Rock the Earth Successful in Defending Oglala Tribe’s Rights
 As reported in the March edition of Rock the Earth Notes,
on February 22, Rock the Earth joined with the Center for Water
Advocacy ("CWA") to oppose Crow Butte Resources' ("CBR") Uranium Mine
Expansion by filing an amicus (‘friend of the court’) brief in support
of the Tribe’s right to intervene in proceedings before the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission’s (“NRC”) Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
(“Board”).
Located near Crawford, Nebraska, The Crow Butte Mine produces 800,000 to 1 million pounds of yellowcake uranium per year (current price $89lb). The Crow Butte Mine is owned by Canadian-based Cameco, Inc.
which calls itself the largest uranium company in the world. Cameco
Resources (formerly Crow Butte Resources), a Cameco subsidiary that
owns the mine, represents 10% of Cameco's uranium reserves.
Continue reading this article...
For more information on this important issue, check out the Rock the Earth Crow Butte Project Page.
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Rock the Earth Takes Next Step to Protect Colorado River
 Now
before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, this month Rock the Earth and
its partners River Runners for Wilderness, Wilderness Watch and Living
Rivers filed an opening brief in our lawsuit against the National Park
Service. Arguing that the stretch of the River through Grand Canyon
National Park is being mismanaged and that public permits are being
arbitrarily granted, we have asked that the Park Service revise their
2006 Management Plan. Meanwhile, several other groups and individuals
have signed onto an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief in support of
our position: Sierra Club, Californians for Western Wilderness, Center
for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, Friends of Yosemite
Valley, Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association, Mariposans for
the Environment and Responsible Government, North West Rafters
Association, Southern Utah Wilderness Association, Western Lands
Project, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Olympic Park Association, and
RtE Advisory Board Member Dr. Roderick Nash. To read our opening brief,
go here.
For more information about this issue, please see the CRMP Project page.
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A Rockin’ 2008 Summer Tour!
To kick off our 5th Summer Education and Outreach Tour, Rock the Earth is once again started at Summer Camp in Chillicothe, IL. Serving as moe.’s annual start-of-summer festival, Summer Camp featured the Flaming Lips, Umphrey’s McGee, OAR, the Roots, G. Love & Special Sauce, and of course, three shows by moe.. Meanwhile, this same weekend, in Cumberland, Maryland, RtE volunteers headed up a team at the first annual DelFest, which featured Vince Gill, Dierks Bentley, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet (featuring Bela Fleck), and the Del McCoury Band, who played throughout the weekend.
Al Schnier with Hot Buttered Rum
at Summer Camp 2008
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From Summer Camp, we’ll be heading east to Hunter Mountain in Upstate New York for the Mountain Jam Festival where our friends Gov’t Mule will host their annual campout. Playing Mountain Jam this year will be such bands as Bob Weir & Ratdog, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Citizen Cope, Drive-By Truckers, Galactic, Dr. Dog and two nights of Gov’t Mule.
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Before making our annual trek to the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Rock the Earth will be starting work on the Dave Matthews Band
tour. As Rock the Earth’s Planet Defender for 2008, we are honored and
proud to be able to conduct environmental education, outreach and
activation on the DMB tour for the third summer in a row.
Simultaneously, we’ll be starting work with an exciting new artist: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers! |
 Meanwhile, at Bonnaroo,
Rock the Earth will once again be holding a series of panel discussions
and artist environmental question and answer sessions live on the Solar
Stage each day. Moderated by Rock the Earth Executive Director Marc
Ross, the theme of the panel discussions will be "Social Change Through Music,"
and will explore the synergies between the artists that create music
and its interconnectedness to the environment and the world around us.
Already confirmed panelists include Pat Green, Benj Gershman (OAR), Marc Brownstein (Disco Biscuits), Zach Gill (Jack Johnson, ALO), Tania Elizabeth (The Duhks), State Radio, Ulises Bella (Ozomatli), Jason Bau (Hardhead Management), Laura Sohn (AC Entertainment), Jennifer Fahy (Farm Aid), Rebecca Lichtenfeld (WITNESS), Brandan Lane (HeadCount), Gregor Barnum (7th Generation), Nick Morgan (Rex Foundation and Black Rock Arts Foundation), Justin Baker (Conscious Alliance), Beth Wise (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) and Joe Tomlinson
(Re:volve). Rock the Earth will also be conducting “storyteller”
interviews with musical performances by The Duhks and Cornmeal, and
special one-on-one interviews with Solomon Burke, and Russ Bennett
(Bonnaroo Director of Visual Arts).
