Sting honored with "Green Oscar"

Sting and his wife Trudie Styler received the honorary International Green Film Award on Tuesday (September 25) in New York for their work with the Rainforest Fund.

Known as a 'Green Oscar,' the award was presented to the couple by the Cinema for Peace New York, an organization that recognizes international artists who use their voices for good around the world.

On the red carpet Sting explained why this award is different.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) STING, SINGER, SAYING:

"You just say, not another one, not another award, but this is very special - it's the 'green Oscar' and it's for our environmental work. And the reason we do it is not because we get an award, but we're very happy when we do receive something like this."

Sting and Styler founded the Rainforest Fund in 1989 as a way to protect the rainforest and the indigenous people in Brazil. Since then the fund has protected a total of 28 million acres of forest in 20 different rainforest countries around the globe.

Previous recipients of the award include Angelina Jolie, George Clooney and Sean Penn.