MTV's 'Pimp My Ride' & Governor Schwarzenegger
Monday, April 09, 2007
Earth Day Episode Rounds Out thinkMTV's Year-Long 'Break the Addiction' Campaign Empowering Youth To Curb Climate Change
In accordance with Earth Day 2007, MTV and the "Pimp My Ride" crew prove that going green can get extreme, especially with a little help from a friend - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. As part of a very special Earth Day episode airing April 22nd at 1 pm ET/PT, Governor Schwarzenegger visits Xzibit, Mad Mike and the entire "Pimp My Ride" crew at G.A.S. (Galpin Auto Sports), as they take aim on a '65 Chevy Impala, and give it a one of a kind ecological alteration. Ultimately proving that power and preservation can co-exist thanks to partners at Galpin, Imperium Renewables, General Motors and others, the Impala gets an 800 horsepower diesel engine that will run on biodiesel, turning it into one extraordinary clean machine! "I would like to thank MTV and the entire 'Pimp my Ride' crew for shining the spotlight on the importance of alternative fuels and the fight against global warming. I am very encouraged by the great potential in converting vehicles to run on biodiesel as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I am pleased that the power of MTV's message will reach an audience throughout California and the nation to reinforce the benefits of alternative-fuel vehicles and protecting our environment."
The special episode will air as part of the thinkMTV (http://www.think.mtv.com) year long, 12-step campaign "Break The Addiction" engaging, empowering, and educating millions of young people to make smart, everyday choices that both improve their life and help curb the impact of climate change and preserve the environment. The episode will also air on MTV2 and MTV Tr3s, and appear on MTV as the kick-off of a "Pimp My Ride" Sneak Peek marathon featuring all new episodes of the MTV hit series beginning at 1 pm ET/PT on Sunday, April 22nd. "What better way to celebrate the anniversary of our Break the Addiction campaign than pimping the environment with a pro like Governor Schwarzenegger - a powerful voice in the fight against climate change," said Christina Norman, President, MTV. "During the past year, we've reached millions, giving our audience the tools they want to make changes in their own lives. The state of our environment is one of the most critical issues facing our audience today and we're honored that we can inspire and educate even more as we celebrate Earth Day with this special 'Pimp My Ride' event."
During this special edition of "Pimp My Ride" fans will meet Kristoffer from North Hollywood, CA who has had more than his fair share of car trouble with his 1965 Chevy Impala. Rescue comes his way however as Xzibit pays him a surprise, and takes his car to G.A.S. for the ultimate ecological transformation. Beau, Mad Mike, and the entire G.A.S. team put together the plan, which includes installing a monster 800 horsepower diesel engine that will run on biodiesel! Fans watch every step of the way, and even join Mad Mike as he visits the guys at Imperium Renewables to learn exactly how alternative fuels are created and used. The crew then decides to test out how the new biodiesel Impala fares against a Lamborghini Gallardo in the ultimate race! In a surprise visit, Governor Schwarzenegger himself visits G.A.S. to help with the final touches and provides his own eco-approval. With the race and transformation complete with the Governor's blessing, Kristoffer gets jolted when his new pimped-out masterpiece is unveiled before him.
Galpin Auto Sports, the garage of "Pimp My Ride," takes going green to an all-new level in this special episode. Their dedication to protecting our Earth dates back to 1979 when Galpin Motors began converting fleets of gasoline engine vehicles to run on methanol and even opened the nation's first methanol service station. Additionally, Galpin Motors was one of the first dealers to sell Ford flexible fuel vehicles, TH!NK Neighbors and other electric vehicles, for which they even built an on-site charging station.
General Motors lends a hand with the restoration of this very special '65 Chevy Impala with its efficient and powerful Duramax diesel engine which, when found in the latest Chevrolet and GMC trucks, is one of the cleanest diesel engines ever produced. GM is focused on reducing the environmental impact of its vehicles and promoting energy diversity with the development of advanced fuel-saving technologies for the conventional vehicle, the use of biofuels like E85 ethanol and biodiesel, and the development of electrically-driven vehicles like hybrids, fuel cells, and those that can be powered by lithium ion battery technology. To restore this classic Impala to mint condition, Mad Mike, Beau and the G.A.S. crew wanted to use the "real thing" - original parts manufactured with the original tool and die from GM Restoration Parts.
Imperium Renewables was also a key partner in this special episode of "Pimp My Ride" - providing biodiesel fuel and engineering expertise as well as providing a year supply of biodiesel fuel made from Canola for the show's lucky recipient of the new pimped out ride. A leader in the renewable energy industry, Imperium Renewables is committed to helping society break its addiction to petroleum. Known for its creation of several proprietary new production innovations and technology, Imperium Renewables is currently set to build the largest biodiesel production facility in the U.S. at Imperium Grays Harbor, Washington this year.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2006, thinkMTV launched "Break the Addiction," a 12-step campaign to engage, educate and empower millions of young people to make smart, everyday choices that both improve their life and help to curb the impact of climate change and preserve our environment. The campaign, which exists across all of MTV's platforms, focuses primarily on individual, daily actions young people can take to reduce their consumption, while simultaneously inspiring and rewarding high school and college-aged youth to develop innovative solutions that capitalize on the opportunity to build a better environmental future for themselves and their world. To date, "Break the Addiction" has reached millions of young people through on air programming, MTV News stories, public service announcements, online resources, contests and on the ground mobilizing. For more information about thinkMTV's Break the Addiction campaign, visit think.mtv.com.
