I’ll admit it. I watched the Live Earth concerts on television and the Internet from the opening of the concert in Sydney through the post-concert replays. I spent several hours Sunday watching YouTube videos of performances I missed and rewatching those I liked.
I don’t understand the criticism of the concert. Its goal was to raise awareness of the climate crisis and provide tips on how individuals can fairly effortlessly reduce their energy consumption on a daily basis. Surely even those who don’t believe there is a climate crisis can’t say with a straight face that using less energy is a bad thing.
I tuned in for the music but came away with much more. I felt like a member of a world community, one free of the xenophobia that has become so prevalent in this country. I learned a few simple things I can do to reduce my own energy consumption, like unplugging my phone charger when not using it and turning the power off the cable box, not just the television, when not watching. Small steps indeed, but ones that could make a difference if adopted by the 2 billion people or 10 million viewers who caught those tips.
I applaud the musicians and actors who donated their time and talent for our enjoyment of the event. Al Gore and the event planners deserve a lot of credit. So do the hundreds of thousands of fans who attended the concert in person who endured traffic jams, crowds and heat.
To the naysayers, from Sir Bob Geldof, who thought the event didn’t offer enough of a solution, to the British press, which complained the groups weren’t important enough, to the mean-spirited conservative bloggers, who bashed it because it was connected to Gore, I give a big raspberry.
Geldof said: “Everybody’s known about that problem for years. … I would only organize this if I could get on stage and announce concrete environmental measures from the American presidential candidates, Congress or major corporations. They haven’t got those guarantees. So it’s just an enormous pop concert.”
I guess he missed the 7 Point Pledge that Gore and others requested concert viewers to sign.
» Demand that my country join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy Earth.
» Take personal action to help solve the climate crises by reducing my own carbon dioxide pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral.”
» Fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the carbon dioxide.
» Work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship and means of transportation.
» Fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal.
» Plant new trees and join others in preserving and protecting forests.
» Buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crises and building a sustainable, just and prosperous world for the 21st century.
The point is to put pressure on Congress and corporations that haven’t been listening. Raising awareness of ways each of us can reduce our energy use and fuel consumption is an important first step. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Yes, Geldof, it was just a big pop concert. It won’t solve the energy crisis any more than your Live 8 concert ended poverty in Africa. But both are worthy endeavors.
Rock music is a great unifier. It transcends race, age, class and even politics. In today’s celebrity-driven culture, rock stars carry a lot of clout. To criticize them for using it to inspire positive change across society as they entertain us rings hollow.
A member of The Examiner’s Blog Board of Contributors, Jeralyn Merritt blogs at Talkleft.com.
