Presenting
the 2008 Planet Defenders
Thanks
to thoughtful input from Rock the Earth members and
friends, we present the 2008 Planet Defenders!
 Dave
Matthews Band, winners in the Artist
category, have long advocated for environmental sustainability
through their words and actions. Touring for more
than 17 years, the Dave Matthews Band has promoted
their environmental ethic through their tour practices
and by collaborating with a host of environmental
organizations. Stefan Lessard, DMB bass player, has
helped the band form a partnership with the non-profit
environmental group Reverb
in an effort to educate fans as well as other musicians
to promote environmental sustainability by offsetting
their tour by using Biodiesel in their tour busses,
reducing the Band’s carbon footprint by purchasing
carbon credits, offering eco-friendly merchandise
to their fans and reducing the amount of waste they
produce at shows by recycling and utilizing biodegradable
utensils and plates for their catering. The Band has
also been involved in numerous benefit concerts and
environmental initiatives over the years, including
a partnership with the Nature Conservancy to plant
900 trees in Band’s hometown of Charlottesville,
VA, on the Conservancy’s land and working with
Ben & Jerry’s to offer a flavor of ice cream
that supports global warming relief. The Band’s
charity, the Bama Works Foundation, has also distributed
millions of dollars in grants to environmental organizations.
Dave Matthews sits on the board of Farm Aid and recently
performed an acoustic show for the nonprofit Seeds
of Change, with the Dalai Lama.
“Dave
Matthews Band is in a fortunate position to play
to many fans on tour,” says Lessard. “This
allows us to spread a positive environmental message
to hundreds of thousands of people in a fun concert
setting.”
 Andrew
Winston, founder of Winston
Eco-Strategies, is co-author of Green
to Gold, the best-selling book offering
advice to companies on how to go green. Andrew is
a globally recognized expert on green business, and
has written for or appeared in Time, BusinessWeek,
Forbes, The New York Times, ABC News, National Public
Radio, and CNBC. After a career in business, Andrew
pursued his passion to find the overlap between business
and environment. In his talks to thousands of people
around the world, Andrew speaks the language of business
as an evangelist for the benefits of going green.
He also served as the Director of the Corporate Environmental
Strategy Project at Yale’s renowned School of
Forestry and Environmental Studies. Andrew is dedicated
to helping companies both large and small use environmental
strategy to grow, create enduring value, and build
stronger relationships with employees, customers,
and other stakeholders. His work in addressing environmental
pressures on the marketplace and working with corporations
to develop eco-strategies has earned him the Planet
Defender as Community Leader.
“I
am honored to receive the Planet Defender Award
as a Community Leader from Rock the Earth. I consider
myself an evangelist for green business, helping
companies see that environmental protection and
a strong, thriving business community are no longer
at odds – in fact, they depend on each other.
Businesses that solve environmental challenges for
themselves and their customers will be the ultimate
winners…and they will lead the creation of
a healthier, more sustainable planet.”
 Karen
Cragnolin, executive director of RiverLink,
was selected as the winner of the Grassroots Activist
award. Riverlink is a regional non-profit spearheading
the economic and environmental revitalization of the
French Broad River and its tributaries in Asheville,
NC. Through her efforts, the organization is engaged
in simultaneous efforts to address water quality concerns
throughout the French Broad River basin, expand public
opportunities for access and recreation, and promote
the economic revitalization of Asheville's dilapidated
riverfront district. She currently serves as the acquisitions
chair for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, Buncombe
County’s Conservation and Environmental Boards,
the City of Asheville’s Watershed Advisory Board
and ex-officio member of the Asheville Tree and Greenway
Commission, the French Broad River Garden Club and
Foundation Board, and the Warren Wilson College Board
of Visitors. Her actions in preserving open space
and developing greenways along the river corridors
for all to enjoy makes her a wonderful choice for
the Planet Defender Award in Grassroots Activism.
