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July 21 NYC Live Earth Part 3: The End is the BeginningTechnorati Tags: liveearth07, eco trip, new york, meadowlands, giants stadium, roger Waters, police, al gore
After my short spell of being bummed out, I returned to the concert to witness some awesome stuff. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. got up and gave a kick-a$$ speech (some clips are included in the video below). Melissa Etheridge played an awesome set, too. I grabbed a bite to eat and came back in time for the Dave Matthews Band and Smashing Pumpkins, who also played great sets.
(There was a weird montage of young kids telling us how the planet is endangered and how we need to change the way we live. Although the spirit of the video was good, it was a little creepy in a Hitler Youth Camp/brainwashing sort of way)
(the stage lights always look cooler when the sun goes down!) After the Pumpkins, I charged myself with the duty of quenching my thirst before the last two sets. I went down to the MSN hospitality tent to score one last beer before it closed up its bar - but alas! alack! No more beer was to be found!!! Dumbfounded and a bit discouraged, I stood outside the tent kicking a rock (metaphorically speaking) when I just happened to bump into one Mr. Tratt from the MSN/Live Earth PR Team. He inquired as to whether I had been backstage yet today, and I humbly informed him that I had not! He immediately tossed a Live Earth Staff badge over my neck and whisked me off backstage, where I found my way over to the corner of the front row! I met Mike Hedge there, who had also obtained a photo badge, and soon enough I was down in front of Roger Waters for the second-to-last set of the night!
(Roger Waters was the creative force behind Pink Floyd's albums Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall!)
(The ever-resourceful Leslie Gant was already down in the photo section! That's Alec Baldwin behind her in the blue shirt)
(A giant pig balloon emerged from stage left during a tune from Dark Side) I fully enjoyed the close proximity to the performers afforded by the staff and photo passes, and got to see Cameron Diaz introduce the Police (who played a few little tunes) and the Police introduce Al Gore and Al Gore say goodnight to all, and to all a goodnight.
(The Police are playing on stage behind me) Come on my ride through the better half of the NYC Live Earth Concert by watching the video below! I realized that if it weren't for my appreciation of beer, the nectar of the gods, I would never have been backstage and so close to the action for the last two sets of the show! A wise man once said, "Beer: the cause of and solution to all of life's problems" (Do you know who? Scroll to end for the answer). Thanks to my fellow teammates as well as Jordon, Sam from Mr Youth and Marty from Microsoft for helping make the Eco Trip happen. Thanks to all the great people on both coasts and in between who helped create our adventure by providing such great Green Challenges for us. And thanks to all of you who have logged onto our site and my blog to keep abreast of our adventures. Although this seems like the end, it's really just the beginning. The rest of the adventure is up to you. - Michael M. McGuire, Eco Trip 2007
answer: Homer J. Simpson July 16 NYC Live Earth Part 2: Feeling the GravityAs we got off the bus at the Meadowlands, we were sucked into the vortex of Live Earth! The crowds were gathering, getting funky, and making their way into the venue.
(making out way into Giants Stadium on 07/07/07) We were fortunate to have access to the MSN hospitality tent (as well we should!) where we were able to stay cool and have a drink and a snack before heading to the nosebleed section of the stadium. Yes, it's true: Live Earth is so big, even the Eco Trippers could only score upper deck seating.
(above: the MSN hospitality tent. Can you say "open bar!" I can! below: my view from section 323 early in the day.)
Knowing that the show was going last over eight hours, I paced myself and tried not to get too excited too early. Although I am not an avid hip-hopper, I appreciated the energy Ludacris and Kanye brought to the stage. Since I play guitar, I admired John Mayer's facility with this classic rock and roll instrument. Later in the day, Melissa Etheridge would come to the stage and tear it up. And although the concert was pretty rockin, I felt this nagging feeling that something was wrong with the whole scene... Click below to join the journey: Come back soon to reach the peak in Part 3: The Green Lining. NYC Live Earth Part 1: Going PublicTechnorati Tags: eco trip, liveearth07, Live earth concert, wabc tv, new york, shaklee, meyers, seventh generation
Seven-seven-o-seven was a bit relentless! Marshana and I made it to do an early morning interview with WABC - channel 7 here in New York. More than past segments, this one really focused on our "eco tips" to help people reduce their waste and use of pollutants.
