Still Rockin’ the Roan Plateau
Last month, Rock the Earth and its Plaintiff partners filed
its opening brief in U.S. District Court, challenging the Bureau of Land
Management's (BLM) wholesale leasing of the Roan Plateau for drilling. In our
Brief, attorneys for Rock the Earth argued that BLM improperly leased the entire
55,000 undeveloped acres of the Roan in violation of the National Environmental
Procedures Act (NEPA) due to the fact that BLM failed to consider reasonable and
more protective alternatives that would have protected the top of Roan Plateau.
Further, BLM failed to account for the cumulative impacts that current and the
prospective drilling on the leased area would have on the environment, air
quality and wildlife. Rock the Earth is represented in the litigation by
attorneys from Earthjustice and the Western Resource Advocates. Continue Reading this Article
»
To see a copy of our brief authored by attorneys for Earth
Justice, GO HERE.
More information and background on this issue can be found
on the RtE Roan Plateau project
page.
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A Rockin’ Earth Day – Green Apple Returns to Denver
In its fourth year, the Green Apple Festival (GAF)
has announced plans to once again hold the largest Earth Day celebration EVER.
Green Apple Festival is produced in partnership with Earth Day Network, the
non-profit organization started by the original founders of Earth Day, and with
The Climate Group/Together, an international coalition of governments and
businesses committed to tackling climate change. Expanding to ten cities this
year, GAF will take place in New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta,
Chicago, Denver, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle on April
17-19, 2009.
In 2009, in keeping with the challenges of our time, GAF will
shift its main focus from festivals to large-scale Volunteer Action Projects on
Earth Day weekend across the U.S. Meaningful actions give back to communities,
restore and renew the Earth and rebuild confidence in a healthy economic future.
People of all ages want to be involved and to help!
We at Rock the Earth are honored to be playing a large part in
organizing volunteer events in Denver, culminating in a private, FREE concert on
Sunday, April 19, in which only volunteers who worked GAF-sponsored
volunteer events will be invited.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
This will be the largest
Earth Day celebration ever in Denver and we need all the help we can
get. Rock the Earth will be heading up two large-scale volunteer events to help
create a more sustainable Denver:
Denver Neighborhood Collaborative Outreach
Rock the Earth and the City of Denver will be partnering in support of the
City’s Neighborhood Collaborative Outreach Group. The Denver Neighborhood
Collaborative Outreach group was formed to support the Climate Action Plan
initiative to provide information to Denver residents regarding sustainability
through outreach programs. During the morning and afternoon of Saturday,
April 18, we will concentrate our collective resources on two neighborhoods,
with the intent of improving energy efficiency and providing support materials
to residents in those neighborhoods. In particular, the Denver program focuses
on low-income, minority and senior neighborhoods. During the “Blitz” day on
April 18, hundreds of volunteers will visit hundreds of homes in a city-selected
neighborhood, and each home visited will be offered the following services:
• Front porch bulb replaced with a free CFL
• Free home
recycling program sign up
• Reduction of junk mail
• Free tree for front
yard
• Information about water use, household hazardous waste disposal and
composting.
Every home will be offered a free energy audit (scheduled
after April 18) that includes inspection of:
• Attic and wall insulation
• Furnace
• Duct work (sealing
and insulation)
• Water heater
• Pipe insulation
• Refrigerator
& freezer
And,
• Replacement of showerheads and aerators
• Installation of
CFL’s (up to 10)
Lower income homes will be eligible for replacement of
inefficient/outdated items identified in the energy audit, free of charge. All
measures taken will be tracked, and we’ll be able to provide Green Apple with a
full report after the event. All volunteers will receive a free donated lunch.
Converting Vacant Lots to Urban Gardens
On Sunday, April 19, volunteers for Rock the Earth & Re:vision International will
be getting their hands dirty converting several urban lots in low-income areas
into community gardens, allowing local residents to grow their own
food.
If you are interested in donating your time for either of these
projects and being part of this HISTORIC event, please write to
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.
Volunteers will be given special gifts, and will be invited to
attend the volunteers only concert in Denver on April 19!
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Planet Defender Awards Return
Rock the Earth is thrilled to announce a call for
nominations for our fourth annual Planet Defender Awards. Last year, Rock the
Earth members and friends sent in dozens of nominations in three categories:
Artist, Community Leader and Grassroots Activist. Our Volunteer Staff settled on
three winners – Musical Artist: Dave Matthews Band; Community Leader:
Winston Eco-Strategies's Andrew Winston; Grassroots Activist:
Riverlink’s Karen Cragnolin. [Read the
article.]
