Al Gore is planning a worldwide concert in seven cities across all continents this July 7 to raise awareness of the global climate crisis and to seek action on it from the world community. It is a huge undertaking that I honestly believe should be bigger news than it is in certain circles. But I suppose with all of the political speculation in the media sucking the air out of the real discussion that should be taking place now, it is no surprise that this isn't being recognized as a worthwhile event based on its merits by many in the blogosphere or the mainstream media...Yet. Well, I think that is about to change and I am certainly going to play this up, because I think this is a fanatastic idea for our planet.
Concert Announced:
Al Gore to Sound Off On Climate Change With Concert EventAnd get this: The first rock concert ever on Antarctica... Maybe we will see some "happy feet" calling us to do our duty for other species. Hey, Mr. Gore, maybe you can work with the animators from Happy Feet to get the penquins from the movie to dance in Antarctica in front of the musical acts. That would even get the message about preserving our planet and respecting other species across to children. And also, seeing actual footage of the ice melting along with it would go a long way to convincing some that for all the music and fun, this is serious.
And according to this article, the event will be carbon neutral. Hopefully, that will satisfy those just ready to jump on this effort.
Gore unveils plan for ‘Live Earth’ concertExcerpt:
Concert proceeds will go to fund further campaigning by The Alliance for Climate Protection, a movement chaired by Mr Gore. The organisers also plan to use only electricity from renewable sources, employ recycling and biodegradable materials where possible, and offset travel via carbon credits.
End of excerpt.
And from the Washington Post:
By J. Freedom du LacExcerpt:
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 15, 2007; Page C01
Al Gore's next gig: concert promoter.
Using popular music to bring attention to his pet issue of global climate change, the former vice president is planning a single-day series of concerts modeled after Live 8. Gore is scheduled to announce the concerts today in Los Angeles. He's expected to be joined there by rock stars Jon Bon Jovi and Sting, rap musician Pharrell Williams and media executive Kevin Wall, who served as worldwide executive producer for Live 8, the 2005 concerts that drew attention to African debt relief.
The Gore-promoted event will be held July 7, according to published reports, with seven major concerts on seven continents. Producers are said to be considering Washington as the North American host city, but one likely venue -- the Mall -- might be unavailable to them, a National Park Service spokesman said yesterday. A Gore representative declined to comment, as did Yusef Robb, a spokesman for the concerts.
skip
"The organizations are estimating 200,000 people between them," Line said. "Given the large number of participants expected, it would be difficult if not impossible to reasonably accommodate any additional large-scale events." Gore's group, Live Earth LLC, has yet to apply for a use permit, Line said. Would the National Park Service give special treatment to a former vice president and allow him to jump the queue?
"We treat everyone the same," Line said. "We process applications for events on the National Mall in the order in which they were received."
End of excerpt.
~~~
As far as getting the Mall, I actually had the opposite thought. I think they will try to push him out, but I suppose we will see. If not the Mall, there are plenty of great places to have this event. Maybe New Jersey is free. ;-).
I think this is an exciting and worthwhile endeavor to reach as many people worldwide as possible about the affects of global climate change and to educate people regarding ways that they can now become part of the solution to mitigate this crisis. And it also sends out a clear and loud message to governments of this world including our own that their footdragging is not going to stop us from doing what is morally right.
Scientists predict that temperatures will rise .02 degrees every decade the longer we continue to emit rapacious amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. The affects of the CO2 that has been collecting in our atmosphere for hundreds of years already are making their presence known in our world from rapidly melting ice in the Arctic (the world's mirror) to Greenland, South America, Africa, Asia, and North America, to persistant and prolonged droughts in Australia, Africa, North America, and parts of Europe.
This is a global crisis brought on by man over many decades that we will reap the whirlwind for if left unchecked, so it is only right that man should take the moral initiative in changing our behavior to keep this from getting any worse. To me, Al Gore spearheading this effort proves how committed he really is to our planet and to our future, and I for one am so pleased to have him on our side and the side of our planet in using his experience, his vision, and his many resources to inspire, inform, and lift up the global community to action.
Music is a very powerful medium when used for good and has inspired generations before us to seek and effect social change (i.e. the civil rights movement, anti-war movement of the sixties/ environmental movement of the seventies.) We can see a rebirth of the spirit of man if enough people sincerely join in this cause globally to fulfill our moral obligation to preserve our planet for future generations, and music is the one language understood worldwide.
There is no more noble cause, and there is no more important pulpit that the world stage to bring this message out, and for this and all he is doing now as a free man able to get around the stonewalling of the DC beltway, I believe Mr. Gore is starting a global grassroots effort unlike any other and the world will be a better place for it. And that is really what our time spent on this Earth should be all about. Hopefully, those only using these efforts and other awards Mr. Gore is up for because of the merits of his work for political speculation for their own agendas will also begin to see the big picture, because this is it.
http://liveearth.org/?cat=6
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
