The Biggest Party the Planet Has Ever Needed
July 6th, 2007 by Carbon CoalitionFollowing in the footsteps of concerts such as the Concert for Bangladesh (1971) and Live Aid (1985), this weekends Live Earth concert will bring the issue of climate change into two billion living rooms around the world. From Rio de Janeiro to Sydney to New York to Tokyo, artists ranging from Kanye West to The Police are using their celebrity status to raise awareness about the dangers of climate change. The Live Earth Website states that organizers are hoping to “trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.”
The presidential candidates are joining with the Live Earth effort. I received an email from Senator John Edwards endorsing the event and urging all of his supporters to “transform the awareness into action” by taking the Live Earth pledge. Edwards’ email urged people to attend the Parties for the Planet which will bring together like minded people together for regional gatherings to watch the Democratic candidates discuss their global warming action plans as well as the concert event. This is an opportunity for anyone concerned with the future of our planet to compare the candidates on climate change for themselves. (To find a Party for the Planet near you click here.)
The Live Earth concert has not been met with open arms by all, as there are many concerns about the concerts’ carbon footprint. Yesterday’s Washington Post article “Just How Green is Live Earth?” included critical comments from The Who frontman Roger Daltrey and Senator James Inhofe. Senator Inhofe famously called global warming a “hoax.” Regardless of his opinion on the issue, Inhofe wants the concert participants to “talk the talk, to walk the walk.” Its possible the Senator fails to recognize is the extent to which the concert organizers are trying to neutralize the carbon that the seven events on seven continents will generate. All electricity used for the event will be generated by renewable sources, all stage lighting will be produced by LED bulbs, and staff and artist travel will be offset through Native Energy carbon offsets (See for yourself how Native Energy faired in Clean Air-Cool Planet’s Consumers Guide to Retail Carbon Offset Providers).
Live Earth will be broadcast at http://www.liveearth.msn.com/.