On Earth Day - April 22, 2009 - we plan to recognize three
more individuals or groups who are working to protect some of our nation's most
precious natural areas. As with last year, each winner will receive our
gratitude along with a one-of-a-kind award created by artists Joe
Benvenuto, Rodman
Miller and J.
Garrett.
To find our 2009 nominees, we once again need your help! Rock the
Earth will be accepting nominations from its friends and members between now and
March 2nd. Help us identify those people who have advanced the cause of
environmental protection. Nominees should demonstrate a strong commitment to
defending the planet within the realm in which they work. Take a look at the
categories below, and send us nominations from the music world, your local
community, or prominent leaders who have made a broad impact in environmental
protection.
From the list of nominees, Rock the Earth's Volunteer Staff will
vote on the three winners. Please send your nominations to
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. With your nomination, please
include your reason for nominating the individual or group. Rock the Earth will
include some of your comments when we present our awards in each category.
You may nominate individuals in the following three categories:
• Musical Artist - an individual or group
•
Grassroots Activist - a community activist or grassroots
organization
• Community Leader - a leader in government, business or
another high-profile position
Rock the Earth's members are increasingly stepping forward to help
us Defend the Planet One Beat at a Time. Please nominate someone who
inspires you!
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Calling All Businesses - Help us Rock Earth Day!
RtE is seeking businesses to collaborate with on the 39th
anniversary of Earth Day - when events and celebrations take place throughout
the week of April 18-25. By participating in a coordinated campaign, our impact
can be more significant. Please consider donating a portion of your business'
sales throughout the week to Rock the Earth, or pick a specific day to let your
customers know you are committed to doing your part in helping create a
sustainable environment. In addition to cash donations, there are many other
ways that you can be a part of this effort - please call our office at
303-454-3304, or write to Amy at
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for more information. As
always, RtE will be a good steward of your contributions, and by working
together we can all be part of the solution.
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In the Key of Green: Reduce
styrofoam food container and plastic water bottles usage
Ocean litter, also known as “marine debris,” has become a
growing problem worldwide. By now, everyone has probably heard about the
island of plastic garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean halfway between
Hawaii and California that has grown to an area roughly two times the size of
Texas!
Despite an international treaty prohibiting the dumping of
plastics at sea, the amount of garbage in the oceans is increasing at an
alarming rate. The general composition of ocean litter is predominantly plastic,
measuring 60-80% on average in ocean litter studies, although it has reached
90-95% in some areas. Scientific studies have shown that plastic debris in the
area north of Hawaii has increased by fivetimes in the last ten years. And, off
Japan’s coast, researchers found that floating particles of plastic debris
increased ten-fold in ten years between the 1970s through 1980s, and then
ten-fold again every two-three years in the 1990s! This increase, not
coincidently, has occurred during a worldwide quadrupling of plastic fiber
production. Ten to fifteen years ago, we were not buying plastic bottled water.
And, our hamburgers came wrapped in paper. Alarmingly, approximately 80% of the
litter in the ocean comes from land-based sources, particularly via our trash
and the plastic litter that finds its way into urban runoff systems. Continue Reading this Article
»
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February Auctions
February Auction #1: Limited Edition Rock the
Earth Summer Tour 2008 Poster - Signed by B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Jack Johnson
& others
Designed, numbered (203/250) and signed by artist Ryan
Kerrigan, this poster includes autographs from music legends B.B.
King and Willie Nelson, along with Jack Johnson, Matt
Cameron (Pearl Jam), John Molo (Phil Lesh & Friends) and Zach
Gill (Jack Johnson, ALO)…all autographs were collected backstage at Bonnaroo
2008!
To bid on this rare item, GO HERE
February Auction #2: Jack Johnson Signed CD
When nugs.net released Music for the Planet: a nugs.net benefit
for Rock the Earth to commemorate Earth Day 2007, we knew we
had a very special release. This 2-CD set is a compilation of rare LIVE music by
artists including Dave Matthews Band, The Grateful Dead, Phish, Widespread
Panic, the String Cheese Incident, and a very special, ultra rare track, Jack
Johnson’s “Banana Pancakes”, recorded live at the Kokua Festival in 2006. Now,
you can get a copy of this wonderful double-disc set signed by Jack
Johnson.
To bid on this rare item, GO HERE
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FREE Tickets for RtE Members ONLY!
Did you know that as a Member of Rock the Earth you can now
win FREE TICKETS to concerts at Denver’s Gothic, Ogden and Bluebird Theater, Boulder’s
Fox Theatre, and the latest addition, New York’s Fillmore at Irving Plaza?
