World's cheapest car means bad news for the environment

This week, India's Tata Motors unveiled the world's cheapest car- the Nano.

The bubble-like vehicle will only cost $2,500.

Some facts about what has been nicknamed the "People's car:"

* Length: 3.1 meters

* Height: 1.6 meters

* Width: 1.5 meters

* Engine: Rear-wheel drive, 2-cylinder, 623 cc, multi-point fuel-injection petrol engine. Engine is rear mounted. Tata said it was the first time a 2-cylinder gasoline engine was being used in a car with single balancer shaft.

But what about its fuel efficiency?

According to its manufacturer, it's 20km/ liter . Tata Motors assures that its emission performance exceeds current regulatory requirements, adding that it produces lower overall pollution level than two-wheelers made in India.

Initially, the idea of being able to buy what seems to be a fuel-efficient car for only $2,500 sounds like great news. For the people who, up until now, have had to rely on less practical forms of transportation because they could not afford a car, the possibility of buying a Nano means mobility.

But when you think about it, the fact that more people will be able to have a car means that there will be more cars on the road. It is scary to think that thousands, possibly millions of cars could be added to our already crowded highways, which would, in turn, create higher levels of exhaust emissions, all of which can only mean one thing: more pollution.

According to an IBN (India Broadcasting Network, a CNN partner) article, "there are already over one million cars being added on Indian roads every year and this is expected to triple by 2015. Tata's has made no bones about the fact that the Nano targets 1st time users, 2 wheeler owners, and people in rural areas, which accounts to almost 60 million users."

Sixty million users!= Sixty million cars!

All of which makes me wonder- if they're able to come up with such such a cheap and tiny car, why don't automobile manufacturers invest their technology and resources in meeting the demand for greener cars? What we need, what the planet needs, are good, economic, stylish cars that run on hydrogen or some other sort of environmentally-friendly fuel.

I'm glad to find out that others share this point of view.

In Indians hit the Road Among Elephants, an article that appeared in The New York Times, Rajendra K. Pachauri, economist, environmental scientist and chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is said to have "sharply criticized the small car boom, questioning Tata Motors in particular for devoting itself to building cheap cars rather than efficient mass transportation."

Meanwhile, Rata Tata, president of the Tata Group, answers the following question in the company's own website:

"About the criticism that the car will add to India's pollution problems, why are the Tatas being singled out?"

To which he basically draws a parallel to Swatch watches.

I'm sorry, Mr. Tata, but cars aren't watches. Watches don't produce toxic fumes that pollute the environment, cars do.

Quote of the Day: John Muir and Nature

In every walk with nature one receives
far more than he seeks.

-John Muir (1838-1914), writer, conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.

Boca Raton conservationist saves turtles in Costa Rica

Dr. Kirt Rusenko is something of a celebrity among marine life lovers, not only in Boca Raton but in South Florida. But now, his popularity, might extend all the way to Costa Rica, especially among sea turtles.

He's the leading marine conservationist and researcher at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Complex in Boca Raton, a marine life research center that also provides a home to many endangered sea turtles.

According to yesterday's Palm Beach Post article, Turtle wizard is guiding light in Costa Rica, Rusenko was recently invited to Playa Grande, Costa Rica, to address the country's sea turtle nesting decline. Playa Grande, a 3.5-mile white sand beach that lies on the country's North Pacific Coast, supports a major nesting colony of leatherback turtles, a species that is endangered worldwide.

Pressure from real/estate developers to build oceanview condominiums may jeopardize the survival of the leatherback turtle in that area. According to the article, as it is, the beach is already seeing fewer turtle nests. There were 13,000 female leatherbacks nesting on Playa Grande in 1989. In 2006, there were only 56., the article states.

Because of this, the Costa Rican government invited Dr. Rusenko to evaluate the present situation and develop ideas for the implementation of more protection laws to preserve this turtle species.

Dr. Rusenko is also working on improvements to the Gumbo Limbo Center to accomodate even more sea turtles. To read more about it, read the article by Palm Beach Post reporter Gretel Sarmiento here.

New Year welcomed by Times Square's "green" ball drop

Once again, more than a billion people from all over the world ushered in the new year as they watched Times Square's ball drop.

Following tradition, the 1,415-pound crystal ball slid down the flagpole high atop the New York City building.

Breaking with tradition, the brightly illuminated ball's 672 crystals were lit, for the first time ever, by more than 9,500 energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LED's).

