As the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is starting to reach peak saturation on the internet, we need to remember that the philanthropy (and the challenges) shouldn't stop there. Recent challenger Vin Diesel saw that opportunity to keep the goodwill-towards-humanity train rolling and created The Groot Challenge, which challenges people to plant a tree in honor of his latest role in Guardians Of The Galaxy. Today, we're glad to report that the first person he called out has responded and accepted The Groot Challenge.
As you'll see in the video above, James Gunn has not only taken The Groot Challenge, he's also daring all of us Guardians Of The Galaxy fans to follow his lead and take part in beautifying our own little corner of the world. Better still, if 50 people follow through with this challenge and tweet/Instagram their photos to Gunn's personal profiles with the hashtag #PlantATreeForGroot, he'll personally donate $5,000 to the Rainforest Trust.
As of this writing, there are 16 people that have taken The Groot Challenge, and this not only has James Gunn excited, but the Rainforest Trust is getting in on the Guardians Of The Galaxy fun as well, as seen in this tweet from today.
Now while this isn't a challenge that's as easy as dunking yourself in ice water and sending a donation, this is a challenge that's as worthy of attention and donation as the fight against ALS. Deforestation has been a problem throughout the globe for quite some time, and if nothing is done about it, the effects will damage our ecosystem irreparably. On top of that, everyone could use a shade tree in their backyard! Don't have a backyard? That is definitely a problem, but you could get away with a Bansai tree or something similar that fits in a living room. Or just donate directly to the Rainforest Trust yourself by visiting their website.
If you happen to need any inspiration to plant a young sapling into the ground and watch it grow over the coming years, besides the fact that you'll be doing a solid for the planet and you'll have something to help chart the course of time, then perhaps imagining your tree as a baby Groot will help you make your decision. Just imagine your new addition to your horticultural landscape dancing like Groot did in the now famous post credits scene from Guardians Of The Galaxy.
You can find James Gunn's Twitter and Instagram at these hyperlinks, and you can find the Rainforest Trust here. And afterwards, you can always see Guardians Of The Galaxy, which is in theaters now!
