It's the "feeling" that's important.
Posted on 07/07/2007 10:13:52 PM PDT by peggybac
Rock fans on Saturday shrugged off criticism of Live Earth for booking jet-setting pop stars to preach action on climate change, insisting the worldwide concerts would have a positive impact. Acts at the London leg of the 24-hour music marathon, aimed at raising awareness of global warming and pressuring politicians to enact legislation, included Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters.
But critics have suggested the performers are in danger of appearing hypocritical as they preach about climate change to crowds while themselves leaving a massive carbon footprint with their flights around the world.
Fans in the crowd at Wembley Stadium were unperturbed, with 27-year-old Neil Hanafin telling AFP that, on balance, the concert was "more of a positive thing. Raising awareness is what this whole thing is about."
Sitting next to him, 21-year-old Leanne Clarke, agreed, adding that "without this, I don't think they can do it."
The pair, wearing Live earth bandanas, said they were "quite worried about the planet" and hoped the global concerts had a similar impact to the Live 8 concerts two years ago to boost Western aid to developing countries.
Organisers hope the gigs will "make climate change sexy", according to Steve Howard, the founder of the "We're In This Together" environmental campaign.
"We hopefully will capture their hearts and minds on climate change," he told AFP, speaking of the crowds packing out stadiums around the world, and the two billion people expected to be watching on television and over the Internet.
He conceded that "yes, there has been some pollution caused by flying people in."
"But that's what we needed to do -- it was a calculated investment to say, 'We need to do this because we need to grab two billion people' rather than just me going on stage and nobody watching."
Howard said the majority of acts at the London event were either already in the city for other performances, or in the area, thereby reducing the carbon emissions from their travel.
Live Earth organiser Al Gore, former US vice president turned green campaigner, answered criticism of Live Earth's stars in British newspaper The Independent on Saturday.
"We are in a transition time in history when the only way we can get to where we need to be is by starting from where we are," he said.
"If we simply spend our time criticising one another for where we are, that will further delay our departure for where we need to be."
Organisers of the London leg were trumpeting environmentally-friendly measures being taken at the concert.
All burger boxes at the north-west London venue have been made of sugar cane and reed pulp, making them fully biodegradable, and all grease from concession stands is to be converted into biodiesel.
Some 80 percent of the waste generated at the concert was also set to be recycled, and the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on stage apparently led to a 50 percent reduction in energy used through lighting.
Electricity, meanwhile, was being supplied by biofuel generators, while the programmes for the London event were produced on recycled paper by a publisher using electricity garnered from renewable sources.
Elsewhere in the audience in London on Saturday, Jayme Fine, 32, said fans could take measures to compensate for the energy used at the concerts.
"People leaving their lights on at home when nobody's there is going to eat up electricity," he said.
"If we all just remember to shut those off, it's OK for us to have an event like this."
"We are in a transition time in history when the only way we can get to where we need to be is by starting from where we are," he said.
"If we simply spend our time criticising one another for where we are, that will further delay our departure for where we need to be." '
Heh?
Translation: “Do as I say, not as I do”
I think once they realize how carbon credits will start raising the price of their cocaine due to the increase in transportation costs, the`ll start shutting the hell up about this Gorebull warming hoax.
I was going to post something along those lines, but you beat me to it. I’ve always detested the “raise awareness” mantra. Its just another way to not actually have to do anything, except pat yourself on the back & feel smug.
Did anybody tell Gore he is supposed to put the ethanol in his SUVs fuel tank, not his stomach?
If you only watch one episode of South Park in your life...this is all you need...pretty much sums up how i feel about these feel good concerts... ;)
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/die+hippie/video/xm51s_die-hippie-die
No, making people feel good about themselves is what this whole thing is about.
No, making a fortune and grabbing new multinationalist-bureaucratic agency power under the GUISE of saving Mother Earth from the all-consuming Freepers and their ilk is what it’s really all about.
ROTFLOL! He is starting to take on Teddy Kennedy proportions in his physique, isn't he?
Toooooooooooo funny! LOLOLOLOL
“People leaving their lights on at home when nobody’s there is going to eat up electricity,”
thanks, mom. do you see how this is not just about carbon emission? this absolutely is about control when you start to compare renewable sources of energy to global warming.
dont forget, when they make up this global warming endangerment, they also set the rules and get to decide who is worthy enough to quote unquote damage the environment. in this case all sorts of bands get to do donuts on the lawn of environmentalism, while im stuck here advised to use only one square of paper per visit.
by the way, crow, i wrap my arm up like a mummy everytime i have to go. thats not counting the half a roll i peel away just to start a roll.
If they were TRULY about what they say, they would shut down this "buying carbon credits" bull instantly. The whole idea is ludicrous--they're creating this "limit" for pollution, and buying the amount some people can use for their own use.
If they were really for reducing pollution, then they would demand ALL people stay below this invented limit. Al Gore or some bushman who doesn't own a car, EVERYONE has the same limit.
That would give Al Gore the opportunity to give MORE to the cause because he would have to sacrifice more.
But of course, he doesn't see it that way. He doesn't feel ALL of us should observe this limit on pollution--he can pay an indulgence and make MORE than his fair share of pollution because he's rich, and, well, he's a liberal democrat.
If these people were TRULY against pollution, they would stop with the flim-flam and simply pollute less. But they're not, so they follow an environmentalist who produces 20 times more pollution than the average American household.
That's the left for ya!
gore and nader - that’s the ticket!
"If we simply spend our time criticising one another for where we are, that will further delay our departure for where we need to be."
ROTFL! And they call George W. Bush dumb?
Lord have mercy, I'm so glad algore wasn't elected President!!
Algore in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll would be proud of the whimsy.
For every idiot in the world, there needs to be a person of normal intelligence to compensate for the damage they do.
I suggest every idiot be made to purchase “stupid offsets”. The Gore family and all their religious followers would have to buy millions in S.O.’s practically every time they say something.
Live Earth organiser Al Gore, former US vice president turned green campaigner, answered criticism of Live Earth’s stars in British newspaper The Independent on Saturday.
“We are in a transition time in history when the only way we can get to where we need to be is by starting from where we are,” he said.
“If we simply spend our time criticising one another for where we are, that will further delay our departure for where we need to be.”
I don’t even know what the heck that means! What an idiot.
The Cathedrals to the dirt god will be built with the sale of carbon indulgences (and at the peasants' expense). Old concept, really.
Archbishop Gore's has decreed it thus.
How medieval.
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