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Help
Protect the Roan Plateau!
 The
Roan Plateau rises 3,500 feet above the Colorado River Valley,
as an undeveloped island of public land amid a quickly growing
complex of natural gas fields. Well pads, drill rigs, roads,
pipelines, waste pits and other infrastructure already stretch
for miles in every direction from the Roan Plateau, but the
top remains relatively undisturbed, with broad expanses of
wildflower meadows, immense stands of aspen, a 200 foot waterfall,
and large tracts of roadless, wilderness quality lands. The
Roan Plateau is widely known as a biological "hotspot"
and is home to black bear, cougar and some of the state's
prized deer and elk herds. Sensitive species include plants
that grow no where else on Earth, and one of the more pure
strains of native trout in the world. "Roan Plateau is
a visually stunning, undeveloped island of public land and
part of our natural and cultural heritage," says Colorado
Environmental Coalition West Slope Director, Pete Kolbenschlag.
 The
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun taking public comment
on a draft plan for Colorado's Roan Plateau. The plan has
been a priority of the Bush administration, which is making
moves to open up the area's minerals to energy corporations.
In addition to energy development, the plan will manage off-road
vehicle use, backcountry recreation, and habitat protection.
Local communities and citizens around the nation have long
favored a plan that would protect the Roan Plateau's scenic
cliffs and undeveloped top. Unfortunately, in spite
of this widespread support for a plan that offers meaningful
protection for the Roan Plateau, the BLM has proposed a "preferred
alternative" for managing the area that would result
in massive drilling atop the Plateau, likely starting within
the decade. Once drilling begins on top of the Roan
Plateau, all other public uses would be diminished, and a
range of natural resources would suffer. One-third of the
deer herd is likely to be destroyed, and backcountry recreational
opportunities will be eliminated, according to the draft plan
and EIS released in November.
 Rock
the Earth supports a revision of the BLM's proposed plan,
with significantly strengthened elements from several existing
alternatives, to honor the consensus position already adopted
by local governments, citizens and organizations: that drilling
be kept off the public lands on top, and the scenic cliffs
of, the Roan Plateau. Thus, we are urging citizens to
ask that the BLM revise the alternatives presented, and to
select as its final plan one which honors the community-supported
compromise solution for the Roan Plateau that protects the
area's top and cliffs. As stated by Kolbenschlag,
"The Roan Plateau's top and cliffs deserve to be protected,
and the public lands managed for a range of uses, not only
gas development. With wide-scale energy development throughout
the region, an even-handed plan for the Roan Plateau would
safeguard recreational choices, wildlife and our open landscape,
keeping the Plateau's top and cliffs as they are today: bold,
dramatic and undisturbed."
Click
here to download the plan or for more information.
What
you can do:
Although
Rock the Earth will be submitting its own set of technical
and legal comments in collaboration with the Colorado Environmental
Coalition, there is strength in numbers. Please send your
comments to the BLM today, urging the agency to craft
a balanced plan for the Roan Plateau.
Mail
your comments to:
Roan Plateau Draft RMPA/EIS Comments
Bureau of Land Management Glenwood Springs Field Office
PO Box 1009
Glenwood Springs, CO 81602
Fax: 970-947-2829
Click
here to comment electronically or
send comments via e-mail to greg_goodenow@co.blm.gov.
Points
to make:
Please
encourage the BLM to craft a plan that:
- Prohibits
leasing the Roan Plateau's top and cliffs or defers all
leasing on the top and cliffs until energy development
can be achieved through technologies that will not require
surface disturbance;
- Provides
real, non-changeable protections for the important habitat,
proposed wilderness, backcountry recreation, and natural
areas in the planning area, including placing permanent
"no ground disturbance" stipulations on all
the unique natural, wilderness and backcountry recreation
lands, and sensitive habitats of the planning area;
- Ensures
that all energy development is conducted in a manner that
respects the local community, employs "Best Management
Practices," and minimizes resource damage;
- Closes
the top and cliffs and other sensitive lands and habitats
to future oil shale leasing, including for research and
development purposes;
- Keeps
all motorized use-including over-the-snow use such as
snowmobiles-on designated and marked roads and trails
only; and,
- Prioritizes
natural resource protection.