According to The Times Square Alliance, the not-for-profit organization in charge of Times Square's development, when the Times Square new year's ball tradition began a century ago, the ball weighed 700 pounds, was made of wood and iron, and was lit with 100 25-watt incandescent bulbs.

For its 100th birthday, the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball was more than twice as bright as the 2000-2007 ball (which used crystal light bulbs and strobe lights), with enhanced color capabilities and state-of-the-art LED lighting effects. This lighting technology substantially increased the brightness and color capabilities of the Ball.

The exclusive use of LEDs also improved the Ball's energy eficiency. Event officials explained to CNN that the Ball used only about the same amount of electricity as 10 toasters.

CNN also mentioned that over the past week, visitors from across the country wrote their messages on a Times Square "Wishing Wall."

"I want to turn the world green and the water clean," one person wrote.

Definitely a great resolution to work on this year.

Here's to a better, greener, healthier planet...

Happy 2008!

Don't miss CNN's "Planet in Peril"

Planet in Peril, CNN's special report on climate change, airs this week.

The four-hour, two-part series features CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Animal Planet wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, who traveled all around the world to report on the environmental issues that are affecting our planet.

The documentary, the first high definition production by CNN, will explore four key issues of the global environmental crisis: climate change, vanishing natural habitats, disappearing species and human overpopulation.

In an interview by the Associated Press, executive producer Charlie Moore described that what will distinguish this series from others is that it will be a "look at all of the world's environmental problems in one big swipe," avoiding "the clinical, classroom approach by going to the front lines of the stories."

The worldwide investigation took place in faraway places such as Brazil, Thailand, Madagascar and Cambodia.

One segment will show Cooper and Corwin in Bangkok as they uncover illegal shop that traffic with threatened wildlife, including rare tortoises from Madagascar.

But the documentary will also bring the issue closer to home. According to the Associated Press, in another segment, Cooper comes back to New York and takes a blood test that analyzes his exposure to 246 synthetic chemicals. The result? Find out by watching this special presentation.

The program will air tomorrow (Tuesday, October 23) and Wednesday, October 24th at 9 p.m. E.T. in the U.S.

If you live outside the United States, you can tune in at 13:00 or 19:00 GMT to watch this important documentary on CNN International.

For more information, visit CNN's "Planet in Peril" page.

Al Gore Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech

For all of those who didn't have a chance to see it, here's the moment in which former Vice President and 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore gave his acceptance speech before the United Nations committee.

Al Gore's win of Nobel Peace Prize a triumph for the planet

Al Gore, former US Vice President, won the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday along with the U.N. climate change panel "for their efforts in raising awareness of man-made climate change.

Gore, 59, has been fighting for the protection of the environment for over 20 years.

In his acceptance speech, Gore emphasized the importance of the "planetary emergency" we currently face:

"It (the fight against climate change) is the most dangerous challenge we have ever faced, but it is also the greatest opportunity we have ever had to make change."

Other ecologists and personalities from across the globe congratulated Mr. Gore for his achievement.

One of them, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, congratulated him by saying the former U.S. vice president's efforts "reflect how individuals and groups can change and crystalize awareness of global warming."

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel rightfullly declared that "Gore has contributed like no one else to the awakening of the world's conscience in respect to the fight against climate change."

A day in the life

When watching this, all I can think how amazing is our planet is, how many gifts we receive from it everyday and sometimes we don't even notice them. These beautiful flowers are a simple, yet striking example- how they grow, how they subsist- quietly, yet marvelously. Our planet is indeed, a majestic wonder...

Farewell to Anita Roddick

This week, the world lost a dedicated activist and great fighter of the environment, human rights and other social causes: Anita Roddick.

Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, an international chain of cosmetics stores known for its vegetable-based products, died suddenly on Monday at the age of 64.

Roddick used her business to promote causes like ending animal testing and supporting the environment.

"Against Animal Testing," "Support Community Trade," "Activate Self-Esteem," "Defend Human Rights," and "Protect Our Planet," are the company's current slogans.

In an article published in The International Herald Tribune, England's Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls Roddick a "true pioneer."

Not only was she instrumental in banning animal testing in the production of cosmetic products, but she also was one of the first entrepeneurs to create an environmentally-conscious business.

"She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so, and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market," Brown said.

Roddick's philosophy translated into her company's products. In June of last year, The Body Shop became 100% vegetarian, offering products with all-natural ingredients, including Strawberry Body Butter, Tea Tree Facial Wash, Coconut Milk Body Lotion and Camomile Eye Make-Up Remover.