"I
am honored that my work to protect the environment
has been recognized with a Planet Defender Award
and support what Rock the Earth is doing 100%. Clean
water and clean air are neither a democrat or a
republican issue - it is all of us. We have to work
together to make sure our children and grandchildren
and their children and grandchildren can drink the
water and breathe the air, too. We have rights as
individuals, but also have a clear collective responsibility
to make sure that Mother Earth can continue to support
us all, no matter what our political affiliation.
There is nothing either conservative or progressive
about breathing clean air and drinking clean water.
The environment is the ultimate bipartisan issue."
 This
year's Planet Defenders join last
year's recipients - Musicians The
Barenaked Ladies, MacArthur Fellow, writer, and
conservationist Dr. Carl Safina of the Blue
Ocean Institute and Karen Dolan of the Illick’s
Mill Project- as we continue to honor those individuals
we feel embody Rock the Earth's drive to Defend
the Planet One Beat at a Time.
Each
Planet Defender recipient will receive a one-of-a-kind
award created by artists Joe Benvenuto, Rodman
Miller and J.
Garrett. The individuals who nominated
our award winners will receive a special Earth Day
gift from Rock the Earth.
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 Rock
the Earth Day 2008!
Every
year, Earth Day gets longer. From a day to a week
and this year, Rock the Earth Day was expanded to
the entire month of April! We were fortunate to have
more Earth Day partners than ever before - from bands,
to businesses, to Universities, to participating in
the Green Apple Festival in 3 cities! Rock the Earth
was EVERYWHERE this Earth Month.
Green
Apple Festival A HUGE Success:
 Sunday,
April 20 was a very busy day for Rock the Earth. Not
only were we set up with information booths at Green
Apple Festival in San Francisco,
Chicago and Denver, but in Denver we
co-produced the event, taking the laboring oar on
vendor, volunteer, sponsor and speaker coordination!
With nearly 16,000 people and 50 vendors in attendance
at the first Green Apple Denver Festival, by all accounts
it was a smashing success. Dozens of nonprofits and
green businesses educated and interacted with thousands
of attendees, while natural and organic food and beverage
vendors kept the crowd happy with everything from
organic lemon aide and teas to natural bison burgers
and dumplings. Special thanks to our local sponsors
Burt
Automotive, who had several hybrid
cars on display and Eldorado
Spring Water, who kept the thirsty
crowd and crew satiated with free water stations.
Meanwhile, Stretch’s
Lair kept kids of all ages entertained
with a 30 foot, solar-powered bubble tower that pumped
out bubbles throughout the day!
Green
Apple Denver was even featured on MTV! To see the
video, go
here.
Other
Rock the Earth Day 2008 Events:
New
Monsoon & Dumpstaphunk
On April 4th and 5th, these two great bands along
with the Oriental Theater in Denver donated $1
per ticket to Rock the Earth in honor of Earth
Day, resulting in over $400 being donated to RtE!
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 Perpetual
Groove: On April 10, the Fox
Theatre in Boulder played host to our
first Rock the Earth VIP Backstage Club event. With
food and beverages donated by Hapa
Sushi, New
Belgium Brewing Company and Sweet
Leaf Tea, RtE Staff played host to some
of our most generous supporters, inviting them to
join us pre-show for dinner and drinks with the members
of P-Groove, as well as to enjoy the soundcheck and
the show from the VIP balcony at the Fox. Special
thanks to the Fox, P-Groove and our sponsors for allowing
us to treat our generous donors like the Rock Stars
that they are!
Dubconscious
 On
April 18, at the Rocket Club in Asheville, North Carolina,
our friends in Dubconscious decided to hold a benefit
for Rock the Earth! With $1 from every ticket sold,
fans got to enjoy an entire evening of music by Dubconscious,
Erica Newell (of the Melody Makers), Avec
La Force Drum & Dance Ensemble, and Deep
Roots Sound. Special thanks to Dubconscious, James
Gooch, and ONE World Entertainment for holding this
benefit for us!
