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FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
Sooo, what did everyone make of Live Earth?
While we can all appreciate the cause, there's certainly mixed opinions on the hypocrisy of it all, and even the motivations of some of the event organisers and partners. As Al Gore said, "This is going to be the greenest event of its kind, ever. The carbon offsets and the innovative practices that are being used to make this a green event, I think, will set the standard for years to come." '

Well thanks for that Al, I'll be sure to plant a tree next time I hop on board my private jet or crank up all the lights in my house til they're visible all over London.

It would have been greener to have no concert at all, but then the question is how to reach the billions of people that this is reported to have done. In terms of awareness, I think it's fair to say that people were "aware" of the concert taking place and what it stood for, but how many were left with awareness of what they could really do to contribute to the cause? How many were simply left with the disturbing image of Madonna gyrating over a stereo instead. Either way, the debate over how green the concert really was probably gets people thinking more about the environment that the actual event itself, which can only be a good thing in the end. It's a strange topic anyway, as we're only accelerating, not creating climate change. It's gonna happen at some point, polar bears haven't been around forever and we can't expect them to be in the future...

they mostly come at night, mostly.


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
yes, i think all the above, pretty exactly.

'Awareness' is a real thingy.
For example, it did wonders for the fortunes of Nike in the late 80s\early 90s.
But is green a 'brand'? Well i suppose it kind of is. So Live Earth is probably an 'OK thing'. But it smells a bit funny doesn't it?

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


SkattoGOLD Member
Walking on whims...
687 posts
Location: Eastbourne, UK


Posted:
It smells REAL funny...



Although I did like the sudden appearance of Gogol Bordello and Spinal Tap.



But it still smells funny.

Skatto

"Fly like a mouse,
Run like a cushion,
Be the small bookcase."

For goodness sake, don't aggravate the otters!!!


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
And, is anyone more "aware" now than they were before? There's so many little things people can easily do to help, but all they really made of that was turning the lights of for about 0.01% of the show. I'm sure npower were loving it though.

they mostly come at night, mostly.


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
ubblol I like the attitude weavesmiley

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
Gorgol Bordello do rock, but was it enough to make you not wanna leave your appliances on standby...

they mostly come at night, mostly.


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
I didn't really watch it, but as far as I can tell there wasn't much going on in the way of telling people what changes they need to make to their lives in order to realise a cleaner planet. I wonder how much litter got left after everybody had gone? I also wonder whether Madonna and Al Gore will start catching boats and trains instead of planes. Does anyone know if there were any workshops there? Or if anyone actually informed people of organisations and groups to get in touch with?



I'm not dissing Live Earth. Awareness is great and this message needs to be minstream because the mainstream is what needs to change. I'm just not sure what the point of an event to get a message across is if that message is not delivered. Like Live Aid and Make Poverty History, this should not just be a fad of the season. It's something we're going to have to work on for the rest of our lives. And unfortunately, unless we can stop climate chaos (the result of accelerated climate change which is happening faster than we can respond to it as a result of our own actions), those other two noble causes are going to be made even harder to resolve.



If you want to do something about climate chaos and haven't already, have a look at what you can do to change your own lifestyle:



https://www.icount.org.uk/book_bliss/88.asp

https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/what_can_i_do_today



And (if you're in the UK) join both these campaigns to get the government to help us by doing their bit:



www.thebigask.com

www.icount.org.uk



smile

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
 Written by:

is anyone more "aware" now than they were before?





weeell... my reference to nike before was meant to be serious.



Generally their adverts weren't geared toward making people want any particular item of their generally poor-quality sportswear, but on building brand awareness, making people think of them and associate them with sport, that sorta thing.



i see "building brands" as a kind of PR voodoo that people don't really understand fully, and it's very hard to say how "effective" any single marketing thingy will be. But it's about more than just letting people know the problem exists. The problem also has a kind of 'importance value' in peoples heads, and we can make them regard it as less or more important. Kind of. Probably.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: duballstar



... I wonder how much litter got left after everybody had gone? I also wonder whether Madonna and Al Gore will start catching boats and trains instead of planes. Does anyone know if there were any workshops there? Or if anyone actually informed people of organisations and groups to get in touch with?





