Rock
the Earth Works to Protect Wilderness in Grand Canyon National
Park
 Rock
the Earth has just announced our intention to challenge the
National Park Service’s recent decision to allow motorized,
commercial rafting tours to continue through Grand Canyon
National Park, dominating the limited access to the Park’s
Colorado River world-class whitewater experience. Rock the
Earth’s announcement marks the first major challenge
to the recently released “Colorado River Management Plan.”
Rock the
Earth is leading a coalition of wilderness groups, including
River
Runners for Wilderness and Living
Rivers, in defending this crown jewel of the National
Park system. “After consulting with a number of partners
and citizen groups, we feel that the recent park service ruling
fails to properly address and fulfill the National Park Service
mandate that the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon must
be managed as wilderness,” stated Rock the Earth Executive
Director Marc Ross. “It is the intention of Rock the
Earth and our coalition members to ensure that the National
Park Service adheres to mandates set by U.S. law and the Park’s
own management plans and policies, to protect this natural
treasure.”
Related
to the Park Service’s failure to remove motorized uses
in a qualifying wilderness area, is the decision to perpetuate
the inequitable allocation of river running permits, preferring
commercial tours over public opportunities for do-it-yourself
rafting and kayaking. “It is inherently discriminatory
that river runners have little or no meaningful chance of
certainty to experience a Grand Canyon whitewater adventure,
while tourists can buy their way onto a high-priced tour almost
immediately,” notes Ross. “Dangerous national precedents
for the commercialization and privatization of public lands
and wilderness areas are at stake here.” A third concern
of the group is the Park Service’s failure to properly
address and mitigate degradation of the Grand Canyon’s
river ecosystems by human use, and the ongoing depredations
of Glen Canyon dam.
This announcement
marks a huge step in the impact of Rock the Earth, and we
could not have done it without an amazing groundswell of support
from our members and friends. However, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
In order for RtE to have legal standing to sue the National
Park Service on the Colorado River Management Plan, we need
to have sworn statements from some of our members that they
are, or will be, adversely impacted by the CRMP. Please contact
us at info@RockTheEarth.net
if:
1. You
are currently on the National Parks Service Waiting List
for a launch date for the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
National Park.
2. You
have ever rafted the Colorado through Grand Canyon National
Park.
3. You
raft rivers regularly, have a desire to raft the Colorado
River through Grand Canyon National Park, and believe that
motorboats on the river will diminish your personal experience.
»
Back To Top
Rockin’
the Boat: Jam Cruise 4
 It
was a pretty dauting task – green a six-day music festival
at sea. By all accounts the team of RtE Staff and Volunteers
who headed up Greening Jam Cruise 4 were wildly successful
in not only reducing the ecological impact from the ship itself,
but also in educating passengers about environmental issues,
offsetting emissions from the cruise through tree planting,
and in raising much needed funds for RtE. After blanketing
the ship with donated, organic products such as Green Mountain
Coffee, Guayaki Yerba Mate, and soaps from Pangea Organics
and Dr. Bronners, the Green Team strategically placed environmental
tips throughout the ship. The Greening Headquarters became
a hub of environmental activity, education and activism, with
environmental displays from Green Mountain, 7th Generation
and Rock the Earth.
 The
largest task of all, however, was to bring a recycling program
to a cruiseline that normally does not engage in recycling
practices. For this massive undertaking, RtE called on our
friends in Clean
Vibes, a concert and festival waste management
and recycling company. For all six days of the cruise, Clean
Vibes had four volunteers working 'round the clock in the
trashroom in the underbelly of the ship, sorting, crushing
and separating glass, aluminum, steel and plastic. In the
end, over 10 tons of glass was recycled! So
immense was their task, that with only a little prompting,
musician Michael
Franti, guitar in hand, visited the trashroom
for a midnight mini-set for the Clean Vibes volunteers and
the ship’s midnight trash shift, who were completely
thrilled and inspired by the performance.
In addition
to recycling, RtE also created and implemented a linen/towel
re-use program to reduce wastewater discharges from the ship.
This entailed the design of educational cards to prompt passengers
to reuse their towels and linens, and then training the housekeeping
staff as to the use of the cards, as this particular ship
did not have such a program.
 To
offset carbon emissions from the cruise and from travel to
and from port, RtE formed a partnership with Trees
for the Future to plant trees. CO2 is produced
from burning fossil fuels; trees absorb CO2 and produce oxygen
through photosynthesis. Planting trees is the most cost-effective
way to take CO2 out of the atmosphere. At last count, passengers
from Jam Cruise 4 donated $5,200 which will allow for 52,000
trees to be planted in Jamaica and the Yucatan Peninsula!
 To
pay for the greening of Jam Cruise, RtE undertook several
activities. The first night of the cruise featured a RtE private
welcome party, with wine tasting and panel discussion
on "Social Change Through Music," featuring Victor
Wooten and Futureman (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), Michael
Travis (The String Cheese Incident), Matt Butler (Everyone
Orchestra), David Weissman (Musical Earth), Bo Carper and
Jeff Miller (New Monsoon). The panel was moderated by Marc
Ross, Executive Director, Rock the Earth.
