In considering that truth, it can be disconcerting if you think about it. Here’s LiveEarth with the efforts of celebrities and millions of dollars of financial backing for what? For the mere possibility that the message clicks with somebody somewhere? If this concert isn’t successful in reprogramming the way the people think, then we as a sustainable community have a long road ahead of us.

As I see it, the first step is education. Education means making people aware how harmful their habits are, but it goes further than that. Education means we have to be responsible how we spend our money and how we spend our votes. If people aren’t responsible about how they spend their dollar then the fight will never end.

Take light bulbs as an example. Low energy light (which btw, many of these “green” light bulbs are more efficient but also carry a burden at their end of life as they contain levels of toxic metals that end up back at our landfills) bulbs are offered as a solution to the traditional light bulb. So there’s two types of light bulbs on the shelf of a retail store. Which does the consumer choose? The way to implement large scale change isn’t through the options of “greener” products (although we’ve come along way). The way to make a difference is in the elimination of manufacturing products that are harmful to the environment.

The only way that can happen is through an educated consumer. If we eliminate the “options” and demand as consumers that we’re not going to buy your crappy products that pollute our planet anymore then we have chance. We need to eliminate the choices and make “green” the standard in procedure.

I’m not one to carry a political flag however education makes for wiser electors. We have the power to put the people in office that can make this difference. This is a quandary for me. My preference is as Benjamin Franklin’s was: laissez-faire baby!

I feel like politics can divide the green community. I don’t care about the political parties. I care about making informed decisions about the people you vote for. If sustainable isn’t a platform your politician is running, then find another one. If you can’t find one that agrees with you, become one!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a democrat or republican. Just make responsible decisions in your life regarding our planet. Your mother isn’t going to come in behind you and pick up the mess you’ve left behind. There is no one else to take up this task but us the people living here on this planet.

“If you don’t live within a stone’s throw of one of the cities hosting the Live8 today, you may be succoring yourself with the philosophy of David Stubbs (of Wired Magazine). To paraphrase, and probably invite a lawsuit: Musicians today are merely Corporate Stooges, being flouted by Whiskey or Water company executives who don’t know art but do know how to turn a profit on plastic disks. Music has lost its power of philosophical leadership, of rebellion, of commitment, of casting the spotlight in the corners where shame lurks.”
[...]
“Some say Geldof is acting out of self-glorification, and we unfortunately must report that several young people (young like born after LiveAid) we interviewed in Berlin could not tell us who Bob Geldof is. I guess his name will be known to one more generation now. But if the call for awareness and solidarity with the problems Africans face makes a difference, then Geldof will have achieved something beyond the reach of many individuals. Only history can be the judge.”

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/07/live8_berlin_wa.php

Good point Tao. I think my objection, or perhaps scepticism is a more accurate word, can be summed up like this.

- I fully agree that Live Earth probably communicated the climate change/global weirding message to a bunch of folks who would otherwise not have heard it.
- I fully agree that, for a mammoth rock concert it was probably relatively green. Relatively being the operative word.
- I am, overall, probably glad it happened - we need this message to go mainstream, and they will get it more mainstream than Amory or Vandana Shiva or whoever. And even if one of these eco-celebs cuts back their private jet flights by 50%, it’ll have a greater impact than 10 of us mere mortals deciding not to fly to NYC.

Aside: Hei, perhaps they could share rides like the rest of us - ‘Bono, this is Chris here. Could you drop me off in Honolulu on your way to Dublin, I’m calling in on David and Victoria, their having a fundraiser for global warming. They thought the beach would be appropriate, if it’s still there.’

- But, and here is my thing - for me it was just utterly uninteresting. So maybe it’s more a matter of taste than ethical objections. I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it for longer than 15 minutes (and that was out of professional interest).

I should disclose though that I have always been a terrible reverse snob - I was the kid that always claimed to like whatever the hot band was ‘before they were famous. Now they’re just sell outs.’

My question is - who do you think should be the message bearers for this huge “soft middle”? You and I look up to people like GreenPeace activists and Amory Lovins of The Rocky Mountain Institute, but so far, they haven’t been enough to influence the way most of America and other parts of the world lives.

To answer your question more specifically - do I want to listen to these people? Not really. Do I want consumer-driven televisions addicts to tune in while channel surfing between American Idol and Reality TV? You bet!

there’s no doubt that Live Earth had a HUGE environmental impact, even if it was offset. Having said that, I did see an interview with one of the main guys behind the event that they chose artists who were touring in the region at the time, thereby greatly reducing the amount of travel needed. In terms of staging an event like that, it does look like they went quite far to reduce emissions. Ultimately, if it raises more awareness than it does emissions, then it will have been worth while. I guess it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Couldn’t agree with you more Jerry, in terms of holding celebs accountable. I strongly doubt they’ll all be ditching their prvate jets though - Chris Martin and Laurie David haven;t yet, as far as I know. Steps in the right direction though I guess, but the hypocrisy will continue.

From what I’ve seen and heard, it seems like the business travelers that hop around on flights daily for conferences and sales (that could be most likely accomplished in other ways) and offer nothing to this cause, could be the bigger eco-villains.

In your interview with Multilingual Living Magazine you mentioned avoidance as a front running option in reducing greenhouse gases produced by aircraft. This is an interesting point when you considered how many thousands of miles every artist traveled to perform. Considering that one international flight produces about the same CO2 as the average automobile does in an entire year, Live Earth could be considered an eco-crime.

OK, Sami, hoooold on a moment, treehugger dude - oops forgot you’re English, eeer, uh, mate. Let’s remember some basic marketing rules — like MEET THE MARKET WHERE THEY LIVE. And look around at MTV, VH1, Blender Magazine, or heck, just google Fall Out Boy then google Amory Lovins and see who wins out. Anyone who wants to reach masses and doesn’t harness the power of pop culture then ought to arrested for malpractice.

Yes, it’s become a thing to have concerts for causes — so it’s fitting that the biggest one by far — the most stars, the most countries, the most watched, the most money raised — is for global warming.

The other thing I dig about Live Earth is that it ties celebrities to the cause. Rappers have been a huge catylist in support of excess lifestyle accoutrements like Escalades and Hummers. Now, Ludacris and Kayne West would be instantly accused as being hypocrites if they were caught cruisin’ around like that.

And everyone who gave money and took the pledge ends up branding themselves as concerned about the cause of global warming. And this kind of self-image transformation is how things change. One you participate in a race rally — it becomes less likely you’ll every act racist.

Alright that’s all for now. I’m tagging out.