Here’s a movie pitch for you: China announces sweeping new guidelines for its citizens regarding what they can eat, so Arnold Schwarzenegger is sent over to liberate the masses from the tyranny of the oppressive regime, and the whole thing is directed by James Cameron.

Okay, but what if instead of that, Arnold and Cameron himself decide that China is onto something—something really good for the planet—so instead of starting a war, they make a series of PSAs asking Americans to do the same? Because that is actually happening.

We came across this story at Collective Evolution, and it’s not as weird as it sounds… but it is kind of weird.

Here’s the short version: the Chinese government has announced new dietary guidelines that could cut the nation’s meat consumption in half, all in an effort to improve the health of its citizens. Cameron, himself a vegan, and Arnold Schwarzenegger filmed a series of PSAs asking Americans to do the same. While they haven’t been released yet, the video in the player above gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of them.

If this isn’t all strange enough, they were filmed on the set of the new Avatar movie against green screens, so seeing a blindfolded Arnold walking through (I think) the desert of a… world… of… meat… maybe?… against that was, well it was interesting.

Cameron’s intentions here are driven less by the diet and well-being of people and more about the health of the planet, because of the impact the meat and dairy industries have on the environment. Cameron isn’t wrong, and fixing the greenhouse gas emissions problem is of paramount importance, but still…

Are some absurd commercials featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger telling us to eat less meat the best way to tackle the problem? I don’t know. I guess at the very least we are here, now, discussing and thinking about the topic, so it can’t be all bad.

Do you think you can cut back on meat and dairy? What do you think about the ad campaign? Tell us here in the comments below.

Featured Image: Tiffany Roufs