The Strip by permission of The OliverReport.
I recently spoke with Travell Perkins about his new venture, Ecoegg.org, and the origins of his eco-comic strip anti-hero, the ever oblivious reporter, Oliver Blivious, featured on The Oliver Report. Oliver is thrown into the middle of environmental stories ripped from the headlines with his trusty camera man, Mac. Our reporter is a grey horned owl; his look is the exact opposite of his often aloof character. “The Oliver Report” is a furry comic strip; one where all the other characters are animals as well.
The comic strip is in its beginning stages and is evolving. Travell’s aim is to educate the world about our impact on the Earth through humor.
Travell’s journey to eco-comic book strip author is a very circular one. He earned his undergraduate degree from MIT and worked towards his master degree at BU part-time. Being an ex-Boy Scout and nature fan, he always had a desire to do more for the Planet. “I felt like my talents were being wasted on making the wealthy more so. While at the same time the planet I love and live on was dying.”
Out of Travell’s love of the environment, EcoEgg.org. was born. This website is a “consolidated source for environmentally focused news, information, and entertainment.” As the website indicates the editors “select the best from the Web and mix in exclusive original content to educate the public on our current environmental crisis which will define our time. We want to help you join the fight for a sustainable future.”
On the site, there are numerous news items and videos that would satisfy anyone’s thirst for environmental news. It is easy to navigate the site and read what you want. In addition, the site contains a social networking avenue. Access to the networking part is via the “Share” tab on the website. There you can blog, upload videos and pictures as well as join in discussions with other Eco-eggers.
However, this ambitious website was not enough for Travell. In the back of his mind, he knew that he would like to compliment EcoEgg with an eco-comic strip. He had ideas…big ideas in fact.
But Fate helped nudge Travell’s dream into becoming a reality. In a chance meeting on the train, he spotted Jason Tidwell, a young artist, who was drawing a cartoon character in his notebook. Travell knew that their meeting was destiny and together they would create a comic strip that would educate us about our impact on the Planet through humor. (Although not as dramatic as that, but you get the picture.) Shortly thereafter, the character,Oliver, was born. Let’s just say, the rest is eco-comic strip history…
What is the comic strip about? Oliver and company travel throughout the world reporting on environmental news as it affects our Planet.
“Whether its greenhouse gases, deforestation, water scarcity, forest fires, nothing is off limits for our star reporter, Oliver Blivious. Oliver delivers the environment like no one else can.”
So, go visit The Oliver Report, get a chuckle, learn something, and be inspired to help heal the Earth. Remember, through humor comes truth.
However, if reading or watching environmental news stories is your thing, visit EcoEgg, and network with your fellow EcoEggers. Whether you choose to read EcoEgg and/or The Oliver Report, they both accomplish the same thing, awareness and action to save the Planet. This is Travell’s goal.
So, whatever happened to our polar bear in the above comic strip, who is a victim of global warming? Go the website and finish the strip. I guarantee you will chuckle.
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