Jet-setting Bands Overpopulate Gore's Live Earth

The April 10 London Daily Mail dares to say what others have not. Instead of a trendy story about green celebs, reporter Richard Simpson revealed an Inconvenient Truth; many of the musicians participating in Al Gore’s upcoming Live Earth concerts are major eco-offenders themselves:

The stars of a major Live 8-style concert to raise awareness of climate change have been condemned as hypocrites for failing to lead environmentally friendly lives themselves.

The likes of Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform at Live Earth at Wembley Stadium on July 7, yet campaigners say they are among the least "green" individuals on the planet.

Environmental activists are unhappy with the hypocrisy of the stars who will perform in the concerts, yet not actually change their carbon-heavy lives. The eco-warriors criticized the celebs because they have “enormously large carbon footprints” due to their jet-set ways and toting around huge entourages on world tours. They set their sights on the aging pop diva Madonna and the aging and clothing-optional alterna-funksters the Red Hot Chili Peppers:

Last year, for example, they report how Madonna flew as many as 100 technicians, dancers, backing singers, managers and family members on a 56-date world tour in private jets and commercial airliners.

Madonna herself also has a collection of fuel-guzzling cars, including a Mercedes Maybach, two Range Rovers, Audi A8s and a Mini Cooper S. Yet she will headline the London concert to "combat the climate crisis".

"Madonna's Confessions tour produced 440 tonnes of CO2 in four months of last year. And that was just the flights between the countries, not taking into account the truckloads of equipment needed, the power to stage such a show and the transport of all the thousands of fans getting to the gigs.

"The Red Hot Chili Peppers produced 220 tonnes of CO2 with their private jet alone over six months on their last world tour which was 42 dates.

"The average a British person produces is 10 tonnes a year," said John Buckley, managing director-of CarbonFootprint.com.

And we’re the ones who need to change?

Like a man who knows where his bread is buttered, Buckley nominally criticized the celebs and then gave the typical unrealistic enviro advice that only makes sense to people who prefer a “planned” economy. To save Mother Earth, instead of a world-wide tour, Madonna should have one online concert. Nevermind the people who have jobs because of Madonna’s tour, reduced sound quality or consumer choice.

Buckley did say something logical. Celebs need to do more than “support the cause,” they need to change their lives. Good luck with that.

Kevin Wall, Live Earth founder, tried to rationalize the “monster line-up” of private jet-owners telling people to ride bikes to work and reuse sandwich bags to save the Earth, by claiming the concert will give “the world the tools they need” to stop global warming. Gore basically said the same thing, but added more hypocrisy that the Daily Mail didn’t address. He claimed the responsibility rests in the hands of “ultimately, corporations and governments.” What, they can’t buy carbon offsets like Gore and his celebrity friends instead of actually reducing their carbon output?