 Umphrey’s
McGee
For the second year in a row, Chicago rockers Umphrey’s
McGee donated a portion of the proceeds from one of
their shows during Earth Week. In this case, it was
their April 19th show at the Ram’s Head in Baltimore.
 Sunflower
Farmers Markets
Rockin’ Brats for a Buck Days!
On
April 11 and 12, Sunflower
Farmers Markets in Denver sponsored
their monthly Brats for a Buck days with Rock the
Earth being the beneficiary. Thanks to Sunflower and
our volunteers who helped out at the Colorado Boulevard
and Highlands stores - Barbara Ross, Tay Dunklee,
and Kim Shuman - Rock the Earth raised over $670!
Fox
Theatre (Boulder, CO)
On top of all of the other partners that we had
this month, we recently found out that during the
entire month of April Boulder's world-famous Fox
Theatre donated $1 to Rock the Earth
from every advanced ticket sold. We’ll have an
update on this generous contribution to our organization
in next month’s Rock the Earth Notes.
In
addition, thanks to our friends at Herbs
& Arts donated 10% of their businesses
sales on April 19 to Rock the Earth, resulting in
donations of $181!
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Dr. Roderick Nash |
Kevin Morris |
Welcome
new RtE Advisory Board Members
We
are pleased and honored to announce two new members
to join Rock the Earth’s Advisory Board: Dr.
Roderick Nash and Kevin
Morris. The addition of these two brings
our number of Advisory Board members to fourteen.
The Advisory Board represents a diverse cross-section
of musicians, environmental and community leaders,
and visionaries from across the United States. The
Advisory Board helps guide the work of Rock the Earth.
Advisory Board members work closely with RtE staff
and the board to formulate our direction, guide us
on pressing environmental issues, and bring the mission
of RtE to a larger audience. Please join us in welcoming
our newest Advisory Board members as part of the Rock
the Earth team!
See
Entire List of the RtE Advisory Board here.
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Patagonia
and the Prairie Dog Coalition Rock the Earth!
 During
the last few months, thousands of you voted for Rock
the Earth to win a grant from Patagonia
in honor of their new store opening in Boulder, Colorado.
We are very grateful for the overwhelming support.
In the end, it was decided that the Prairie Dog Coalition
would split the $5,000 grant amongst all five of the
nonprofits, resulting in a $1,000 grant to Rock the
Earth.
 Our
most humble thanks go out to Patagonia and the Prairie
Dog Coalition for their generosity. For those unfamiliar,
the Prairie
Dog Coalition is an alliance of nonprofits,
concerned citizens, and scientists dedicated to the
saving of prairie dogs, and with them, the health
of our environment. The PDC is protecting and restoring
the five species of prairie dog which have declined
by over 90%. Prairie dogs provide food for endangered
black footed ferrets, build homes for burrowing owls,
nourish grasses for bison, and cultivate soils for
wildflowers. Nine different species of wildlife directly
depend on prairie dog populations for survival. Also,
consider the following facts:
- Prairie
dogs provide food and shelter in their burrows for
a number of species including hawks, eagles, ferrets,
burrowing owls, foxes and badgers to name a few.
-
Prairie dogs have declined by 98% in the West.
- Prairie
dogs are like a canary in the coal mine, what is
happening to them, is happening to the rest of the
animals on the prairie.
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RtE
April 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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In
the Key of Green: Electronics
Recycling
 That
iPod isn’t just filled with rockin’ music
-- it contains hazardous materials such as lead, mercury,
arsenic and cadmium, which can enter local water supplies
and the environment if not disposed of properly. To
more safely dispose of your outdated electronic equipment,
search for ewaste recycling centers and check with
manufacturers for recycling and reuse programs. Also,
look for special days and locations for recycling
textiles, batteries, paint, etc. For more information,
go to www.earth911.org.
- 2008
Green Apple Festival Resource Guide
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Rock
the Earth Nominated for a Jammy!