This means that in March and April you could be rockin’ out to Bill
Kreutzman, Edgar Winter, Los Lobos, the Wailers,
Railroad Earth, Citizen Cope, Derek Trucks,
Ozomatli, Glasvegas, PJ Harvey, Hot Buttered Rum and
MANY MORE, ABSOLUTELY FREE!
Remember – you can only win these tickets if you are a
current member of Rock the Earth, so make sure your membership is
up-to-date before entering.
To enter, email
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; include the show of your
choice in the subject line, and your full name and contact details in the email.
To volunteer at these shows contact
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. For more information
please visit www.rocktheearth.org.
For a complete list of upcoming Rock the Earth concerts, GO HERE.
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Member Benefit: Discount tickets available for Mountain Jam
2009
Allman Bros. 40th anniversary exclusive Northeast festival
appearance
Mountain Jam is a three-day
music festival in upstate New York, held the weekend after Memorial Day (May 29
thru 31) at the world-class ski resort Hunter Mountain. Now in its fifth year,
last year the festival was named one of the top eight music festivals in the
country by Rolling Stone.
Gov’t Mule will anchor the festival, while the Allman
Bros. will make their exclusive Northeast festival appearance as part of
their 40th anniversary celebration. Mountain Jam favorites Michael Franti
& Spearhead will return for their fourth appearance, along with Ray
LaMontagne, Jackie Greene, Coheed & Cambria, The Derek
Trucks Band, The Hold Steady, Richie Havens, Railroad
Earth, Porter Batiste & Stoltz, Brett Dennen, The Lee
Boys, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, and many others.
We are able to offer RtE members only - $100 discount tix.
That’s $30 off of the Early Bird Price. If the member wants camping tix, we can
upgrade them which would actually make it a $55/pp discount. You must be a
current member to enjoy this discount. Offer is non-transferable.
RtE Members should contact
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for discount information
and a Members-Only ticket order form.
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National Outreach Coordinator Wanted …
Does your ultimate summer job include motivating a team of people
to spread the word about defending the environment while attending major music
festivals and concert events across the United States? If so, then you should
apply for the role of Rock the Earth's Summer Tour Coordinator!
We are now accepting resumes from well-organized, self-motivated
and music-minded communicators to fill this five-month long salaried position
(May-September). The primary responsibility of the Summer Tour Coordinator is to
manage and execute Rock the Earth's education and outreach efforts at a full
range of events throughout the summer, including the supervision and mentoring
of a team of summer interns. While job training is provided, preferred
applicants will be those with experience in employee management, relationship
building, and logistical planning.
For more details or to submit your resume, please contact
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.
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… Regional Volunteer Coordinators needed in NY, LA & Nashville
Rock the Earth is seeking enthusiastic volunteers in the following
regional location to help us spread the word about our mission at a diverse
range of concerts, festivals, and other local events.
o New York, NY (Madison Square Garden, Irving Plaza, Roseland
Ballroom, etc.)
o Long Island, NY (Nassau Coliseum, Jones Beach, Westbury
Fair, etc.)
o Nashville, TN (Ryman Auditorium, Cannery Ballroom, Exit/In,
etc.)
o Los Angeles, CA (Staples Center, Hollywood Bowl, Roxy Theater,
etc.)
Event volunteers should be positive communicators with a strong
interest in learning about and publicly discussing environmental issues with
music fans. These lead roles require a proactive, energetic, and reliable person
with a strong attention to detail, the ability to motivate and manage
volunteers, handle money and materials, and complete simple reports.
If you are interested in joining our team or need more
information, please send your name, location, and contact information
(email/phone) to
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and you will be notified
of upcoming training dates in your region.
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…And Rockin’ Summer Outreach Interns, Too!
Are you interested in a summer 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 relationships with musicians nationwide. We had great success during
our 2008 Summer Tour with the Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty & the
Heartbreakers, Sheryl Crow, Gov’t Mule, Ratdog and the
Allman Brothers Band, and we look forward to reaching even greater
heights in 2009!
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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Volunteer Jam
This month, we would like to thank non-staff volunteers who
have rocked it big time during the month of January, and have gone above and
beyond in their support for the Rock the Earth cause. We sincerely thank each of
you for giving so generously of your time and in the value of your contribution
to our organization. Shout outs to: Susan Beam, Drew Brightbill, Andrea Browne,
Kathleen Carver, Shannon Clark, Jenni Coopersmith, Tay Dunklee, Casey Gallagher,
Deanne Herman, Daniel Petrafesa, John Powers, Stacy Riley and Lisa
Shara!
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Rock the Earth Member Benefits: Sama Living
Sama Living, www.samaliving.com, is an
online boutique that offers sustainable and sublime products to fill a growing
demand for products that feed our spirit. Through the bath, spa, home and eco
products they sell, Sama Living promotes inspired living, while at the same time
making a difference.
