Rock
the Earth Challenges Mountain Top Mining!
 In
2004, the Bush administration introduced proposed changes
to the long-standing Surface Mining & Reclamation Act
that would have allowed mining to occur within 100 feet of
a stream, in essence, overturning a ban that had been in place
for over 30 years.
Mining
companies claimed that this proposal was necessary to allow
greater recovery of coal in regions where steep slopes prevented
mining, due to the fact that the there was no place to put
mine refuse and waste other than downhill in valleys where
streams were located through Appalachia mining country. Recently,
the administration has once again introduced a regulatory
package that, despite another three years of evidence as to
the incredibly destructive nature of this exemption, attempts
to make permanent this practice.
Continue
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We
Heard the Echo (Project)!
 An
exciting and new late-season festival came onto the scene
this past month, and Rock the Earth played a large part in
its environmental programming! The
Echo Project was a 3-day festival just outside
of Atlanta, Georgia, with a line-up as diverse as The Flaming
Lips, The Killers, Phil Lesh & Friends,
The Roots, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Common,
and many others.
More than
just another music festival in a beautifully scenic place,
Echo Project 2007 was the start of a 10-year endeavor–
a “Project” if you will– bringing to fruition
an experience where music and an environmental message are
intertwined, and where participants are part of a growing
movement to bring about greater environmental sustainability–
both at a concert festival and in our daily lives long after
the festival ends.
 The
Echo Project goes beyond event greening. Yes, there was power
from Sustainable
Waves and Big
Frog Mountain for state of the art solar-powered
sound and staging. Yes, there was biodiesel in the generators
and Clean
Vibes conducted an extensive recycling and
waste management program. There was also environmental education,
activism workshops and conscious multi-media presentations.
But never before has a festival been produced where the goal
of the event is not only to entertain but where it is an equally
important goal to ultimately change the way the attendee views
the environment and lives their lives. Sometimes subtle and
sometimes not so subtle, this theme permeated the entire festival.
RtE
Executive Director Marc Ross with
John Medeski (MMW), Neil Turley (Sustainable Waves)
and Paul Diaz (Tree Sound Studios) |
For our
part, Rock the Earth was tapped to lead a series of interviews
and panel discussions with artists and activists on “Social
Change Through Music.” Throughout the weekend, Rock the
Earth Executive Director Marc Ross held these discussions
in the large Echo-System Experience tent in the heart of the
festival grounds. Participants included Matt McDonald
(Perpetual Groove), Adrian Zelski (Dubconscious), John
Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood), Neal Turley
(Sustainable Waves), Paul Diaz (Tree Sound Studios),
JJ Grey (MOFRO), Futureman (Bela Fleck & the
Flecktones), Brendan Bayliss (Umphrey’s McGee),
and Andy Bernstein (Headcount). Saturday afternoon’s
discussion highlighted threats to the Chattahoochie River
and featured Sally Bathea (Upper Chattahoochie Riverkeeper),
Allison Hughes (Rivers Alive) and Jeff Margolin (Environ).
The event was sponsored by Sweetwater Brewing Company
which gave free beer and Sweetwater merchandise to attendees
in the packed tent.
We look
forward to being part of the Echo Project next year, and hope
that many new fans will discover this truly special festival
as well.
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Court
Date for Colorado River Litigation Set
 A
court date has been set for Friday, October 26, 2007, in response
to litigation filed in March 2006 by a coalition of groups
challenging the Grand Canyon National Park Colorado River
Management Plan. The hearing will be held in the courthouse
at 401 West Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona at 2:00pm.
Rock the
Earth strongly encourages all interested parties to attend
this very important event.
Continue
reading this article »
For
the full background on this project, visit the Rock
the Earth Colorado River Management project page.
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Rockin'
the Gulf Region: Text Message Campaign!
 Rock
the Earth and the Gulf
Restoration Network are once again collaborating
to protect the Gulf Region. As the non-profit partners of
Voodoo
Music Experience, we are asking artists and
fans to take a leadership roll in ensuring New Orleans rebuilds
safely and sustainably.