Photo
by Dave Vann |
Twice
during the cruise the Everyone
Orchestra performed and held a raffle benefiting
RtE, to select a guest conductor for part of the performance.
Congratulations to Burton, Frank and Molly, winners of the
EO Guest Conductor Raffle-- all did an outstanding job conducting
a dream orchestra made up of some of our favorite performers!
The largest
fundraiser to pay for Jam Cruise 4 Greening operations was
the annual silent auction. Auction items included four guitars
generously donated by Musicians
Friend (and signed by artists on JC4), coffee
makers donated by Green
Mountain Coffee Roasters, posters from Drowning
Creek and Stanley
Mouse, festival tickets from Langerado,
10,000
Lakes Festival and Gathering
of the Vibes, and even an African Safari donated
by African
Eyes Travel. There were over 60 items in the
auction and the auction alone raised a new Jam Cruise record
of nearly $18,000! Thank
you to all of those individuals, artists, managers and companies
that donated items to this year’s auction!
All in
all, Jam Cruise 4 was an incredible experience. We’re
very grateful to our volunteers and to our greening team:
Ann Kenworthy, Bob Frankel, Lori Gray, Sean McNamara, Marc
Ross, Brian Funk and Brett Hendricks. Special thanks to AnnaB
at Clean Vibes for putting together a recycling program in
less than six weeks and to Clean Vibes volunteers, Casey,
Jason, David and Elise for all of your hard work and dedication
to the protection of the planet. Thanks also to our Greening
Sponsors: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Pangea Organics,
Fuel Bars, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, 7th Generation,
Nature’s Gate, Guayaki, Merry Hempsters, Horizon Organic
and Musician’s Friend. Lastly, we’d like to thank
Jam Cruise for caring enough to bring in Rock the Earth to
green the cruise and for supporting our efforts to reduce
the impact that this festival has on the planet.
»
Back To Top
Rock
the Earth Announces Planet Defender Award!
Rock the
Earth is thrilled to announce the first annual Planet Defender
Award! On Earth Day 2006, we will award the first three
recipients. The award will be chosen from submissions by Rock
the Earth members (look for an announcement in February) and
will be granted to three individuals or groups who exemplify
the spirit of Defending the Planet One Beat at a Time.
The three awardees will be chosen in categories of Musician,
Community Leader and Activist. We hope that the awards will
continue to inspire our friends to make a difference in defending
this place we call home. Start thinking of those musicians,
leaders and grassroots shakers who inspire you. In the February
newsletter, we’ll ask for specific nominations. Rock
the Earth staff will then choose the recipients from the pool
recommended by you!
»
Back To Top
Roadless
Rule Reminder
As we
detailed in the October edition of Rock the Earth Notes, RtE
is joining partners such as the American Lands Alliance in
a coordinated effort to petition the Department of Agriculture
to restore the Roadless Rule, to ensure the protection of
our remaining national forests. Join us by writing a letter
to voice your concerns over the attempted rollback of the
Roadless Area Conservation Rule. To add your name to RtE's
list of concerned citizens urging for the restoration of the
rule, go
here.
For more
information about the Roadless Rule, see the RtE
Website.
»
Back To Top
One
More Chance for Holiday Gift Packages!
 Thank
you to everyone who took advantage of Rock the Earth’s
Holiday Gift packages and helped spread good cheer while defending
the planet! 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 that will help us continue
to Defend the Planet One Beat at a Time. If you forgot
someone on your gift list, if Santa didn't bring you a gift
package of your own, or if you just want to keep spreading
the holiday spirit, buy one now while they're still available!
You can
choose from several gift packages that include the latest
in RtE merchandise: an organic cotton/hemp blend tote bag
and/or a new RtE fleece hat; a specially designed RtE
long-sleeved, organic cotton/hemp blend winter t-shirt
by artist Yvette Chappuis; 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!
»
Back To Top
Tim
Carbone Rocks the Earth: Interview
Photo
by Susan J. Weiand |
Tim
Carbone plays violin and sings in the New Jersey based
"rootsgrass" band, Railroad
Earth. Prior to his work with Railroad Earth
he was in the popular East Coast jump and swing band, The
Blues Sparks From Hell, followed by stints in From Good Homes
and Kings in Disguise and as a backing musician for Rick Danko
(The Band). In recent months, Tim's profile has been raised
considerably sitting in with Phil Lesh's band, String Cheese
Incident, New Monsoon, and many others. When he's not busy
playing music, Tim can be found in the studio acting as producer
or engineer or at the closest fishing hole getting a line
wet.
This week,
Railroad Earth will release their first double-live CD entitled
Elko on SCI Fidelity Records.
What
environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most critical
at this time?
Wetlands
conservation.
What has inspired you to combine environmental activism with
your music?
Watching
the systematic destruction of my home town by developers
gone wild.
Where is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace
or inspiration?
The
coastal rain forests of Northern California.
»
Back To Top
Rockin'
the Earth in Costa Rica: Photo
New Monsoon
bassist, Ben Bernstein, at La Paloma
eco-lodge in Drake's Bay Costa Rica!
»
Back To Top
|