Roan Plateau
photos from www.roanplateau.ene.com.
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It's
Time to Get Back to the Garden with Rockin' Resolutions
Happy
New Year, Rock the Earth fans and friends! Yes, it's that
time of year again and we all know what that traditionally
means: it's time to make those dreaded New Year's Resolutions!
Well don't worry, Rock the Earth has come up with some simple
resolutions that are easy to keep, potentially fun, and are
healthy. We'll just wrap these under the heading of the
Be Kind to Thy Body, Mind, and Planet Resolutions.
Resolution
1: Buy Organic and Buy Local when Possible and Practical
 Demand
for organic produce and natural foods have been on the rise.
So much so that many selections are now commonplace in supermarkets
and specialty food stores. The good news: prices are coming
down and variety is up as more people support this more ecologically-friendly
way of farming. RtE encourages consumers to buy organic when
possible and to support local food co-ops and organically-grown
stands at farmers markets wherever possible. If you are fortunate
enough to have a great co-op in your area, you may be pleasantly
surprised by all of the Earth-friendly produce, goods, and
high-volume (e.g., fresh dry goods and spices) selections that are
available at prices that often beat large chains or specialty
stores. The bad news: in today's global food supply, the availability
of fresh organic produce is often seasonal and the supply
small compared to large agribusiness, so it is helpful for
consumers to educate themselves to help guide their selections
when organic produce is scarce. The Environmental Working
Group has put together a consumer's guide at www.foodnews.org
that summarizes the analytical results of pesticides in produce
in the United States, with specific recommendations of commercial
produce to avoid based on their residual pesticide levels.
Check it out.
Resolution
2: Start Your Own Earth-Friendly Organic Garden
 If
you haven't entered into this foray, you just don't know what
you're missing. Many people think that having a vegetable
garden requires hard work and a lot of land to make it worthwhile.
The facts are that it's as much work as you want to put into
it and you really don't need much space to have a productive
garden that's well-worth the effort - all you need is a little
sunshine, water, and TLC. There are many good books on container
and limited-space gardening and these techniques can be surprisingly
productive, require less maintenance, and are more resource-friendly
than traditional row gardens - i.e., you don't have to water
and weed as much! If you've already started to get the winter
doldrums, planning for the spring may be the perfect distraction
to get you through to brighter and warmer days. Besides reading
up on limited-space and organic cultivation techniques, there
are a wealth of internet sites that cater to environmentally-responsible
gardening solutions, be it organic seeds and pre-grown seedlings,
or natural pest and disease controls. WARNING - just perusing
some of these catalogs with their wonderful selections may
turn a New Year's resolution into a lifetime hobby.
Rock the
Earth appreciates any feedback that you may have on these
simple, but eco-friendly resolutions for 2005. Please send
any feedback on this article, or suggestions for future articles,
to seanm@rocktheearth.net.
If you're interested in learning more about organic foods
and gardening let us know! We will consider hosting an eco-friendly
gardening forum on our message boards.
Best Wishes
for 2005,
The
RtE Board and Volunteer Staff
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Time
is running out to Rock the National Park Service!
 Since
2002, Rock the Earth has been closely monitoring the Colorado
River Management Plan (CRMP), which directs recreational usage
and management of the Colorado River as it traverses through
the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). Following the release
of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the National
Park Service (NPS), RtE will be submitting extensive legal
and technical comments to advocate for better protection of
the park's resources and recreational value through the implementation
of corrective actions that will preserve the wilderness character
of the river. RtE supports alternatives such as the elimination
of motorized transport to protect the wilderness areas and
restore natural soundscapes, restoring natural flows to the
river, the reduction of visitation levels to protect and restore
the beautiful beaches along the river's edge and the equalization
of access to the river for both private and commercial interests.
