Project Phin Update
Posted: August 16, 2007
The first phase of Project Phin: Clean My Ride, Flex My Fuel is over and according to organizers it has become a “pop culture icon” in just a few short weeks.
Project Phin had the honor of being the very first post on Corn Commentary and one of the videos was also featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno when Matt Damon appeared as a guest. That’s because Damon is one of the featured celebrities in Phin’s videos. As Matt told Jay, “I demeaned myself to promote flex fuels.”
Project Phin organizers report the videos have been viewed 200,000 times (not counting the Tonight Show audience) and more than 20,000 letters have been sent to Congress through the Clean My Ride website.
Be sure to check out the “Concerned About Corn” page on the website. Some good points there for those who have problems with corn ethanol. Among them:
1. Ethanol produced from corn is only one near-term solution to our dependence on oil.
2. Putting Ben Affleck into a corn suit is just plain funny. (see video)
3. While we already know how to produce corn ethanol, scientists are still figuring out the best ways to produce affordable cellulosic ethanol.
4. Our aim in these videos was not to single out corn ethanol as “the answer” to our dependence on oil. We simply intended to start a discussion and increase awareness about alternative low carbon fuels, and to have a little fun in the process. After all, it is harder to dress up as agricultural waste than an ear of corn.