(Above: WABC is a real New York City news room! Below: Marshana waits in the Green Room. I love that they call it that.)
We brought in a variety of props and talked through them. First, we displayed the blue tote bags that are quickly becoming America's favorite way to replace plastic shopping bags. Second, I told them all about the neat corn plastic (PLA) containers that biodegrade. To my surprise, the hostess asked me how long they take to decompose. Also to my surprise, I knew the answer! (in "industrial composting conditions" - 140 deg F + 90% humidity - it takes about 90 days. In your backyard compost pile? I have no idea). Lastly, we showed off our collection of "green" household cleaning products. Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and Shaklee all make great products that use vegetable-based surfactants rather than petroleum-based. They are also biodegradable and tend to use natural scents and no dyes. I highly recommend the first two brands (I use them myself!) but haven't had experience with the third, although it does have a good reputation. Of course, cleaning your floors with warm water, some lemon juice and baking soda does the job, too! Okay, okay, on with the show: After a nap back in Queens, I took our good old public transportation system into town to meet my colleagues so we could get underway with the concert festivities. But then, this video can speak for me: Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Live Earth experience. It gets better and worse and better again. Our Planet is a BlessingI think a lot of us understand "doing the right thing" cerebrally but sometimes lack a direct connection to the value of our lives. There's an obese alcoholic man down the block who seems to be standing in the same place panhandling every time I walk down Queens Blvd. I don't have any animosity toward him but I don't feel that he's using his gift of life very well. I went out for a run Thursday evening after our green challenge. It was raining but still hot outside. Although I was initially hesitant to go and get wet, I immediately changed my mind once I set foot to the pavement. I can't express what a glorious, invigorating sensation it was to know run through the streets and to be alive and to feel the big drops of rain pelting on my hot skin. I was totally in the moment and felt a heightened state of awareness for those twenty minutes or so. I felt like I would really miss that physical sensation after I die. Sometimes it hits me how insignificant one human life is in the scope of the universe. One human's 80 years in comparison to the 4.5 billion years our planet has been around is like a drop of water in the ocean. Yet sometimes a single person can destroy countless others (Hitler), inspire the world (Gandhi), or discover a breakthrough that helps all of humanity (Jonas Salk). So even though a lot of people (sometimes myself included) feel like their efforts don't matter, we cannot write off any single person. Never underestimate the impact one person with a vision can have on the world. We've all been given time on this planet - some more than others. It's up to each individual to decide how to use it despite the economic, racial or educational cards we've been dealt. For me, I feel best - the most "whole" - when I live according to my convictions. And having run through Mother Earth's rain, I know I need to keep that rain pure and our earth healthy, so I'll keep doing my damndest to tread as lightly as possibly and convince others to do the same. And if you're reading this and not feeling inspired to live bigger, please ask yourself this: If I die tomorrow can I look back and be proud of what I did with my time on Earth? I hope the answer is yes. If the answer is no, that's great too. There's time to turn it around. But that time is now. Carpe diem. July 08 Live Earth EveOn Friday 7/6/07 the Eco Trip team hit the streets in NYC for its final Green Challenge: presenting our eight environmental truths and passing out Eco Tips to New Yorkers.
(Left: Marshana found a tasty local peach; Right: McGuire munches on a juicy tomato from NJ) We stationed ourselves in Union Square, where there was a farmer's market in progress offering lots of locally grown and organic goods. Marshana and McGuire snatched up some delicious produce to power up their afternoon.
(Left: The sign in the foreground reads "Americans represent only 5% of the world's population but generate 30% of the garbage." Right: Leslie talks tips - eco tips, that is!) While spreading the word about Live Earth, we were visited by a crew from Good Morning America! They spent about half an hour with us, shooting footage and interviewing us about the eco trip, Live Earth, and our perspectives.
(Above: McGuire chats with the crew from GMA; Left: A young man named Omri sports his ideals) Union Square was a great location for the event because it's busy and the farmer's market drew a lot of open-minded people to the area. After a few hours of toiling and eco tripping in the hot sun, we broke up and later reconvened for dinner at Tao, an upscale Asian bistro in mid-town. We dined with representatives from Microsoft, Mr. Youth, and the winners of the Live Earth Battle of the Bands, The Walkup, who will play at Brooklyn's Union Pool on Sat. 7/21. (Left: A 58th Street sunset; Right: The eco babes are ready for a night on the town) The ambience at Tao was a cross between a club and a restaurant. They had a DJ and live saxophonist playing, the crowd seemed on the younger, hipper side, and the food was good. We were all delighted to enjoy a night out on the town after our month long journey.
