centre for the
garden including slides, swings and much more!

And

A six-night holiday for a family of four at an eco-resort in
the South of France.

- Greenest Family

Families are invited to be in the running to become the
Greenest Family in the UK by telling Playhouse Disney's Playing for The
Planet how they do their bit for the planet as a family! Families are invited
to illustrate their support for the environment, outlining how they live
green. Do they grow their own vegetables? Does their waste always go into the
compost? Are the children actively involved in recycling? How are families
reducing their carbon footprint? Photos or videos families in action are also
welcomed as part of entries.

Prize:

A NICE Mega City 4-seat Electric Car. The MEGA City looks and
drives like a normal car, but costs dramatically less with no Congestion
Charge, free parking, no road tax, and no reason to visit the petrol station!

- Playing for The Planet - The Big Idea

Children and families around the country will vie for the
ultimate prize in the Playing for The Planet Awards, to create what the
judges deem to be the ultimate Playing for The Planet idea; the idea that
will really make an impact on preschoolers around the country. This could
take the form of a game, a green initiative for home or nursery, a grand
recycling plan - it's a blank canvas, so be it big or small, the important
part is that the winning idea really has the ability to make a big
difference!

Prize:

A six-night holiday for a family of four at an eco-resort in
the South of France.

And

Bikes for a family of four. Each bike is also fitted with an
eco-friendly wind-up bike light!

- Greenest Nursery

Nurseries around the country will vie for the title of
Greenest Nursery in the UK, showing off their Green credentials. Nursery's
submissions may be written or consist of photos and/or videos to show
Playhouse Disney how the children are going green from a young age. Does the
nursery use only eco-friendly products? Does the nursery recycle nappies?
Does the nursery use solar panels? Who is the most inspiring green nursery
nurse? How are the preschoolers encouraged to get involved?

Prize:

A stunning Playing for the Planet Awards commemorative plaque
for the exterior wall.

And

A fantastic commercial-sized 'Jungle Gym' activity centre for
the playground featuring climbing frame, slides and much more.

- Planet Saver

This category will recognise the UK's Greenest pre-schooler by
encouraging entries detailing how children are going above and beyond in
expressing their care for the environment. Do the children insist on organic
snacks at the supermarket? Are the children sorting out the household
recycling and taking out the compost? Do they play with creatively recycled
toys? Send in photographs of the little ones hard at work, or have them draw
a picture of their vision of a greener world.

Prize:

A Disney Princess 16" Deluxe Girls Bike, OR a Pirates of the
Caribbean 14" Boys Bike, outfitted with an eco-friendly wind-up bike light!

And

A wormery with education packs and worm certificate for a full
kilogram of worms. Worm-assisted composting is an odourless, fully
self-sustaining, natural waste-reducing process that can be carried out in
the smallest of kitchens!

And

Four tickets to the European premier of a Disney Original
Movie with travel and accommodation for one night included.

- Local Eco-Warrior

Families are asked to nominate that special person in their
community who most deserves recognition for their Green effort. Is there
someone locally who is a green crusader with a conscience; a tireless
recycler encouraging green living? It could be a teacher, a green grocer, a
church warden - anyone who sets a great Green example. In your own words
explain why your Local Eco Warrior should be singled out for this very
special prize!

Prize:

A large mixed organic fruit and vegetable box from Abel and
Cole, delivered to their door every week for a year

And

A brand new eco-wardrobe with GBP500 worth of vouchers to
spend with an eco-clothing company.

- Greenest Star

Families are asked to nominate the best Green role model from
the celebrity world, stars that pound the pavement rather than mounting up
miles in their 4x4!

Entries:

Closing date for entries is July 14, 2008. Entries welcome from children
aged 3-7 years, nurseries and families. Entries submitted via
http://www.playhousedisney.co.uk/playingfortheplanet or freepost to:

Playing for the Planet Awards

Freepost

Playhouse Disney

Footnotes:

(1) Figures based on Professor McGuire's research using Office for
National Statistics data. There are currently 1.1 million preschoolers (3 and
4 year olds), assuming one child per family, out of a total of 26 million UK
households. All calculations have been drawn from data within the public
domain.

(2) This figure assumes a 3km round trip and average car emission of 165
g/km. Note: In 2006, average new car emissions were 167.2 g km (Society of
Motor Manufacturers and Traders). Formula: 3km x 52 weeks x 165g, then
convert to metric tonnes

(3) This figure assumes that a conservative one million tonnes of carbon
dioxide is emitted each year by gadgets on standby - estimates actually vary
from 800,000 tonnes (DEFRA) to 3.6 million tonnes (Energy Savings Trust).
Formula:  One million tonnes divided by 26 million householders = 0.038
tonnes per household x 1.1 million

(4) This figure assumes a 10 per cent increase in recycling in every home
saving 99kg of carbon dioxide per year (HSBC/Independent). Formula: 0.099
tonne x 1.1million households

(5) This figures assumes annual consumption of bottled water in the UK as
3 billion litres (Inside The Bottle Campaign) and that the production of each
one litre plastic bottle results in the emission of 100 grams of carbon
dioxide (Waterworlds). This also assumes consumption spread evenly throughout
the 26 million UK households. Formula: 3 billion divided by 26 million = 115
bottles pre household = 11.5kg (0.0115 tonnes) carbon dioxide x 1.1 million
households

(6) This final figure assumes 2.2 tonnes per year of driving emissions
per person (DEFRA), thus is equivalent to taking 87,100 cars off UK roads