Making a green statement in a fashionable way

Today I was pleasantly surprised when I found these cute T-shirts at Target. Of course they're fashionable, but what's great about them is the fact that by wearing them, you can share with others the importance of being kind to the environment without even saying a word.

In the first picture, for instance, you find a really cute tee with the message "Recycle Today for Tomorrow." It reminds us of how crucial it is to recycle everything we can so we can help our planet by reusing and disposing properly of materials that are harmful to the environment. The shirt makes it clear that we must do this NOW if we truly want to be able to enjoy our planet in the future, and conserve it so that future generations get to enjoy it as well.

In the second picture, you can also see another cute T-shirt, this one with a great phrase that reads "Green is Good."

On the other hand, the bottom picture shows two other T-shirts that also contain inspiring phrases and/or images. By wearing them, you can share with others the importance of recycling by wearing, for instance, the T-shirt on the right, which features the international recycling symbol. On the left, you can also see the one where Kermit the Frog asks that you to "Stay Green". (In case you can't find this last one, look in the Lingerie department since there is also a sleepshirt with the same design).

By the way, all these shirts are made of 100% cotton and only cost $9.99!

Check them out and wear these or any other shirts with eco-friendly messages so you can spread the green message and "pass on the green."

P.S. Sorry guys, but I have not found shirts with similar messages for men. But don't worry, as soon as I do, I'll post them as well. Keep checking back!

Photo shows illegal hunting of gorillas continues

Just yesterday, I posted what could be described as a lovely picture of thriving gorillas who are cared for by a successful conservation program.

In contrast, the picture you see above, also from Reuters, is not a pretty one. It shows four dead mountain gorillas that were illegally killed in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the week of July 26. The photo was released just yesterday, August 8, by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

I know the photo is perhaps too graphic, but it depicts reality and I thought it was important to put context in the situation that is affecting gorillas today. Yes, there are things being done to protect the species but the reality is that gorillas continue facing an uphill battle in order to survive.

The gorilla is one of the most endangered species in the world. According to the WWF, this is due to the fact that gorillas are confronted by the devastating consequences of increased habitat loss, poaching for the bushmeat trade and the spread of dangerous diseases like Ebola. And although the capture or killing of gorillas is illegal, it continues to take place, as the picture demonstrates.

Mother gorilla and baby in Prague zoo proof of successful conservation efforts

In this photo from Reuters, Gorilla Kijivu holds nine-week-old baby gorilla Tatu in her arms. Both live at the Gorilla's Pavillion at Zoo Praha, also known as Prague Zoo. The picture was taken this Tuesday, August 7.

Besides being home to Kijivu, Tatu and another female. Shinda, the zoo also takes care of four orphaned gorillas in the conservation station Limbe Wildlife Centre (LWC) in Cameroon. The stories behind all the gorillas who live there are pretty much the same: their parents and relatives were killed by hunters and they, the young survivors, were rescued from being sold as pets.

Among the rescued orphans are Chella, Jumbo and Pitchou. According to the zoo, Chella was found in a car boot next to the body of his dead mother when he was only 2 years old. He was then confiscated by local authorities who only provided him with beer for drinking and minute amounts of food during three long weeks. When he eventually arrived at the LWC, he suffered from great dehydration and malnourishment. He is now 17 and is the dominant male in the group.

Jumbo had fallen prey to a hunter when he was only a baby. According to the zoo, the hunter was trying to sell the little gorilla to a woman named Lena Perazzi because she knew that such purchase would cause more hunting of gorillas in the wild. Instead, Ms. Perazzi contacted the LWC and saved the baby's life.

For more on the stories of the gorillas who live at the LWC and more information on gorilla conservation, visit the Limbe Wildlife Center's website .

South Florida's temperatures hotter than usual

Florida has always been known for its warm temperatures, but this year, they might be just a little too hot.

This according to a report recently released by Environment Florida, a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization that carries out independent research and "tough-minded advocacy" in order to protect Florida's air, water, open spaces, and the quality of the environment overall.

The report, which is entitled "Temperatures in Cities Across Florida on the Rise,"states that the average temperature in cities like Miami, West Palm Beach and Tampa, among many others, are 0.5 degrees higher than last year's average.

“Throw out the record books, because global warming is raising temperatures in Florida and across the country,” said Environment Florida Field Director Holly Binns.

And while the degree difference may not sound alarming, Dr. Jeff Chanton, a scientist and professor at Florida State University warned that: “One degree may not seem like much, but just like in people, a small, relatively rapid temperature rise can have serious consequences.”