 Nug.net's
Music for the Planet:
a Benefit for Rock the Earth has
been nominated for a Jammy award for DOWNLOAD OF
THE YEAR. Featuring LIVE music by the Dave
Matthews Band, Phish, Gov't Mule,
Jack Johnson and others, all proceeds from
the sale of the CDs and downloads are donated to Rock
the Earth. The winner will be announced on May 7th
at the 7th Annual Jammy Awards, held at the Theater
at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Please
help us by VOTING for Music for the Planet at www.Jammys.com.
HURRY! Voting ends May 2!
Meanwhile,
you can still download Music for the Planet at nugs.net
or get a copy in CD format with a $25
Rock the Earth membership.
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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 info@rocktheearth.org
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 bertm@rocktheearth.org.
For more information: www.rocktheearth.org
or www.foxtheatre.com.
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New
Membership 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 3-day outdoor music festival that takes place
the first weekend after Memorial Day (May 30th
to June 1st). This 4th 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 info@rocktheearth.org.
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 info@rocktheearth.org.
We’re
also pleased to announce we have a new benefit to
offer RtE members. Sama
Living sells sustainable and inspirational
products, such as fig-scented stationary, soy based
candles, jewelry, and bath & spa products. RtE
members receive 15% off on all orders. You can
feel good about shopping with Sama Living because
a portion of all proceeds are donated to social and
environmental groups, like RtE!
| Rock
the Earth Member Benefits: |
 |
15%
discount on all orders from Sama
Living |
 |
10%
discount on all merchandise from The
Faded Line Clothing Company |
 |
20%
off beautiful nature ecards from Tree
Greetings that plant a tree
for someone special! |
 |
20%
off all Advice from Nature books, journals, t-shirts,
postcards, bookmarks and tree planting cards from
Your
True Nature |
 |
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. |
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RtE
Annual Report Correction
We
apologize, but in the March edition of Rock the Earth
Notes, we announced that the Rock the Earth 2007 Annual
Report was now available, but provided a broken link.
Here’s
the correct link to the report. We
apologize for any inconvenience.
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Rock
the Earth Interview: Brock Butler
 Brock
Butler is the frontman, lead guitarist and songwriter
for the Athens-based band Perpetual
Groove. By partnering with Tree
Sound Studios, Sustainable Waves, and Green
Mountain Energy Company, Perpetual Groove is leaving
a positive impact on the environment while they conduct
their business. The band’s latest release, LIVELOVEDIE
was produced with renewable energy, and each time
the band tours, their carbon emissions are offset
with renewable energy credits. The Spring 2007 Tour
alone generated 50 tons of CO2 emissions, all of which
were offset with help from Green Mountain Energy Company.
That’s equal roughly to 60,050 cars driving 3,958,483
miles.
Wherever
possible, Perpetual Groove uses recycled materials
for the creation of tour cards, flyers, posters and
even album packaging, of which the latest was made
from 100% post consumer/industrial waste materials.
Perpetual Groove’s online ticketing and merchandise
websites also help to leave a positive impact. Patrons
of both stores have the option of “greening up”
their ticket with a renewable energy credit to offset
emissions from traveling to the show. Perpetual Groove’s
environmental initiatives serve as an example to their
fans that one person at a time can make a difference,
and more importantly, can leave a positive impact
on their environment.
What
environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most
critical at this time?
With
the drought in Georgia, water conservation is high
on the list of very reachable results. Just by monitoring
toilet and shower use, the amounts that can be saved
are huge. Also critical to me is the cost of fuel
and availability of alternative fuel sources, considering
the amount of traveling by the band.
What has inspired you to combine environmental
activism with your music?
The
fact that I have an opportunity to speak to large
groups, and use the concert forum for good and positive
impact.
Where is your favorite place in nature to go to
find solace or inspiration?
I
love the water. I also love watching a good snow.
I like to find quiet places on the water. I grew up
on the Potomac River and my family has a house at
Pawleys Island. This is one of my very favorite places
all together.
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Rockin'
the Earth at Green Apple: Photo
Denver
Bronco Dominique Foxworth and RtE Executive Director
Marc Ross
(Green Apple Denver 2008).
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