Unfortunately
the preferred alternative does not provide for these protections,
which is why we need your help! Comment letters are currently
being accepted by the NPS to review public opinion about the
CRMP - it is crucial that they hear from passionate park lovers
like you! This park is one of the many beautiful places that
we need to protect so that future generations can enjoy it.
Please send your comments to the NPS by February 1, 2005 and
make your voice heard!
»
Read
more about the EIS and points to make in your comment letter.
» Send
an email to the NPS right now!
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Help
on the Way? Funds, Donations & Volunteers Needed!
Alliance Center offers space to Rock the Earth
The Alliance
for Sustainable Colorado (The Alliance), a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization, has been created to facilitate communication,
coordination and collaboration among individuals, progressive
nonprofit organizations, socially responsible businesses,
and government to advance environmental, economic, and social
sustainability in Colorado. One project of The Alliance is
owning and operating an office building to house nonprofit
organizations. This building, named the Alliance Center (The
Center), will provide a base for tenants and like-minded
community organizations around the state to develop programs
jointly in high quality, healthy and environmentally sound
space. The Center will become home to around 20 nonprofits
and a hub for interaction and collaboration among individuals,
nonprofits, socially responsible businesses, elected representatives
and government officials. Working at the same location creates
synergies that enhance common visions, programs, campaigns
and strategies and assist capacity building and fundraising,
while reducing expenses through group purchasing and sharing
services and equipment. Nonprofit organizations will benefit
from high quality office space with amenities such as conference
rooms with up-to-date AV equipment, computer networks, and
high speed internet connections. The Center will host trainings,
speakers, workshops, educational and community exhibits, and
create a gathering place for leaders in sustainability in
Denver and from across the state. Articles on the Alliance
Center can be found at:
In just
the past week, The Alliance made Rock the Earth a tremendous
offer of office space in the Center. For Rock the Earth to
be located in the Center would be greatly beneficial, lending
instant credibility to our organization amongst the Colorado
environmental and nonprofit community, creating opportunities
for increased collaboration with other Colorado organizations,
and allowing Rock the Earth to take advantage of keeping expenses
to a minimum. This amazing development was unexpected and
despite the fortuitous nature of the offer, we have sadly
been caught without sufficient funds necessary
to ensure that we will be able to commit to a multi-year lease.
This is
where you come in….in order for us to commit to a multi
year lease in The Center, we are in desperate need of
donors who can commit to monthly or quarterly donations
of $250 (monthly) or $750-$1,000 (quarterly). All donors at
these levels will be given special, permanent recognition
by the organization. We need to have funds secured in
the next few weeks otherwise we will be forced to pass on
this golden opportunity. For more information about
the Alliance Center or our financial needs, please write to
RtE Executive Director Marc Ross at marcr@rocktheearth.net.
If you
are interested in helping RtE create their office space but
can not commit to regular donations, there are other ways
that you can help! RtE is seeking donations of office equipment,
furniture and volunteer hours as we continue to expand the
organization's capabilities. If you can donate any of the
items listed below, please send an email to RtE Executive
Director Marc Ross at marcr@rocktheearth.net.
RtE
Office Needs:
- File
Cabinets
- Laser
Printer
- Office
Furniture
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| Still
Rockin' the Country with Great Music!
Visit
RtE at STS9 shows in CO and VT |
Rock the
Earth criss-crossed the country in 2004 and is gearing up for
even more music events in 2005! Thanks to the avid support of
musicians, music fans and environmentalists all around the country
we are continuing our outreach efforts where we have had great
success increasing our membership, establishing relationships
with like-minded organizations and discovering local and high-profile
issues that need our support! Please stop by and see us at an
event near you where you can sign up for membership and learn
more about what we do to Defend the Planet One Beat at a
Time! If you're interested in volunteering, publicizing
an event or talking about RtE to other music fans please contact
our Membership Coordinator at membership@rocktheearth.net.
In
January look for us at the following events in OR and CO:
» New
Monsoon at the WOW Hall in Eugene, OR (Jan.