I here the mess the next day was an unfathomable sea of non-biodegradable plastic trash. Excellent work. Boats and trains? electric cars lol! i'd love to see that. Or on bikes, even better.

There didn't seem to be any major involvement of any organisation, they probably didn't want to endorse it :P

Good links tho! smile

Does anyone know where the money raised from ticket sales went?

they mostly come at night, mostly.


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
Bread and games! wink

I don't want to say that the stars are hypocrates, the opposite: I dearly believe that most of them performed in best faith and were getting to the place of the concerts by paddle boat or even bicycle...

"We have to live by example" - that's the message, as the superstars and politicians prove. Al Gore's son was a good example and

even Madonna was using alternate methods to get to the concert and left her stretch-out limo at home:


Non-Https Image Link

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: simian


The problem also has a kind of 'importance value' in peoples heads, and we can make them regard it as less or more important. Kind of. Probably.



Good point, it will certainly have a presence in the forefront of people's minds for a while, and is a good foundation to build on. With lots of schparkley lights and catchy rythms.

they mostly come at night, mostly.


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
and Madonna copied that idea from me ;P

they mostly come at night, mostly.


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
A lot of money in PR goes towards 'priming' people, setting thier brains into patterns to associate the brand with desirable attributes and results. Hence the switch to lifestyle ads where a product is shown held by people people having a beauiful time. Live Earth is just part of that 'priming' (aka 'planting seeds') for climate change that will be activated next time somebody comes across a green product or decision.

And many things contribute to awareness: Al Gore's son got arrested after being pulled over for speeding. The fact that he was widely reported as driving a Toyota Primus, a 'green' car help educate people that green does not always equal slow and boring.

The other day I found an article that helps highlight what green campaigns are up against: the Slamming the Climate Skeptic Scam.

FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
Like subliminal advertising, I guess. Gotta be careful of companies hijacking eco-labelling in that case though.

they mostly come at night, mostly.


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
Speaking of "promo":

 Written by: SPIEGEL

"It's problematic that a firm like Daimler, which just several weeks ago was doing battle with the European Commission plans for mandatory emissions limits, can now present itself as a protector of the climate," Jürgen Maier of the Berlin-based Climate Alliance wrote in the July issue of Greenpeace Magazine. (...)



There is lots more double faced issues with Daimler

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
Exactly!

they mostly come at night, mostly.


fake teeth and glueBRONZE Member
Checking who's online, watching you!
1,972 posts
Location: somewhere, England (UK)


Posted:
i didn't even know this live earth thing was on, as far as i can tell it was some sort of live aid but for the environment......i wonder if the people who created live aid and the such have any NEW ideas about how to raise unawareness, like a big power generating bike ride or a run around large city stopping the traffic in the process, unfortunately these would probably be less advertised around the world (unless they had one in a load of countries) and not everyone would know about it, a music gig would get a higher rate of interest i suppose.
and everyone did know about it wink

you just lost the game!!!!!! !!!!!

knowledge is power, power corupts, study hard, become evil.


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
Good points from Flousousoo, Dom (that's a great blog) and Simian about the priming effect and surrounding coverage. Changing the way people think is a slow process.



To be honest, if you think about where climate change was on the agenda 10 years ago, I find it encouraging that all these companies and politicians are attempting to out green each other, long may it continue. Those that are just greenwashing deserve to be exposed. While it may damadge consumer confidence in green products, it's like the Free Range/Fair Trade stuff - the more people that inisist on it, the easier it is to deliver. Overall, the fact we're having the conversation is healthy.



The trouble is, a lot of the problem resides in excessive consumption and waste in the the first place. I'm all for ethical consumerism. If you have to buy something, buy it green. But do you really need to buy it in the first place? Is it possible to push this message through what is essentially a consumer culture?



I've been encouraged so far. But I think that the changes which need to be made will need political direction as well, such as the car emmissions legisltion brought in by the EU that Tom refers to...

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: duballstar





To be honest, if you think about where climate change was on the agenda 10 years ago, I find it encouraging that all these companies and politicians are attempting to out green each other, long may it continue.





