Video Competition

The mission is simple: make a 60 second short film, starting or ending with an electric socket. And with this small step, you can add your voice to the ecoenergy dialogue.

Climate change - sustainability - environmental responsibility... they're huge issues, and can sometimes seem overwhelming. But just by thinking about the power you consume, you can make a big difference. And in this case, win some PRIZES!

Check out the video at left to see what some folks from Auckland, New Zealand did with the idea, then check out our {rules} page so you can get started with yours!

The rules are easy:

1. Your film must begin or end showing an electric socket.

2. The film must not be longer than 60 seconds, excluding a 5 second Socket Stories slate at the end. Download slate as TIFF, TARGA or JPG file.

3. You must not use any material that you do not have the right to.

4. Your film must be Creative Commons licensed as CC BY-ND 3.0, see license for an easy explanation) - this is to ensure that your film gets the widest possible reach, while you maintain full credit for the work.

5. The best films will be screened at movie theatres as part of Uneton48 festival 2012. To be screened in the theatre, your film needs to be at least in SD resolution (720 x 576 px), 16:9 and 25 frames per second.

6. If your film is in any other language than English, it must include subtitles. These can be added in the editing programme or on Youtube. If you're having difficulties with this, please contact us.

Now get shooting (or animating)! And when you're done, submit your film using the form or Socket Stories Facebook page.

Prizes

1. 300 EURO (400 USD) + 5 Suntrica's solar chargers for the team, Solar panel & SEHU power control module

2. 200 EURO ( 260 USD) + 5 Suntrica's solar chargers for the team & NiMH AA battery charger “USB+AA”

3. 200 EURO ( 260 USD) + 5 Suntrica's solar chargers for the team

4. 200 EURO ( 260 USD)

PASI TOIVIAINEN is a director, documentarist and science journalist specialised in climate change. He has worked as a TV journalist since 1998 for the Finnish public broadcaster company YLE.

During 1998-2002 he hosted a weekly program "Environment News" of YLE TV2. In 2004 he directed his best known documentary The Venus Theory, which answers the question: could our planet get as hot as Venus. Propably his best known work is a book "Climate Change NOW - Notes of apocalypse", which was published in Finnish in 2007. Toiviainen lives in Helsinki and his hobbies are climate science, football and cycling.

ANNELI JÄÄTTEENMÄKI is currently a member of the European Parliament. She is a master of law and has worked as a lawyer from 1981 to 1987 before becoming a member of the Finnish Parliament in 1987.

She became the chair of the Centre party in 2002 being the first woman leading a big Finnish party. In 2003 Jäätteenmäki became the first female prime minister of Finland. She was first elected to the European Parliament in 2004. She is the vice-chair of the political group Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. Her favourite activities during spare time are jogging, Nordic walking, reading and arts.

SERBAN M. COPOT, alias Hiena, is a Romanian pop musician and the chief of the environmental organization Generatia Verde. Serban used to work as the Romanian Ambassador of Climate Changes at the EU. He is also internationally known as the winner of MTV Europe Music Awards.

Green electricity is the future

Choosing green electricity is an easy and useful way to reduce your impact on the environment. It is also a signal to producers and to authorities that they should upscale investments in the production of renewable electricity, such as electricity from wind and sun.

Most electricity companies give their consumers -i.e. you- the choice between 'green electricity' and 'grey electricity'. If your supplier does not have a green product, it is worth to switch to another supplier. The price won't be a problem. Rather the opposite: not choosing your producer and sticking to the 'standard product' almost always leaves you with an expensive contract.

Where do you find green electricity? Check the website of your national electricity producers. In some countries NGOs have developed easy recognizable labels for the most sustainable green electricity.

Socket Stories is a video competition brought to you by EKOenergy, a leading ecolabel for green electricity in Finland. EKOenergy, together with leading European environmental groups, is now developing a pan-European Standard for Renewable Electricity. This brand will ensure that the money from your electric bill will end up contributing to a greener future.