(Upper Left: A giant gold Buddha statue watches over diners at Tao; Upper Right: Leslie and Hedge relaxing at the table. Lower Left: Sean and Alex from the band The Walkup are happy to be treated to dinner; Lower Right: Adam [MSN/Live Earth] won at least $4 from Frank [Mr. Youth] over whether a guy at the next table would get a phone number from the table of cute girls [unfortunately no photo of the girls is available at this time]. ) The last stop of the evening was at a club on 10th avenue. They must have know the Eco Trip team was coming because we got to skip ahead of the long line behind the velvet ropes.
(Marshana, Marty, Alex and Sean in our corner booth at said club) We partied it up NYC style, but headed out before too long because we had to rest up for the real party - LIVE EARTH!!! Technorati Tags: liveearth07, eco trip, Tao, The Walkup, new york, good morning america, union square July 06 6 Weeks into 1 minuteWe have been traveling for about 6 weeks. We have made it to New York. Here is a quick recap of our adventures. Come back soon for more updates from Live Earth!!! www.liveearth.msn.com Washington DCWe had a great time in Washington DC. While there we got some great press. More to come. Video: Eco Trippers at FOX 5 Washington, DC July 04 DCposted by McGuire check here for his post. Hot Day on this Warming Live Earth Our final and biggest day in DC was Monday, July 2. We kicked off the day by visiting the local Fox News station (yes, even Fox news cares!). (L: a sticker I saw on a newspaper stand; below: I and Leslie prepare to chat green living with reporter Allison.)
Leslie and I gave a short interview that actually produced a fan who tracked us down at the National Mall where we were displaying posters with eight "shocking environmental facts" (video coming soon). It was a very hot day (especially after biking several miles to get there), but we tried our best to chat up the tourists and locals and inform them about Live Earth.
NEXT: LIVE EARTH CONCERT in NEW YORK CITY!!! June 30 Washington DCposted by Michael McGuire Saturday was a long busy exciting day. Marshana and I got up before 5am to head to a live interview with DC's local CBS station, 9 News Now. They have a really nice studio run by pleasant, helpful people.
(above; 9 News Now anchors live and on the air! below: Peggy, me and Marsha - Marsh - "MarshANA" after our interview)
After the interview, I headed to the metro (DC's subway) and went downtown to grab some breakfast before our second interview of the day at the National Press Club. Leslie and I went there to do a satellite interview for The Weather Channel, which was recorded in Atlanta via satellite and will be shown on the air soon.
(photos: 1) Nat'l Press Club lobby banner; 2) Leslie gets wired up; 3) They have a press room named after Ed Murrow, the subject of the Oscar-nominated film "Good Night, and Good Luck starring David Strathairn) After stopping back at Union Station to see if Amtrak had a box I left on the train (I lost my checkbook and all my receipts! boo!), I again took the metro - which by the way is immaculate, comfortable and easy to use - out to meet the gang at the East of the River Eco Expo.
(Mike's Metro Series - UL: The DC underground; UR: I hear the train-a-comin'; LL: You could eat off that floor! LR: Coushy seats, too) The Expo was organized by the Sierra Club and featured booths with around 40 different clubs, businesses, city agencies and NGOs. See pics and captions below to learn about the interesting people I met and their activities:
Ed Bruske represents D.C. Urban Gardeners, a citizens' group helping to beautify and educate the community in a sustainable way.
Nina Albert helps ensure a cleaner Anacostia River (and hence a cleaner Chesapeake Bay by working with the Anacostia Waterfront Corp to develop real estate under strict environmental guidelines.
Breana Behrens works with ForestEthics to put the pressure on companies to use recycled paper for their catalogues. And with a smile like hers, who could refuse? Fun fact: The catalogue industry sends 20 BILLION cataloges/year, and 97% are thrown away! Gee whiz!
The ladies on the left work with the Dept of Housing and Community Development to help people acquire housing. Their developments are built to be efficient and eco-friendly.