19)
» E-town
with Greg
Brown and Mocean
Worker at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder,
CO (Jan. 23)
In
February look for us at the following events in CA, CO,
and VT:
»
Sound
Tribe Sector 9 at the Fillmore in Denver,
CO (Feb. 5)
»
Animal
Liberation Orchestra (ALO) at the Great American
Music Hall in San Francisco (Feb. 8)
»
ALO at Moe's Alley in Santa Cruz (Feb. 9)
»
New Monsoon at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins,
CO (Feb. 15)
»
Sound Tribe Sector 9 at Higher Ground in Burlington,
VT (Feb. 21)
Coming
in the February edition of RtE Notes, details about our next
exciting benefit concert! Get ready for some Rocky Mountain
fun at the inaugural Rock the Earth Snow Ball!
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One More
Chance for Holiday Gift Packages!
 We
still have some wonderful gifts for the music lovers and environmentalists
in your life, each of which comes with a membership to Rock
the Earth and will help us continue to Defend the Planet
One Beat at a Time. If you forgot someone on your gift
list, Santa didn't bring you a gift package of your own, or
you just want to keep spreading the holiday spirit, then buy
one now while they're still available! You can choose from
several gift packages that include a One Love Vol. 1
2-CD set with music by artists such as Michael Franti,
New Monsoon, ALO, and Steve Kimock; a
specially designed RtE long-sleeved, organic cotton/hemp blend,
winter t-shirt by artist Yvette Chappuis; a JamCam
Chronicle DVD, featuring behind-the-scenes festival footage
and interviews with Rock the Earth staffers from our 2004
Summer Tour; and signed and numbered seriagraph prints
(limited edition of only 500!) printed on 25% hemp/75% post-consumer
waste paper by such notable artists as Emek, Jeff Wood, and
Gary Houston.
»
Keep
spreading the holiday cheer with a RtE Gift Package!
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An
Interview with Dave Watts of The Motet
Dave Watts of The Motet
Photo by Tony Stack |
Dave
Watts, a transplant from Boston to Boulder in 1994, founded
The
Motet in 1998 and has been the driving force
behind the group ever since. Dave attended the Berkelee School
of Music and has recorded and performed with musicians such
as Keller Williams, Tony Furtado, George Porter, Mike Kang,
Jeff Coffin, and most recently appears on the new Kyle Hollingsworth
CD, Never Odd or Even. He is also a founding member
of the Boston-based group Shockra, as well as the Theory of
Everything and Speaking in Tongues. Since moving to Colorado,
Dave has been instrumental in the evolution of the Boulder
music scene. Through The Motet, Dave has made efforts to support
socially and politically active groups such as: Conscious
Alliance, Rock The Vote, The New Voters Project, Boulder Biodiesel,
The Denver Rescue Mission and Moveon.PAC to name a few. Also
for the past year, in an attempt to raise awareness of alternative
energy resources, The Motet has been using biodiesel to fuel
their tour bus.
RtE:
What environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most
critical at this time?
DW:
Renewable fuel and energy.
RtE:
What has inspired you to combine environmental activism
with your music?
DW:
The understanding that as traveling musicians we need to
offset our own use of these fossil fuels which are causing
so much environmental damage, and the understanding that
putting music behind a message can really make a strong,
far-reaching impact.
RtE:
Where is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace
or inspiration?
DW:
Anywhere in Utah south of I-70
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New
Monsoon Rockin' the Earth: Photo
New Monsoon's
Rajiv Parikh & Brian Carey Rocking the Earth (March 2004)
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How
Can You Help Rock The Earth?
»
Volunteer! We are always looking for people across the country
to help table events, write grants or newsletters or help
publicize local events. If you would like to help please send
your name, volunteer interests and contact information to
membership@rocktheearth.net.
»
Let us know if there is an environmental issue in your neighborhood
or anywhere else that you would like to see us work on! You
can email your suggestions to info@rocktheearth.net.
»
Spread the word! Forward
this email to friends and family to let them
know how they can Rock the Earth!
»
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