That's a really good point! Like it has street cred, which is good, no matter what the true motives are. Like Aerial with its 30 degree wash campaign, it's a great message, although the marketing of their product as the only one that really cleans at that low temperature shows the real reason for it. Potentially good effects though nonetheless.

they mostly come at night, mostly.


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
The irony...

they mostly come at night, mostly.


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
ubblol Good call Spanner.... cool

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
 Written by: duballstar


The trouble is, a lot of the problem resides in excessive consumption and waste in the the first place. I'm all for ethical consumerism. If you have to buy something, buy it green. But do you really need to buy it in the first place? Is it possible to push this message through what is essentially a consumer culture?



Good point. I'm constantly trying to remind people that whilst recycling is a good idea it's thrid place in the list: reduce, reuse, recycle. I'd like to see plastic and glass drinks bottles reused, as they are in several countries. Ironically many countries considered 'poor' have better reuse schemes but switch to disposible plastic as they 'rise' up the global ladder.

_Stix_Pooh-Bah
2,419 posts
Location: la-la land


Posted:
I read in some sunday rag that Madge's carbon foot print equates to that of



54 americans

107 UK residents

or 1600 odd malawian's



Go Madge! 6 houses, private jets, world tours (not to mention the entourage).. way to go darling. wink



if it rasies awareness in people for longer than a week then it is a good thing.. but meh.. what a hyporytical way to go about it.. but is there really any other way to get to the masses, except thru 'celebrity' these days?
EDITED_BY: _Stix_ (1184013996)

I honour you as an aspect of myself..

You are never to old to storm a bouncey castle..


fire_of_greenbriarSILVER Member
stranger
4 posts
Location: Norman, Oklahoma, USA


Posted:
Its a nice try, I support their efforts, but I certainly didn't pay much attention. I'm too busy riding my bicycle, learning new skills, and digging in the dirt with my friends. Perhaps business and industry leaders will be moved to use their quite sizeable resources in a "greener" way, which is probably the real results a pr stunt like this will have - but myths of democracy aside, that is their domain, not that of people like myself.

If you're interested in doing something about climate change, ignore the distractions of celebrity and big money, and forget the "masses". Get your friends together, and do the unsexy work of intimately connecting with your local landbase and community - dig a garden, explore your local ecosystem and learn to live with it and repair it, tinker with the local community infrastructure, and learn to live without carbon emissions.

EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Meh.

Can't stand political soapboxing from musicians, whether it's Midnight Oil's "let's all embrace the Native Spirit" or U2's "Oooh, a bandwagon. Let's jump on it."

Like Spanner, I ignored the whole thing, it's not going to make me any more aware than I already am, and out of pure contrarian instinct I'm more likely to start arguing against the whole thing.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
But there's one Madge but 300 million Americans, 730 million Europeans and way over a billion Chinese. If we all made a little effort and worked for a balanced earth I don't think we'd all end up treading water because Madge still flew a private jet.

newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
What was it? a big concert or something?

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
It was in a similar vein to things like Live Aid / 8 really, or at least trying to be. Focus was on climate change, Al Gore's pet topic.

they mostly come at night, mostly.


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Look, any time someone does something to try to save the environment, it's going to take energy and generate waste.

However, the more awareness we can raise, the more action will take place. It is, after all, about money. It's ALL about money.

If people demand environmentally friendly goods and are willing to pay for them, then companies will produce them. If we can get people to demand environmentally friendly goods, then it's worth it.

Live Earth didn't use that much energy in the grand scheme of things. Just a guess, but I daresay the Vegas Strip probably uses that much energy every day!

Why rake the muck? We're all on this rock together. Pitch in however you can!

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


BEZERKERenthusiast
237 posts

Posted:
Self indulgent crapola.

I have no issue with festivals or world wide gigs. I just object the faux spot lighting of musical celebs who are hypocritical in their stance to tell the average person that THEY need to make changes.

FloosoushooSILVER Member
member
38 posts
Location: Oxfordia, United Kingdom


Posted:
And yet, if fans of Madonna now see her as some sort of role model and that it's *cool* to care about the environment, then that's a whole new demographic of eco-concious folk...

they mostly come at night, mostly.


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