Among these consequences, the report states, are "serious implications for human health, causing heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and even death. "

One of the cities that presented this increase in temperatures is West Palm Beach. The report concluded that the average 76.1 degree Fahrenheit summertime (from June to August) temperature in that city was 1.6 degrees higher last year than the 30-year "normal" average of 74.7, according to The Palm Beach Post's article "Scientists say West Palm Beach is getting hotter."

Environment Florida's report explains that "this warmer-than-normal weather is indicative of what Florida can expect with continued global warming, including increased drought and wildfire, stress on already-scarce water resources, and more frequent and intense tropical storms."

Additionally, the organization emphasized the fact that "2007 is on track to be the second warmest year on record globally."

Fortunately, not all the reports' conclusions were negative.

“The good news is that those same scientists (who warn about the impact of global warming) say we can avoid the worst effects of global warming by taking bold action now to reduce global warming pollution... we have the technology at our fingertips to cut global warming pollution and forge a cleaner, more secure energy future," said Binns.

Florida governor leading Florida's green path

Recently, Gov. Charlie Crist held the Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Climate Change, a two-day conference that took place in Miami with the purpose of "hearing from the experts and learning how we in Florida can address the causes and effects of climate change.”

Crist listed drought, endangered agriculture, violent storms, and changing sea levels – and their impact on Florida’s economy – as some of the reasons why Floridians must take action in protecting the environment.

“Florida is uniquely vulnerable to the impact of climate change,” Governor Crist said. “Bordered by bodies of water, our state has thousands of miles of rivers, streams and waterways. Our waters define our state’s identity, and global climate change can threaten that identity.”

According to the Sun-Sentinel article "Emissions must be cut, Gov. Crist tells climate change summit," Crist would like to see an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. In order to achieve this, Crist signed three executive orders that will impose strict air-pollution standards in the Sunshine state.

“Global climate change is one of the most important issues we face this
century, and we must take action,” Governor Crist said. “We must make every
effort to boldly do our best to do what is right – for our environment, for
our economy and for future generations. We have a responsibility to be good
stewards of Florida’s natural resources and beautiful surroundings.”

From Youtube to Live Earth Wembley Stadium....

Live Earth featured the acts of 150 artists who united their music and voices in honor of our planet.

Just in case you didn't catch last Sunday's television broadcast of the event, here you can see an enchanting performance by Terra Naomi, an alternative rock singer and songwriter who performed her hit "Say it's Possible."

As you'll be able to see, besides the original message of the song when she wrote it, some of this song's lyrics can be interpreted as certainly fitting for the occasion.

Excerpts from the song:"Say it's Possible"

see the lights are turning
and I look outside the stars are burning
through this changing time
it could have been anything we want
it's fine salvation was just a passing thought
it was just a passing thought

don't wait act now
this amazing offer won't last long
it's only a chance to pave the path we're on
I know there are more exciting things to talk
about
and in time we'll sort it out
and in time we'll sort it out

...

Later on in the song, as if she were talking about the possibilities that our combined efforts could bring, she says:

This could be something beautiful
combine our love into something wonderful...

To learn more about Terra Naomi and her songs, visit
http://www.terra-naomi.com/

To view more performances from some of the other great artists who participated in Live Earth, including The Police, Shakira, Duran Duran, and Linkin Park, visit:

http://www.liveearth.msn.com/

Live Earth rocks the world

The Live Earth concerts broke a worldwide record for online entertainment show by generating more than 9 million Internet streams, according to Microsoft.

The new record surpasses the one previously held by Live 8, a massive fundraising event held in 2005 that involved ten benefit concerts in different cities around the world with the purpose of fighting poverty in Africa.

Once onstage, many artists chose to make a personal statement regarding climate change and the need for everyone to join in the effort to heal the planet and save it from further damage.

Such was the case of Linkin Park’s vocalist Mike Shinoda, who said to the thousands of people in attendance at the Tokyo concert and the millions who were watching through Internet:

(The) climate crisis is one of the defining issues of our generation… (but)
we can make a difference in a very big way if we try.

Meanwhile other artists chose to send their message across through a song.
Such was the case of Melissa Etheridge, who sang “I Need to Wake Up,” the
theme song to Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth, urging participants
to “wake up now.”

R&B singer and songwriter Alicia Keys and country singer Keith Urban also dedicated a song to the planet, performing a cover version of The Rolling Stones 1969 hit “Gimme Shelter.”