Sama Living believes in the importance of contributing to
the greater good. Sama Giving is the spirit of service, a collective call to
action, inspiring positive change and bringing awareness to the many good causes
that bring about solutions to issues that need to be addressed now. For every
purchase made at Sama Living, a portion of the sale will go to support
organizations doing a world of good.
At checkout, customers have the option to give back by
rounding up their total purchase to the nearest dollar and donating their spare
change to one of the five non-profits Sama Living has chosen, which includes
Rock the Earth!! In addition, Rock the Earth members receive a 15%
discount on all Sama Living purchases.
To see a list of all Rock the Earth membership benefits GO HERE.
To find out how you can take advantage of these members-only
benefits, write to
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.
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What Rocks YOUR Earth?!?!?!
It’s said “a picture says a thousand words,” and here at Rock the
Earth we have a lot to say! With environmental issues looming in virtually every
city in America, we want to know what rocks YOUR earth so we can help
broadcast the message!
Over the coming months we will be sending out a call to action to
music fans everywhere, to capture their concerns on film and video so we can put
faces to the projects we are undertaking. If you want to get involved with this
new campaign early, please send us a photo (like the one below) listing your
personal environmental cause on a white board, and we will post it on our
website! The person with the most creative photo will win a free Rock the Earth
T-Shirt and SIGG bottle! You can send your photos of What Rocks Your Earth
to
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.
Also look for our new Photo Lab at our booth on tour later this
year! We look forward to Rockin’ the Earth with you throughout 2009!
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What Rocks Your Earth?!?!?!: Josh Keyes
Josh Keyes was born in 1969 in Tacoma, Washington. Keyes
graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and later received
his MFA in painting from Yale University. Josh’s work brings to mind the detail
and complexity of natural history dioramas, and the color and diagrammatic
complexity one might find in cross section illustrations from a vintage science
textbook.
His work has developed over the past years into an iconic and
complex personal vocabulary of imagery that creates a mysterious and sometimes
unsettling juxtaposition between the natural world and the man made landscape.
The work also conveys an anxious vision of what the world might be like in the
future as a result of current global warming predictions. Keyes’ interest in
creating paintings that fuse realism with the possible often evokes the imagery
found in dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature, while other works express
the optimism and utopian ideas found in the writings of Buckminster Fuller and
Paolo Soleri.
Keyes often incorporates objects and animals into his dissected
environments that have personal iconographic significance. He weaves his
personal mythology through fractured and isolated landscapes that are either
overgrown with vegetation or underwater, and often depict historic or military
monuments covered with graffiti. The imagery functions as a way for Keyes to
express his personal experience and also allows him to comment and interpret
events in the world. His work has been featured in numerous publications and
exhibited in galleries in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and
Denver. Keyes currently lives and works in Oakland, California.
What environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most
critical at this time?
Humanity is the prime issue, the way we live, act and use raw
materials, and escalation of war and political turmoil. One could say that
automobile emissions or deforestation are the leading causes of the global
environmental crisis, but I think it starts closer to home – as close as the
bathroom mirror.
A fundamental change is needed in the way we perceive organic and
manmade systems, how they are interconnected, and what effect they have over
time. The main problem is that many of these systems and infrastructure that are
in need of revolutionary change are deeply embedded in the world society. The
blind consumerist impulse must be cultivated and refined; it is woven deep in
our collective conscious and subconscious behavior and will be a challenge to
modify. The majority of our everyday actions, from transportation and use of
energy to buying habits, are significant causes of many of the environmental and
political crisis in the world. The important thing is to be patient; the change
that is needed will take time, and is possible.
What has inspired you to combine environmental activism with
your art?
Our family used to take walks along the Tacoma waterfront beach. I
was very young at the time, about eight or nine years old. I have vivid memories
of those walks. Sometimes I would see large numbers of dead fish that had washed
up on the shore, all kinds of different species. It was announced years later
through an investigation by Greenpeace, that the Asarco smelting plant and the
paper refining company that were located along the waterway were contaminating
the water. Eventually both companies were shut down, and the oceanic habitats
have slowly made a recovery. That was many years ago, but the incident had a
lasting impression on my personal life and my artwork. Though much of my work
suggests that we may be too late to reverse the damage that has been done to the
planet, at heart I am hopeful that we, and future generations, can work towards
changing our relationship to planet Earth.
Where is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace
or inspiration?
There are a number of parks and natural reserves around the Bay
Area, two of my favorite places to go and take mental notes would be Tilden Park
in Berkeley, and the trails along the Marin Coast. When I have more time away
from the studio I wouldn’t mind getting lost in a Redwood Forest.
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