Festival info at www.bonnaroo.com.
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Rock the Earth Wins Jammy Award
During
the 7th Annual Jammy Awards held at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square
Garden in New York City on May 7th, the Colorado-based environmental
organization Rock the Earth was awarded the Mimi Fishman Memorial Community Service Award.
The Jammy Awards honor excellence in musical performance and recordings
made by artists within the genre commonly known at "jambands." During
the ceremony, Mimi Fishman Foundation Executive Director David Shulman, and Jon Fishman,
drummer from the rock band Phish and son of Mimi Fishman, the
foundation’s namesake , presented the award to Marc Ross, Executive
Director of Rock the Earth. Ross was joined on stage by several current
members of the Rock the Earth Volunteer Staff.
Jon Fishman, RtE's Marc Ross & David Shulman, Executive Director of the Mimi Fishman Foundation
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"We
are honored and humbled by this award," said Ross during his acceptance
speech. He concluded his acceptance by encouraging those concerned
about the environment to not allow the results of the upcoming
Presidential election to allow them to become complacent: "The one
thing I do know is that regardless of who is our next President, come
January 2009, our country and our planet will still continue to face
very serious environmental issues that will only be solved by keeping
the pressure on the government and polluters and holding them
accountable for their actions."
RtE E.D. Marc Ross Accepting Jammy Award. Photo by Rod Snyder.
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In addition to the Mimi Fishman award, Rock the Earth was also nominated in the category of Download of the Year for the two-CD set entitled: Music for the Planet: a nugs.net benefit for Rock the Earth.
Featuring live recordings by bands such as Jack Johnson, Gov’t Mule,
the Grateful Dead, Phish and the String Cheese Incident, all proceeds
from the sale of the downloads and CDs went to support Rock the Earth’s
mission to "defend the planet one beat at a time." Ross co-produced the
set along with nugs.net
founders Jonathan Richter and Brad Serling. On-line voting by music
fans determined the outcome in this category which resulted in a win
for a nugs.net's archival release from Phish.
During
the nearly four hour ceremony, awards were given out to Phish for
Download of the Year, Gov't Mule for their Bonnaroo late-night
Performance of the Year and Cornmeal for New Groove of the Year. In
between the awards, audience members had the opportunity to witness
musical performances by the Faux Five with Joan Osbourne and Trey
Anastasio, Warren Haynes and Grace Potter, Rose Hill Drive with
Matisyahu, Galactic with Doug E. Fresh, Sharon Jones and Chali 2Na.
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RtE Seeks Late Summer Outreach Interns
Are
you interested in a late-summer (August-September) internship with RtE?
This summer we will once again tour the country! Our goal is to educate
music fans and environmentalists about our mission and the
environmental issues on which we are working. We will be signing up new
members and volunteers, as well as continuing to build our
relationships with musicians nationwide. We had great success during
our 2007 Summer Tour, and look forward to reaching even greater heights
in 2008! If you are interested in learning more about the Summer
Outreach Intern positions, please email us at
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.
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In the Key of Green: The Truth About H20
 It’s
summer time and our thoughts turn to water usage and waste. Don’t let
your hard-earned money go down the drain! A leaky faucet can waste up
to 50 gallons of water a day. Changing to low-flow showerheads and
toilets can reduce your water consumption up to 50%. Reduce the amount
of water you use daily: Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth,
shaving, even lathering up in the shower. Remember to take shorter
showers and save energy by not showering in hot water. Running
dishwashers and washing machines when full will save water while saving
you money.
- Green Apple Resource Guide (2008).
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Boulder's Fox Theatre Rocks!
 As we announced in the April edition of Rock the Earth Notes, during the month of April Boulder's world-famous Fox Theatre
donated $.25 to Rock the Earth from every advanced ticket sold. This
month, we received a generous donation from the Fox for $770! We thank
the Fox Theatre and all of you who went to see concerts at the Fox
during the month of April and contributed to Rock the Earth!
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RtE May Auction - Jack Johnson Red Rocks Tickets!