Claudia and Norma will GREEN - CLEAN YOUR HOME using a variety of environmentally - friendly cleaning products. Check them out at www.ecocleandc.com to learn about and book their services. Judging by all the neat stuff we encountered at the expo, it is easy to see that 1) there is a lot of eco-activity going on in Washington, and 2) there are lots of opportunities to GET INVOLVED. Whether your skill is gardening, computers, banking, real estate, or law, there are many ways to apply your talent in helping to make DC a greener, healthier place. Look around and get involved! By the time we headed back across the city to Georgetown, we were all pretty wiped out despite the cheerful smiles the girls display below. June 29 ClevelandLeslie’s highlights from CLEVELAND, plus links and trivia!
Cleveland has been a great city to visit…I'll admit I even underestimated what this city has to offer. Little did I know Cleveland is nicknamed “The Comeback City” and now I can see why. I anticipated Cleveland to feel somewhat dirty and industrial (the way I thought Chicago would’ve been), but again, I was caught by surprise! The downtown had a unique combination of charming storefronts & restaurants with a backdrop of modern skyscrapers, and one of the first things I noticed was how CLEAN the streets were! I figured the roads were empty because it was so early in the morning, but throughout our stay in Cleveland I never really saw any congestion. As for the people, I found Clevelanders to be very engaging. The first night I was at a café downtown (hoping to catch up on work) and I overheard some folks debating about environmental issues. At one point I joined their conversation and spent the rest of the evening chatting with the friendly (and lively) locals! One of the main highlights of the trip was handing out reusable totes for people to bring to the store (as an alternative to having their groceries bagged in paper or plastic sacks). Another fun outing was checking out the vibrant and flavorful Westside Market. In terms of its eco-friendliness, To find out more about where to recycle in Cleveland, click here. You’ll also find more environmental resources by clicking here. And, if you live in Cleveland and want to know how and what to recycle, click here. Finally, here are some fun facts about Cleveland, also known as the “City of Bridges” One thing I was particularly impressed with was Lake Erie. Little known facts about Cleveland: Famous Clevelanders include Drew Carey, Paul Newman, Halle Berry, Phil Donahue, Henry Mancini and Arsenio Hall. The city is also best known for: The Browns, The Indians, and the Cavaliers, Playhouse Square, The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Clinic. Other eco-friendly sites related to Cleveland: Clean Air Conservancy: www.cleanairconservancy.org / Cleveland Green Building Coalition: www.clevelandgbc.org / EcoCity of Cleveland: www.ecocitycleveland.org / The Environmental Fund for Ohio: www.efohio.org / Environment Health Watch: www.ehw.org / NOACA: www.noaca.org June 28 Clevelandposted by Michael McGuire check out his post about the day HERE Hedge and McGuire rode out to Ohio City (the west part of Cleveland and found EcoCity Cleveland, a non-profit environmental think tank and public outreach organization. We met its web editor, Marc Lefkowitz, as well executive director, David Beach.
(left: Marc and McGuire check out the rooftop garden; below: Hedge chats it up with Mr. Beach)
Marc shared some time showing us around their green building (which houses several other environmental non-profits) and talking to us about EcoCity Cleveland's initiatives. ECC disseminates its message through all areas of life in the region, from the arts to transportation. Check out their online community, Green City, Blue Lake to read their blog, follow links to their network of local organizations, and check out their event calendar for ways to get involved in community activities.
(a rooftop solar array [left] and geothermal cooling system [right] are two of the building's green features) The next day's challenge was to promote REUSABLE shopping bags. We were stoked when the Clevelanders near the Tower City Center snatched up all our Eco Trip tote bags. We made sure to impress upon them the need to reuse bags when they shop. Incidentally, Melissa and I bring our own bags when we go grocery shopping and it is great! Not only do you spare yourself a closet full of wimpy plastic bags, but you set an example for other shoppers and the store workers, too.
(Left: It's a carry-all!! It's European! Right: Swarmed by the masses!) June 25 Chicago NBC 5posted by Michael McGuire We were invited for a live interview at NBC 5 on Sunday morning. The hosts, Rob and Zoraida, and floor director Bill were most courteous. The interview went well (Marshana and McGuire did the on-camera portion), and we even got to chat with the crew and talent after the broadcast.
GreenmakerWe visited Greenmaker Supply while in Chicago. 