Among the personalities in attendance were English anthropologist Jane Goodall and environmental lawyer and activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as actors Leonardo Di Caprio, Cameron Diaz and Scrubs’ cast member Zach Braff, among many others.

The televised event included the live broadcast of the concerts, as well as small segments that gave tips to viewers on how to lead an “environmentally-friendly” life.
Many have criticized the event, doubting the "difficulty in marrying pop music with serious themes lke the environment."

In addition, after the end of the event, many articles pointed out the show’s low TV ratings.
Most of them focus on the three-hour NBC telecast, which drew only 2.8 million viewers. But according to an article from The Washinton Post, Nielsen ratings showed that 19 million people watched at least six minutes of the concerts that aired throughout the day on NBC’s sister networks, such as Bravo, CNBC and Telemundo.

Still, it is expected that Live Earth’s viewership will continue to grow even now, after the show has ended, this time through the Internet, where those who didn’t have the time to watch it can do so. This is because the purpose of these concerts- the fight for climate change is far from over, in fact, it’s just beginning.

In the end, the message of the Live Earth event can be summed up with the words of Chester Bennington, another Linkin Park vocalist:

"We’re at a point where we have to do something… be willing to take action and be
part of something great. "

Live Earth kicks off

Live Earth, the worldwide television event that will unite millions of people through music to fight climate change is here!

Don't miss the opportunity to see 150 of the world's top recording artists (including the ones in the US lineup shown above ) perform during 24 hours of music across all 7 continents. You can do so through TV, radio and Internet. You can also attend a Live Earth event in your area.

Here are some details to help you decide:

If you would like to attend a Live Earth local event:

In South Florida:

What: Art Against the Climate Crisis

When: Today, from 12p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Where: Miami-Dade Main Library
101 W. Flagler StreetMiami, Florida 33132

Cost: FREE, all ages welcome

More info: Call 305.375.2665 or visit the Miami-Dade Public Library System page.

Also: Grass Lounge in Miami, host of an official Live Earth party, which will be held from 6-11 p.m.
For more info: call 954.655.7629

If you prefer to watch Live Earth on TV:

NBC will air a three-hour special today starting at 8 p.m.

The Sundance Channel will cover the event live through a 22 hour broadcast:
The East Coast Today from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 8th.
The West Coast Today from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Bravo will be "the only cable station to be showing the entirety of the concert at the Giants stadium." It will air live and taped performances for 18 hours, starting at 8 a.m. today.

CNBC will begin airing live and taped performances (during a total of 7 hours) starting at 7 p.m. today.

Mun2 will air a two-hour special today focusing on Latin artists beginning at 7 p.m.

Telemundo transmitirá en español este evento que busca unir al mundo entero con el fin de crear conciencia sobre el medio ambiente de 7 a 8 p.m.

If you prefer the radio:

XM Satellite Radio ,will air all concerts in their entirety. Worldspace Satellite Radio, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Premiere Radio Network and Radio Express will also air the Live Earth event.


If you prefer to watch it online:
You can tune in to all the nine concerts on both Saturday and Sunday through liveearth.msn.com

You can also visit the websites for the channels mentioned above, most of them will be streaming live video throughout the day.

Watch it live now by clicking here!

For additional broadcast information, click here.

For concert schedule and information specific to your area, click here.

Don't miss it! ANSWER THE CALL.

Gore discusses Live Earth on CNN

This video clip is from CNN's Larry King Live, where former Vice President Al Gore appeared last night to talk about his effort to fight global warming and save the environment through the Live Earth event.

During the interview, Gore discussed how the idea of having this 24-hour worldwide event originated. He also talked about how he personally contacted each one of the performing artists so they would become part of this global spectacle.

Gore also announced that in addition to the cities already announced, there will be a special performance in Antarctica, while also hinting at a surprise location (which was today discovered to be the U.S. capital).

Here are a few excerpts of the interview in case you missed it:

Larry King: How did this massive thing come about?
Al Gore: ... It's the launch of a three-year campaign to get the message of the climate crisis and the solutions to the climate crisis to every person on Earth so that we can move across the political tipping point beyond which everybody in every country puts pressure on their leaders to make this the top priority and solve the climate crisis.

We’re asking all of the 2 billion people estimated to be in the audience Saturday, to sign the Seven-Point Pledge that embodies the solution to the climate crisis, including putting pressure on your country no matter where you live in the world, to sign and join an international treaty within two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in the developing countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthier Earth.

…The Earth's climate really is in great jeopardy. Some of the leading scientists in the world have announced that we may have as little as 10 years in which to make major changes lest we lose the chance to have and retrieve the favorable climate balance on which human civilization depends.