In the
wake of Hurricane Katrina, those in Louisiana now recognize
the importance of the state’s wetlands as natural hurricane
barriers, and statewide support has been galvanized around
the need to restore the vanishing coast. Unfortunately, the
nation is still woefully unaware of the threats to these critical
ecosystems and the need for national leadership to protect
them. Meanwhile, Louisiana continues to lose the equivalent
of a Voodoo mainstage of wetlands every 3 minutes due to oil
& gas development impacts, clearcutting of cypress forests,
and other factors. Thousands of acres of wetlands must be
restored if urban centers are to be protected from future
Katrinas.
 During
Voodoo we will be partnering on a text messaging campaign,
to generate pressure on our national leaders to take action
to protect our coast now. In partnership with Voodoo, fans
are asked to text “COAST”
to 77007 in order
to ask members of Congress to provide economic support for
the rebuilding of this city that is a national treasure, as
well as providing greater protection of healthy wetland systems
that serve to protect New Orleans in storm events. Your active
support of this campaign through stage announcements and other
means (website, e-blasts, MySpace, blogs, etc.) will greatly
increase our ability to create change.
Your support
of this issue will help protect and restore one of the most
important natural resources
in the world – America’s Wetland, which provides
a habitat for countless species of birds, fish and reptiles,
a livelihood for Gulf Coast fishermen, a port for the U.S.
shipping industry, and fertile ground for the continued growth
of cultural traditions such as the food and music of our coastal
communities.
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Rock
the Earth Elects New Board Members
 The
weekend of October 5-7, 2007, the Staff and Board of Rock
the Earth converged on Denver for our Annual Retreat, strategically
planning the next twelve months and electing new Board Members.
It was truly a busy, but productive, weekend.
The
new Board of Directors is as follows:
Marc Ross (Denver, CO) - President
Bob Frankel (Eugene, OR) - Vice President
Lacey Fravel (Denver, CO) - Treasurer
Steve Tighe (Oakland, CA) -- Secretary
Jason Bau (New York, NY)
Eric Daniels (Pleasant Hill, CA)
Stacey "Tree" Plant (Santa Cruz, CA)
Congratulations
to our new Board of Directors! In addition, Derek Kalahar,
Deanne Herman and Barbara Ross depart our Board after serving
the organization for two, three and five years, respectively!
Deanne and Barbara will continue to be active on our Volunteer
Staff. All will be greatly missed from helping to direct the
organization as board members. We thank Derek, Deanne and
Barbara for their service and for continuing to Defend
the Planet One Beat at a Time!
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Member
Benefits: Mule + Merch + More!
More
Mule! Free Tickets to Members!
 Need
another reason to become a member of Rock the Earth? Just
by being a member of RtE, you have a chance to win FREE tickets
to see Gov’t
Mule in Portland and Seattle. To enter the
contest to win a pair of tickets to either the Portland (11/14)
or the Seattle (11/16) Mule shows, write to info@rocktheearth.org.
Be sure to put either Mule Portland Contest or Mule Seattle
Contest in the reference line.
Meanwhile,
look for RtE informational tables
at the following Gov’t Mule concerts:
Thu.
10/25 Vogue Theater, Indianapolis, IN
Fri. 10/26 Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
Tue. 11/6 Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, AZ
Sat. 11/10 The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
Wed. 11/14 Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
Fri.
11/16 Moore Theater, Seattle, WA
 RtE
Discounted Merchandise - For Members Only!
This
month, RtE Members can pick up either a RtE tote bag
(55% hemp; 45% organic cotton) OR a copy of One Love,
Volume 1 OR a copy of the Ryan Kerrigan signed/numbered
Summer Tour 2007 print for only $15 (includes shipping).
Or, even better, get any 2 items for only $25! To order
your discounted RtE merchandise, write to info@rocktheearth.org.
|
More Member Benefits: |
 |
20%
off all products from Guayaki
Yerba Mate |
 |
20%
off Eco
Express gift baskets (or donate 20% of
all full-priced orders to Rock the Earth by designating
donation in comments section of each order) |
 |
20%
off Bamboosa
products |
 |
20%
off SCIGear
merchandise |
 |
Special
contests and discounts on concert tickets |
| To
find out how you can take advantage of these Members Only
benefits, write to info@rocktheearth.org. |
If
you are not yet a member of Rock the Earth and would like
to join our growing movement (and get some pretty cool gifts
as well), go
here.
