Green Options

Live from Outside Lands day two (Green posse in tow), today we focus on some of the artists. After all, for most people Outside Lands remains about the music. But unlike many festivals or shows Outside Lands offers a significant numbers of bands and singers who either have some direct social justice, environmental or artistic causes that they support or create.

Pearljam, who rocked us (despite poor Eddie Veder’s scratchy throat) [...]

Just when it seemed solar and wind power–with a hand from good old conservation–might be gaining ground on Big Coal, the West Virginia Coal Association comes up with a ringtone to further promote coal.

Ouch!

With lyrics like…

West Virginia coal gonna take you on a ride,
Gonna take you to the city to the shore and countryside,
Gonna let you work your magic and your power and your pride,
West Virginia coal, you’re on your way!
From the coal found deep in the dark today, we come up with the light for America! America!

…those of us who care for clean air and water (etc.) might as well give up our cause!

Unless…unless we can come up with a ringtone to combat this viral mega (read: mini) hit.

Sarcasm aside, I put together a list of ten (and certainly there are many more) environmentally-themed ringtones–let’s call ‘em earthtones–to fight Big Coal’s itty bitty ditty. The beauty of these earthtones is that you are not forced to buy the section of the song that the ringtone provider chooses for you. mSpot.com allows you to pick whatever coal-hating or earth-loving part you’d like to cut (up to 30 seconds) to say “In your face West Virginia Coal Association!” or “In your face asthma-related deaths!” or “In your face mercury-filled fish!”…

1. Mother Earth by Neil Young
Ringtone I’d cut:
Oh, freedom land
Can you let this go
Down to the streets
where the numbers grow
Respect Mother Earth
and her giving ways
Or trade away
our children’s days
Or trade away
our children’s days.

2. Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye
Ringtone I’d cut:
Oh, mercy mercy me
Oh, things ain’t what they used to be
No, no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east

3. 3 R’s by Jack Johnson
Ringtone I’d cut:
We’ve got to learn to
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

4. Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees
Please!
or
They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
Then they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see ‘em
Don’t it always seem to go,
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Rock legend Neil Young has never made a secret of his radical eco-credentials. Now it seems he’s putting his (non-fossil fuel based) creative juices to good use by releasing an entire concept album about … electric cars.

The album, called Fork in the Road, focuses on the singer’s most recent obsession - a retooled 1959 Lincoln Continental that runs entirely on alternative energy. Its main themes are inspired by Young’s involvement with the Lincvolt Project,  a collaboration between the singer and biodiesel innovator Johnathan Goodwin to develop a commercially viable electric power system for automobiles.

Following the earlier release of a single, also called Fork in the Road (video), Young’s label Warner Reprise have announced that the album will be available on April 7, and revealed the full tracklist (after the jump).

On Sept. 9th in Randall’s Island, NY, many artists, including board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews, will take the stage to help bring awareness to and raise funds for Farm Aid. Farm Aid began with the first 3 musicians in 1985 as an effort to bring awareness and assistance to family farms, and to help them compete in an aggressive corporate environment. Farm Aid achieves this through

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