The #TeamTrees challenge
The project
uses the Hash Tag #TeamTrees: "More than 600 YouTubers are teaming up
to take on one of the biggest fundraising challenges the platform has
ever seen: raising $20 million by the end of the year to plant 20
million trees."
Jimmy Donaldson more commonly known as MrBeast was born on May 7, 1998) is a US-based You Tuber whose history is described by WIkipedia:
"Donaldson began YouTube in 2012[4] at age 13, under the handle
"MrBeast6000"; his early content ranged from Let's Plays to "videos
estimating the wealth of other YouTubers".[5] However, his videos
remained in relative obscurity — averaging around a thousand views each –
until the release of his 2017 "counting to 100,000" video that "earned
tens of thousands of views in just a few days".[5] As of October 2019,
Donaldson has over 25 million subscribers on YouTube and is managed by
the Dallas-based talent management company Night Media.[4]"
Musk encouraged to donate by a Tesla fan
The program is also partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation. Donaldson
has already raised more than $6 million. Musk was prodded into making a
donation by Marques Brownlee who has already made a large donation.
Brownlee is a strong Tesla fan and has even interviewed Musk.
Brownlee is another prominent You Tuber: "Marques K. Brownlee
(/mɑːrˈkɛz ˈkiːθ ˈbraʊnliː/ mar-KEZ KEETH BROWN-lee; born December 3,
1993), also known professionally as MKBHD, is an American YouTuber, best
known for his technology-focused videos. The channel, whose name is a
concatenation of MKB (Brownlee's initials) and HD (for
high-definition),[4] has over 9 million subscribers and over 1.40
billion total video views. In August 2013, Vic Gundotra, former Senior
Vice President, Social for Google,[5][6] called Brownlee "the best
technology reviewer on the planet right now".[4][7] During one of the
2016 Democratic presidential primary debates that was cosponsored by
YouTube, Brownlee asked the candidates, by video, whether tech companies
and the government can find a middle ground over encryption while
considering rights to privacy and national security.[8]"
The other day Musk asked about the type of trees being planted.
Donaldson noted that the trees are being planted on every continent
except Antartica and the type of trees planted will depend upon the
location of the planting. When Brownlee added that the project was
partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation. Musk replied that the program
sounded legitimate and he pledged to donate one million trees.
Wikipedia describes
the Arbor Day Foundation: "The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit conservation and education organization founded in 1972 in
Nebraska, United States, by John Rosenow. It is the largest nonprofit
membership organization dedicated to tree planting.[1] The Foundation's
stated corporate mission is "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and
celebrate trees."[2] The Foundation programs are supported by members,
donors, and corporate sponsors that share the same vision of a healthier
and greener world.[2]"
Musk did follow through in the past on a promise to help install UV
water filtration systems for the water fountains of schools in Flint
Michingan during the water crisis there.
Musk's cash problem
A recent article notes
Tesla is involved in a defamation suit launched by a UK diver Vernon
Unsworth: " ...in a recent court filing, Musk told lawyers representing
Unsworth that, despite his massive stock holdings in Tesla and SpaceX,
he was financially illiquid, according to The Los Angeles Times. That
means his insurer, American International Group Inc., may get involved
in any potential court settlement or financial payout as a result of the
case. It also means it’s an open question whether Musk has the cash on
hand to help MrBeast plant all those trees for charity."
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