The UK Daily Mail: “A Daily Mail investigation has revealed that far from saving the planet, the extravaganza will generate a huge fuel bill, acres of garbage, thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, and a mileage total equal to the movement of an army. The most conservative assessment of the flights being taken by its superstars is that they are flying an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts – nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transport their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher. The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists’ and spectators’ travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com, who specialises in such calculations. Throw in the television audience and it comes to a staggering 74,500 tonnes. In comparison, the average Briton produces ten tonnes in a year. The concert will also generate some 1,025 tonnes of waste at the concert stadiums – much of which will go directly into landfill sites. ”
Reuters: “They rocked the world, but as the clean-up at nine climate change gigs around the globe begins, many wonder if the galaxy of pop stars did much to change it. U.S. and British media Rwere generally underwhelmed on Sunday by Live Earth, the mega-concert organized by former U.S. vice president and green campaigner Al Gore, which, though built on the model of Live Aid and Live 8, created a less positive buzz.”
The Hollywood Reporter: “NBC’s three-hour Live Earth primetime special, which included highlights from Saturday’s global concerts, failed to generate much enthusiasm in the ratings. The estimated 2.7 million viewers were slightly less than the 3 million NBC would average on a normal Saturday night in the summer with repeats on what already is the least-popular night of television”
UK Daily Mail: “Jonathan Ross, hosting the event on the BBC, was forced to apologise [for bad language]. After the watershed, Madonna performed her headline act shouting: “If you want to save the planet I want you to start jumping up and down. Come on motherf******.” The show was a TV flop, drawing less than a third of the audience who tuned in last week for the Concert for Diana. Live Earth peaked with 4.5 million viewers in Britain, compared with 14.8 million for the Diana concert.”
The UK Telegraph: “”If you wanna save the planet, jump up and down!” urged Madonna. Can global warming be stopped by an out-of-breath, middle-aged, super-rich narcissist in a leotard and high heels? The superannuated pop queen was certainly up for the challenge, but judging by the negligible response to the text message number displayed on stage, I suspect the public may have been justifiably confused by the link between aerobics and the environment.”
Yahoo: “The News of the World tabloid, Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper, detailed estimates of Madonna’s carbon emissions from nine houses, a fleet of cars, a private jet and the Confessions tour, calling her a “climate-change catastrophe.” The Sunday Telegraph quoted U.S. reports of her alleged financial links to companies accused of being major polluters.”
Yes, it is so great that all of these attendees are making such a sacrifice by attending a rock concert to fight in the great battle of our times. I mean really, this is this generation’s equivalent of storming the beaches at Normandy to save the world from Nazism. Or something.
As for me? Nah, I didn’t bother watching a bunch of has-beens and wanna-bees scream at me to quit driving my car to work when every one of them came in private jets and fleets of limousines.
Instead I ate a delicious burger made from methane-producing US cattle and increased my annual “carbon footprint” by spending twice as long as normal in a hot shower.
From Yahoo: “Yet U.S. comedian Chris Rock expressed the kind of disbelief shared by many on the day that Live Earth would make a lasting difference, even if he was only joking: “I pray that this event ends global warming the same way that Live Aid ended world hunger,” he said in London. ”
What, you mean that there is STILL world hunger after Live Aid? But how can that be?
climate change, Live Earth, Al Gore