They come from a tradition of family run building suppliers and are a leader for green building supplies in the Chicago area. As a new father, Joe is especially motivated to reduce the toxicity of his home by using low-VOC paint, fermaldehyde-free cabinetry, and biodegradable cleaning products. The Eco Trippers dig his Eco vibe. Keep on the lookout for their upcoming feature article in Entrepreneur Magazine! Check out their site at www.greenmakersupply.com June 23 Corn Plasticposted by Michael McGuire Our first Green Challenge in Chicago was to distribute several hundred 'plastic' containers. Sounds strange? Here's the hook: the containers are made from PLA - polylactic acid - which comes from corn!
These containers, which resemble your average plastic deli salad container or restaurant take-home box, come from a natural, renewable resource and require less energy to make than their petroleum-based alternatives. We persuaded individuals, restaurants, and cafeterias into using these items. The folks to whom we spoke were very interested in its biodegradability (clearly marked on the boxes), implying that it would break down naturally like food waste when composted. Eco Tripping Across the USAposted by Michael McGuireEco Tripping across the USA!!Hey all!!!! June 19 Tree PlantingPosted by MarshanaA Tree Grows in...Omaha!!!!Today we had the pleasure of working with The City of Omaha. They were kind enough to send a driver for us bright and early.
So we all piled into the van...with a very special plus one!!! A special guest was flown in to join us!!
We arrived at our secret location early and ready to go. I call it the "Secret" location because The City kept our assignment a surprise for us. And surprised we were when we arrived at Miller's Landing...the same location as Kris & Tim's Wedding that I had attended just two days prior!!! The City of Omaha had provided us with our very own tree to plant!!
Not before long we all get together and planted that tree.
Leslie & I raising the tree into position...I'm not sure why, but I thought it was pretty fun!!
Melissa joined in and helped fill in the hole that was dug for the tree. With all of us pitching in, the tree was filled in quite soon and ready to grow!!
After a fun filler morning of tree planting we got a great opportunity to to a interview with the Local News on Fox 42!! We were so excited. After freshening up, we were ready for the camera. Leslie took the lead did the interview on behalf of the team. She did great!!!
After a great day we took of to get our bikes out of the shop. Remember, the bikes were damaged in their "Trip Down the Highway" in Colorado. So Ken, our driver for the day, dropped us off at the bike shop where they were repaired. In all of the excitement I forgot to take pics of us maneuvering our bikes through the Omaha Streets that are kind of like highways. It's days like this I miss the streets of Salt Lake City. Their streets were so WIDE and biker friendly!!!! However, we made it back to the hotel safe and sound. Tomorrow morning we say goodbye to Omaha. Which is bittersweet for me. This has been my favorite City so far because of the wonderful people I met here. This Midwest Hospitality is something to write home about!!!! I do have a train ride to look forward to...I have come to love the train very much!!! Well I'm off to get packing!!! 'Til Next Time, Marshana Miss Earth New York 2007!!!
June 18 College World SeriesPosted by: MarshanaThe College World Series of Baseball!!!!Before my journey to Omaha, I had NEVER heard of The College World Series of Baseball. Today I had the pleasure of experiencing it first hand.
Leslie and I hit the main are to spread the word of our trip, and encourage people to be more "Eco-Friendly". Armed with some Organic Cotton Tee Shirts as "Give-Aways" we interacted with hundreds of people.
Les & I were so busy spreading the good news, we missed a jewel of Omaha's "Green"-ness. Luckily Steve and Doug pointed it out to us.
The Trash Cans had the phrase "Keep Omaha Beautiful"
As it turns out, "Keep Omaha Beautiful" is the Mayor's slogan. It's a campaign to encourage people to have pride in Omaha and do their part to help preserve it. We thought it was pretty cool.
The people at the event really looked out for us. They gave us water to cool us off and great info about the days events.
All in all today was great day!! We interacted with hundreds of people....gave out who knows how many shirts and cards. We got to experience Omaha in Full Bloom!!! Tomorrow, we are off to work with the City. They are taking us to a park to participate in a clean up. We have to get up pretty early. 'Til Next Time, Marshana Miss Earth New York 2007 |
Owner Joe Silver showing us his featured article about his store and took his time to give us the grand tour. He and his partner work to educate the public about the benefits of building green and then provide healthy alternatives to conventional materials.
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