In July, dozens of pop stars will jet off to save the world via the Live Earth concerts, but who will save us from these ego-friendly celebs, asks Róisín Ingle.
Al Gore's Live Earth was always going to spark a heated debate. In one corner we have the influential eco-worriers hooking up with canny popstar folk desperate to save the planet - or desperate, at any rate, to be seen to be saving the planet. In the other corner, the naysayers are busy pointing out that perhaps these ego-friendly popstars with their vast property portfolios, powerful cars and extensive shoe collections - Jimmy Choos rather than Birkenstocks obviously - may not be the best people to set a green example to the world.
This is a community who, let's face it, would pop to the shops in their private jets if they were let, so asking them to lecture the rest of us on our environmental duties is about as rich as Live Earth concert headliner Madonna. It's no surprise that in some quarters the 24-hour musical extravaganza which will span seven continents is being billed as the smugfest to be seen at this summer.
The July concert, organised by Gore's group SOS (Save Our Selves), will see 150 musicians taking part in seven concerts across the world in a bid to "trigger a mass-scale movement to combat our climate crisis", according to the Live Earth website. (Every time you log on the website an ominous end-of-the-world drum roll is played, just in case you weren't sure how scary this global warming stuff really is.)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beyonce, The Rolling Stones and, naturally, Green Day are some of the other acts on board, and it's expected that the gigs will be beamed live to two billion viewers via television or the internet. Rumours that Paul McCartney will sing Here Comes the Sunhave not been substantiated but, when it comes to global conscience-salving exercises, anything is possible.
The online community has been the most vocal in its disapproval, highlighting the self-promotional aspect of the enterprise. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or a climate scientist for that matter) to work out that getting a bit of global exposure won't do any of these acts any harm," writes Rob Lyons on the Spikedblog in a well-argued rant. "The newer performers will be hoping to use Live Earth as a platform to break through outside their own countries. Some of the older performers need all the credibility they can get. For the more superannuated acts involved - for whom Madonna is rapidly becoming the role model - it won't be Save Our Selves so much as Save Our Sales."
Lyons and his fellow bloggers aren't convinced by plans being drawn up at SOS HQ to ensure the stadium gigs are as green as possible; electricity to power the shows will be taken from renewable sources, there will be recycling bins in the venues and food and drink stands will all use biodegradable containers. John Picard, head of the Live Earth "greening" team, will go to the homes and offices of all the stars involved for a "sustainability consultation". "You have to walk the walk. You can't get up there and tell the public to save the planet but leave in a big car to go to your big home," he said. Maybe, but it's difficult to picture Madonna and co leaving the gig in a Mini bound for their terraced two-up and two-down.
Picard has a difficult job ahead. "There are areas where we are going to be really successful and areas where we are terribly challenged," he said. "The air travel involved in all of this is a nightmare and there is nothing you can do other than buy the offset. But, in terms of power in the venues, I think we will have a carbon neutral event."
Even if it's not a neutral happening, many environmental groups believe the giant carbon footprint left by Live Earth will have been worth it. "If it makes people sit up and take notice and pollute less, then I would consider it a worthwhile investment," says Oisín Coughlan of Friends of the Earth (Ireland). "There are obvious tensions between a rock star lifestyle and the kind of reductions in pollution we all need to make in order to avoid climate chaos. The fact is that, in the celebrity-driven culture we live in, people listen to what pop stars say and we need that in terms of mass mobilization and mass engagement with the issue."
In fairness, the popstars involved in Live Earth aren't in harmony on the issue, certainly not in the way they were for Live Aid and Live 8. English indie rockers Bloc Party confessed they had to think about it before agreeing to appear at Live Earth. Bassist Gordon Moakes said he wasn't sold on charity gigs. "I'm a bit wary of the idea, it's almost like the easy option. That's the danger - the fatigue that goes with seeing a really high profile gig being televised, not thinking what it's about." In the same vein, Matt Bellamy of rock band Muse, who may end up on the bill, waded in with his doubts. "Private jets for climate change, not sure about it. That seems to be a bit on edge really - that's an issue really, so we need to think about it," he, er, mused.
Between now and July we are going to be hearing a lot more from celebrities about energy efficient lightbulbs and compost bins and the like. At the launch of Live Earth, one of their celebrity spokesmodels, actress Cameron Diaz explained that her own personal planet-friendly regime included driving a hybrid Prius, recycling and "carbon neutral travel". Cammie was brimming with enthusiasm as she pointed out that the planet was, like, totally saveable if people just changed their behaviour. "We don't have to build some giant machine that goes up in the air and sucks all the carbon into outer space," she said. But what about making one for planet-saving celebrities?