Last night Sydney kicked off a series of concerts hoping to highlight the issue of anthropogenic climate change to the broader public. Live Earth was organized by former Vice President Al Gore and included some of the biggest contemporary musical acts: Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, Dave Matthews Band, Wolfmother.
The concert series will see performances on all 7 continents, thanks to a performance at a research facility in Antarctica by Nunatak, a band made up entirely of British scientists.
The concept is akin to concerts like Farm Aid and Live Aid -- draw as much attention to an issue that might not be on the average person's radar.
Libby and I opted not to buy the $100AUS tickets and instead watched the concert with some Romanian friends of ours from their apartment in North Sydney. Most of the acts for the concerts are regional musicians, keeping with the Environmental message. Sydney's Live Earth concert featured Aussie darlings Wolfmother, environmental activist/musician John Butler, Hawaiian native Jack Johnson, and 80's sensations Crowded House.
It wasn't exactly the most star-studded of the 7 shows but it was a quality act. Australian audiences are famous for their enthusiasm and this show was no different.
There's been plenty of controversy surrounding the concerts. Most of the critics question how putting on an energy-consuming concert will help the environment. The BBC quotes George Marshall of the Climate Outreach Information Network saying "Having the richest people in the world saying, 'Hey! We all need to cut back a bit!' is, let's face it, absurd." Which is a logical concern.
However, seeing 45,000 Australians packed into the Aussie Stadium and knowing that millions more were watching at home made me realize the reach a concert like this can have. Gore is often lambasted for owning a mansion while preaching the low-impact life. But if his message gets through to people, that more than balances his lifestyle. He also offsets his carbon emissions by buying carbon credits, which when your that wealthy is an option. Gore also drives a hybrid vehicle, as does his son as we learned earlier this week..
The Live Earth concerts aren't just about the music or raising awareness they are also supposed to be the kick off of a massive change in lifestyle. Participants are asked to take this 7-point pledge:
To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become 'carbon neutral;'
To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
Our traveling lifestyle has seriously affected our ability to live a carbon neutral life. Flying in jets is a horrible waste of energy. One two-hour flight can be equivalent to 72 days of driving a standard car. But we're doing what we can right now to live as responsibly as possible. We recycle. We take public transportation when we can. (By the way, our car is fixed.) We take our own canvas bags to the grocers. Our light-bulbs are all compact fluorescent bulbs and we just try to turn stuff off when it's not in use.
I remember my grandfather telling me once that he turned the water off in the shower when he lathered up with soap. This made absolutely no sense to me when I was younger. I couldn't understand why anyone would be uncomfortable when they didn't have to be. He said it was wasteful to let the water run down the drain if you weren't using it. My grandfather is no tree-hugging liberal. He's just a responsible human being. It makes perfect sense to me now.
There are 6 billion of us who share this planet right now. That number is going to be 9 billion by 2050. China and India's new middle classes are starting to demand color TVs, SUVs, and central heating and air-conditioning. It's plain to see there is trouble a-brewing.
The United States accounts for 5% of the world's population, but uses 20% of the world's energy and resources. Australia is in the top-four carbon dioxide emitters based on population. But, it's clear here that minds are starting to change. The drought was especially hard for Australians to ignore and there's not a day that goes by that I don't hear on the radio, see on TV, or read in the newspaper something about climate change. Walking through the suburbs you see houses with rainwater tanks and signs proudly proclaiming carbon-neutral households.
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