 Tickets for Rock the Earth Planet Defender 2006 Jack Johnson’s Red Rocks show sold out almost instantly! But, as one of the All At Once
charities working with Jack at the upcoming August 17 concert in
Denver, we have been granted some tickets to help support our work. All
at Once is a new social action network connecting nonprofits with
people who want to become active in their local and world community.
All At Once comes to life online at www.allatonce.org
and at every Jack Johnson concert in the Village Green, a collection of
interactive booths where you can get educated, get inspired and connect
face-to-face with us and other local, national and international
non-profits.
Meanwhile, help us raise funds! Jack Johnson is matching every dollar contributed to us at the show and online. Please make a contribution right now
and your donation will be doubled by Jack Johnson’s new charity, the
Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation! (Up to $2500 per group).
To bid on a pair of general admission tickets to Jack’s August 17 Red Rocks show, go here.
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Rockin' the Fox Theatre in Boulder With Free Tickets and VIP Upgrades!
For
the next in our year-long series of events with Boulder’s Fox Theatre,
Rock the Earth will be tabling at two upcoming shows, educating and
activating fans about important local and national environmental issues:
FREE
TICKETS: If you are already of Member of Rock
the Earth, you can win a pair of FREE TICKETS to the
above concerts at the Fox. Just write to
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to enter your name (put either Dubconscious or Raq
in the Subject line).
VIP
UPGRADES: If you are at the show, and either JOIN
RtE or RENEW your membership, you could win VIP Upgrades
to the Balcony!
To
volunteer, contact
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.
For more information: www.rocktheearth.org or www.foxtheatre.com.
…and the Gothic Theatre in Denver
Added to our growing list of Membership benefits will also be ticket giveaways to shows at the Gothic Theatre in Denver.
FREE TICKETS: If you are already of Member of Rock the Earth, you can win a pair of free tickets to Tiger Army at the Gothic. Just write to
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to enter your name (put “Tiger Army” in the Subject line).
New Rockin’ Membership Gifts
 Jim Pollock’s Barrels Make Great Planters - $100
Now,
for only $100, new and renewing members can receive the latest in our
new gifts – the fifth in our Elements print series. Designed and
printed by famed rock artist, Jim Pollock, this stunning color print is
signed and numbered (limited to only 500) by the artist and is printed
on 25% hemp, 75% post consumer waste. Hurry – these won’t last long!
 RtE Summer Tour Poster 2008 - $25
This
beautiful poster created by artist Ryan Kerrigan is the fifth in our
series of Summer Tour posters. Printed on Living Tree paper (100%
hemp/flax and recycled content), the poster is hand-signed by the
artist and numbered out of a series of 250.
With
every contribution you receive a membership to Rock the Earth. Help us
build a unified voice for the music community so we can Rock the Earth
together!
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New Member Benefits!
And don't forget about these fantastic member benefits, all yours with a $25 or more donation to help us Defend the Planet One Beat at a Time!
 The good people at eConsciousMarket.com are offering a free membership ($30 value)
to all RtE members! eConscious Market offers a huge array of
environmentally and socially responsible products, and donates half the
net profits from each sale to the non-profit of the customer’s choice!
 RtE Advisory Board Member and long-time Google chef, Charlie Ayers, is offering members a 20% discount on his new cookbook Food 2.0 Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google. In this 90-recipe cookbook, learn everything you need to know about the newest nutrition buzzword: brainfood!
Send an email to
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to find out how to receive your discount for these newest member benefits.
Festivaaaaallll!
Festival season is nearly upon us and we’re proud to announce our first
two festival partners. Thanks to their generosity, our current Members
can purchase discounted tickets to these festivals:
 Mountain Jam - only $110 for RtE Members - a savings of $40!
Mountain Jam is a three-day outdoor music festival that takes place the
first weekend after Memorial Day (May 30th to June 1st).
This fourth annual event is held at Hunter Mountain in scenic upstate
New York. With on-site camping or hotel accommodations, the festival
will feature bands such as Gov’t Mule, Bob Weir & Ratdog, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ray LaMontagne, and Dr. Dog, Mountain Jam will surely be a great time! Members who wish to order tickets, can write to
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.
 All Good Festival - only $120 for RtE Members - a savings of nearly $50!