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Hot
Buttered Rum Rockin’ the Hawaiian Islands for RtE!
 On
Thursday, Oct. 25 (6 p.m.), at the Tower in Honolulu, Hawaii,
California’s Hot
Buttered Rum will be playing a concert to benefit
Rock the Earth. Produced by AlohaGroove and sponsored by Sierra
Nevada, the concert will also feature Johnny Helm
(2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Nominee Rock Album of the Year), Bruce
Shimabukoro (2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Nominee Most Promising
Artist), and Kapakahi. Tickets are only $20 and can
be purchased from www.honoluluboxoffice.com.
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Rockin’
Thanks to Bonnaroo!
 Thanks
to the generosity of Superfly
Presents and AC
Entertainment, Rock the Earth was one of five
beneficiaries of the annual silent charity auction at Bonnaroo
2007. This week, Rock the Earth received a
check in excess of $5,500! A rockin’ thank you
to Superfly, AC Entertainment and all of you who participated
in the silent auction at Bonnaroo! You are truly helping us
to "defend the planet, one beat at a time!”
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Volunteer
with Rock the Earth
Rock the
Earth is on the road, powered mainly by volunteers. Have you
considered volunteering with Rock the Earth? You can do it
from the road or at home! We have dozens of opportunities,
and can certainly find one that matches your skills. Consider
one of the following:
- Tabling
events
- Coordinating
volunteers
- Fundraising
& membership drives
- Legal
& technical assistance
- Assisting
with data entry & mailings in our Denver office
- Writing
press releases
If you're
interested in volunteering with us, please send an email to
volunteer@RockTheEarth.org
to find out how you can help Rock the Earth! Be sure to include
your city and state so we know the region of the country you
live.
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Zac
Matthews Rocks the Earth: Interview
 Zachary
Matthews plays mandolin, fiddle, guitar and sings with
Hot
Buttered Rum. His passion for music and environmental
sciences has found a fruitful playground– within the
context of a nationally touring band he writes songs and helps
spearhead the band’s efforts in the sustainable fuel
movement.
Since
2003 HBR has toured the country in their own vegetable oil
and biodiesel powered buses, and they have devoted themselves
to biofuel education and outreach. Along with key collaborators
and partners in the outdoor and environmental worlds, HBR
strives to effect positive environmental change.
What
environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most critical
at this time?
Nowadays,
the world is facing so many interconnected environmental problems
that it is difficult to blame it all on any single issue.
Global warming, ecosystem destruction, food and water shortages,
to name just a few, are critical environmental crises of the
time. But one issue that underlies many others is population
explosion. Exponential population growth is rapidly exceeding
the carrying capacity of the Earth. Any extrapolation of numbers
fifty years into the future reveals that the human race is
on a crash course. Our modern industrialized ways of living
are simply too resource-intensive for the Earth to support
the number of human beings that may soon grace the planet.
What
has inspired you to combine environmental activism with your
music?
Music
has the ability to unify people across large cultural and
political divides, and songs have a powerful way of conveying
visions of hope and change. To overcome the environmental
problems facing the world today, we need a unified vision
and a plan that goes beyond state lines to encompass the human
race as a whole. We are quite literally in the same boat.
As a citizen of the planet earth, I want to help the world
to be a better place, one that will continue to thrive for
generations to come.
Where
is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace or inspiration?
Periodically
separating from the front country and getting in tune with
the slow, deliberate rhythms of the natural world is always
a clarifying experience for me. The eastern Sierra Nevada
has always been a great source of inspiration. The harsh,
rugged landscape is pure, unadulterated and wide open, and
allows my mind to feel similarly.
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Rockin'
the Earth with Phil Ferlino: Photo
New
Monsoon's Phil Ferlino Rockin' in the Studio
Photo by Annie Cutler
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