Larry King: What do you want to see accomplished?
Al Gore: I'd like to see all 2 billion people in the audience sign the Seven-Point Pledge and become part of the solution to the climate crisis. I hope it gets the attention of the world in a way that we've never been able to do in the past and deliver the facts about the climate crisis and the solution to the crisis.

Larry King: Shanghai, China is considered one of the world's major polluters. Why go there?
Al Gore: Because they need to be part of the solution. China and the United States are the two biggest sources of global warming pollution.(But we also) both have the opportunity to invest in the new, cleaner, more efficient technologies that will allow continued improvements in our quality of life.

The future for every generation after ours is at risk. Incidentally, temperatures in many parts of the country have reached all-time records. Almost half of the US is in drought or near-drought conditions, so some of the problems that scientists have said we should watch out for because they are associated with global warming are beginning to happen- the stronger storms, the sea levels rise, diseases from the tropics moving into the areas where more people live, the melting of the ice...

A new study says that the North Polar Ice Cap is now melting three times faster than the most pessimistic projections were just a few years ago and could be completely gone in as little as 35 years. But we can still save it if we act quickly, and that's what the Live Earth concerts are all about- to get past the naysayers and the cynics and the carbon polluters and instead, lay the truth before the people of this country and the world and define it properly as a moral issue. A lot of it depends on doing the right thing now, while we still have the chance.

Countdown has begun for Live Earth global event

This Saturday, the whole world will rock in a united effort to bring awareness to the climate change crisis through Live Earth:The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis.

According to SOS (Save Our Selves), the group behind this global spectacle, Live Earth will be "a 24-hour, 7-continent concert series taking place on 7/7/07 that will bring together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis."

A Newsday article entitled "As the World Tunes," explains that Kevin Wall, founder of the SOS group and producer of Live 8, came up with the idea of organizing this event inspired by former Vice President Al Gore, whose Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth brought to the forefront the debate about global warming.

"Millions of people saw that movie and realized that this was a compelling argument," Wall said to Newsday. "I wanted to see if we could get the globe to pay attention, to get billions of people to take notice."

In the same article, Wall also added that aside from the concerts, the event's main goal is to teach as many people as possible about ways to improve the environment:

We want people to know they can step up and make a change... They can
make a change by changing how they treat the environment, by buying green, by
voting to put people in office who will negotiate these improvements on a global
basis. If we can get people to move in that direction, we can really have
an impact. ..

The historical music event will feature eight concerts in the following cities: New York, London, Shanghai, Sydney, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Chiba and Tokyo.

Among the artists acheduled to appear are Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Lenny Kravitz, Metallica, and Shakira. The event will also allow fans to see some of their favorite bands reunite for the first time, among them Smashing Pumpkins and The Police.

The event will reach its worldwide audience through TV, radio and the Internet- the concerts will be broadcast in the United States through NBC, but they will also stream through Live Earth's website.

However, according to Gore, the show will be just a starting point for a global movement that seeks to increase consciousness about our planet's suffering:

"Live Earth will be just the beginning of a three year campaign worldwide to deliver information about how to solve the climate crisis," he said.

Bald eagle comeback on time for America's birthday

The news of the bald eagle’s recovery arrived just in time for Independence Day.

Today, America celebrates not only its birthday but also the victory of the eagle, its national symbol, over what many called its impending death sentence.

According to the American Eagle Foundation, the bald eagle was chosen as America’s National Emblem by our country’s Founding Fathers in 1782.

Initially, it did face some disapproval from certain individuals, including Benjamin Franklin, but with time, it became the most beloved bird in the country because of its qualities and symbolism.

In the words of President John F. Kennedy:

The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald
eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of
this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America.

The image of this majestic animal is now found not only on the Great Seal of the United States but also on the dollar bills and coins we use, as well as on our passports and stamps, among many other places.

This is why, after being on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle’s comeback is great news to this nation, which so dearly loves its national bird.

Today’s edition of the Sun-Sentinel expressed the same through an editorial entitled “The bald eagle flies off the endangered species list, just in time for Independence Day.”

Moreover, it stressed the importance of conservation efforts, setting as an example the success story of the American bald eagle:

At a time when Florida still struggles to rescue manatees and panthers from the
threat of extinction, the 40-year commitment to preserve the bald eagle for
future generations of Americans offers fitting lessons on the value and
potential of conservation programs. If the resolve is there, the efforts can and
do work.