Held at Marvin’s Mountaintop in the rolling hills of West Virginia,
July 11-13, the All Good Music Festival and Camp Out is always where
everything is “all good!” Featuring bands such as Phil Lesh & Friends, Widespread Panic, Keller Williams and the MD’S, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Perpetual Groove and Hot Buttered Rum, All Good will be an event to remember this summer! Members who wish to order tickets can write to
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.
 10,000 Lakes Festival - only $110 for RtE Members - a savings of $40!
For
the third year in a row, our friends at 10KLF are putting on one of the
summer’s best festivals and offering RtE members an incredible
discount. Located in beautiful Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, this year’s
festival features the Flaming Lips, Phil Lesh & Friends, Leftover Salmon, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood, and Cornmeal. Members who wish to order tickets can write to
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.
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 Ryan Montbleau Band Rocks the Earth
Rock the Earth is pleased to announce our newest supporting artist - the Ryan Montbleau Band. During each of the following shows, $.50 a ticket will be donated to Rock the Earth:
5/2/2008 - Thunderbird Café- Pittsburgh, PA
5/17/2008 - East End Café- Newark, DE
6/6/2008 - Sully's- Hartford, CT
6/7/2008 - Rock & Blues Concert Cruise (early)- Boston, MA**
6/7/2008 - Rock & Blues Concert Cruise (late)- Boston, MA**
6/12/2008 - The Old City Hall Tavern- Oswego, NY
6/13/2008 - Nietzsche's- Buffalo, NY
6/17/2008 - Blueberry Hill- St. Louis, MO
6/19/2008 - The B Side- Boulder, CO
6/20/2008 - Owsley's Golden Road- Denver, CO
6/21/2008 - The Spur- Park City, UT
6/24/2008 - The Filling Station- Bozeman, MT
6/25/2008 - The Lakeside Grill- McCall, ID
6/26/2008 - John's Alley- Moscow, ID
For more information, visit Ryan's website at www.ryanmontbleauband.com.
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Volunteers
Rock!
If
you are looking for ways to get more involved with
Rock the Earth, now is the time to step up and make
your voice heard. Here some ways you might volunteer
with Rock the Earth:
- Participating
in environmental education, membership solicitation
and outreach at events
- Providing regional coordination of events and volunteers
- Supporting
our fundraising & membership drives
- Offering
legal & technical assistance to RtE projects
- Assisting
with data entry & mailings in our Denver office
- Writing
press releases
Please
drop a note to
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and a let us know how you wish to get involved. Be
sure to include your name, geographical area, and
the best way in which we can contact you. We look
forward to rocking the earth with your help in 2008!
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Michael Kang Rocks the Earth: Interview
 Michael Kang
brings over 15 years of experience in the music industry to the "Social
Profit" venture, Our Future Now. As a principal member of The String Cheese Incident,
Kang has performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people
worldwide while building a dedicated fan community. SCI Inc. also
operated numerous successful businesses including a record company,
ticketing company, and merchandise company while being recognized as
one of the most successful touring bands in the last 10 years. As
co-founder of Our Future Now, Kang has been developing important
alliances within the music industry as well as helping to design and
build Our Future Now installations.
What environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most critical at this time?
In
regards to environmental issues, I believe that since we are all part
of one big ecosystem, there isn't one specific issue that stands out as
more important than another. Global climate change / species diversity
loss / habitat disruptions are all a symptom of people not
understanding the impact that they have as a participant in their
ecosystem. I believe that it’s really more a social issue, in that the
most important thing any of us can do is to reach out and form
communities that are willing to inform each other and support each
other to become better environmental stewards.
What has inspired you to combine environmental activism with your music?
I
was actually an environmental science major in college way before I
became a musician, so now that I am taking a break from being
constantly on the road, I have decided that it is a good time to try
and combine my passion for music with environmental activism. However,
this time around, instead of viewing myself as an activist that is
fighting the establishment, I am concentrating my efforts on doing
things that I love in the hopes that others can be inspired to look
more closely at their own personal impact and hopefully feel empowered
to start adopting solutions in their own lives.
Where is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace or inspiration?
That’s
easy.....somewhere where there is a good wave to surf.....bobbing
around in the ocean is by far my favorite thing to do these days...
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Rockin' the Earth at Summer Camp: Photo
Summer Camp 2008: RtE Executive Director Marc Ross, RtE former intern
Chandra Ruff, and Cornmeal after an interactive interview and musical
performance with the theme “Social Change Through Music.”
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