What exactly is the purpose of Live Earth?
Live Earth came in for a bashing from the blogosphere over the past few days for the carbon footprint it will generate by flying artists between its concerts in New Jersey, London, Rio, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney. To the organisers, this is not significant – Live Earth will leverage awareness and lead to change that far outweighs the concert’s impact.
Stop Climate Chaos said:
“Carbon will be produced, but it enables us to reach out to large numbers of people who will be encouraged to learn about how they can reduce their carbon footprint, so it will be worth the carbon.”
Like Live Aid and Live 8, the scale and line-up of Live Earth will generate huge demand and the concert will be deemed a success in terms of the people it reaches. But it is the music rather than the green message that attracts people. And unlike Live 8, Live Earth is designed to educate rather than demonstrate public opinion. Popstars never had a platform from which to suggest we review the sustainability of our lifestyles, and when they start doing so from a lower moral position the situation becomes rather silly.
If you are already on the green bandwagon, don’t go to Live Earth – you are not the target audience! Who exactly is, and what moral lesson will they be taught?
April 16, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Nice blog!
June 30, 2007 at 8:26 pm
My thoughts on live earth… (at link above)
July 10, 2007 at 12:52 am
I believe the purpose is to get younger people more involved in the decisions that affect them now and later and to educate many different types and age groups. I work with young people and they hunger for good information amongst the steady drone of hogwash delivered to them daily. I am 47 an I was entertained by the music but also educated and entertained by the short films. I give the organizers credit for their marketing type efforts just to make a few basic environmental points. I think young people can make a big impact as they grow older. Rome wasn’t built in a day and global warming or whatever it is called in the next decade won’t totally disappear anytime soon but trying to creatively invest in “pop” education that may show dividends down the line is a great idea. You never know what fresh faced young person is going to be your next senator, mayor, city councilman or oil executive. I think this stadium form of consciusness has always been there and they are using the medium to make poeple more aware of the common goal. I mean, who wouldn’t want a better, cleaner planet? -Steve