Live8 was a scam.  So is this.  Rich people make themselves richer, pretending to care.  Famous people make themsleves famouser, pretending to care.  And, a bunch of overfed middle class gluttons, get to see another concert, pretending to care.  And, still, nothing changes.  Give me a break.  Now that it's hip to "care" about cimate change, every Tom, Dick, and Harry can drive their car to these electrified shows...for what?  Grist was once funny, even incisively witty (although never very deep).  Now, you're becoming part of the problem.  Can someone please tell me why this is environmental news?  Or why Grist editors waste their time promoting it?  Seriously?  Is there a carefully observant mind in residence over there in your Seattle hip shop?  Or is everyone of you vying for top billing on the "too cool to be careful/thoughtful/helpful" slate?

Ick, ugh, puh-lease! Open them eyes, stop surfing the web, and get back to the earth.

Disgusted in Florida.
ER

I'm excited about anything that creates a mass movement. This is why I write and photograph. Does anyone out there know how I might contact this campaign to donate some large-format images that speak to this crisis?

Thanks.

ANYthing that can be done to raise awareness MUST be done.  When EXXON is paying scientist to debunk climate change I think it is pretty sad to not stand behind anyone who is willing to spend the time, money and effort to educate -- especially young people.

Swell idea. Good for him. As for the writer: "slightly less luscious now that she's a brunette'? Crass, unnecessary, and low. Get a real life.

In order to be healthy the earth needs some serious cleaning up and the rich folks are the ones having a concert to raise awareness. Great. However, for the rest of us who probably can't afford to go to the concert I propose that we start by not publishing the idiot who refers to Cameron Diaz as " slightly less luscious now that she is a brunette." Or, maybe refusing to read Grist as long as it posts sexist, inane comments about women.

First, I agree that random, pointless, sexist comments are a sad sign for Grist.  However, the idea of a global concert isn't necessarily a bad one, but they should do this:  rather than 7 huge concerts, orchestrate many, many separate concerts in cities across the world, showcasing local bands, catered by local restaurants with locally grown food and locally brewed drink (when possible).  Sure, it may not be as glamorous, but it would truly represent the goals we must work towards.  They could even broadcast every show on the internet, so viewers at home could pick and choose which bands they wanted to watch from across the world.  Somebody should do this, I think... although, I do agree with the idea that Antarctica should be represented.  That continent often gets shafted...

They didn't save Africa.
Is this just another PR act to improve their celebrity status.
I would question the motives behind this as they arrive in their long black limosines.
A concert of this size would create huge amounts of excessive CO2 & rubbish.

If these people genuinely cared it would be reflected in their choices and lifestyles.
I have yet to hear any revelations of pure altruistic actions from the celebrity circuit.

I quote Glen Barry of earthmeanders.blogspot
"Celebrity Will Not Save the Earth Glamorous, jet-set "ecorazzi" selling easy techno-fixes the opposite of the global grassroots, profound social change required to achieve global ecological sustainability"

"Celebities" relinquish your ostentatious lifestyles NOW!

"Slightly less luscious now that she's a brunette"?  Are you kidding!?  I thought Grist was supposed to be a source of intelligent (if not particularly insightful), somewhat witty writing, not puerile, slavering crap. From now on I'll get my environmental updates elsewhere.

With the planet growing "slightly less luscious" each day, we can't afford to concern ourselves with who's the best spokesperson for the cause or who's more genuine. And who ELSE is going to reach billions of people, BUT a rich and powerful person? Gore's got the upper echelon contacts to make real things happen. He can speak to them in their language. Ever read Rules for Radicals? Evidently Gore's got a better handle on these rules than some of the judgmental ruffians here. Anyone standing up for the environment should be embraced by environmentalists.

He's a catalyst for change and his Save Our Selves(SOS)campaign will raise even more awareness.

I wish that the writer of this article had mentioned the other participant in this great effort with equal respect - the writer's comment derisively dismissing environmentalist and political activist Cameron Diaz was innapropriate and disrespectful.

I expect better quality writing from Grist.

OK. I am all about changing things for the better with regard to the environment. But, this concert crap on seven continents is just the kind of BS that makes me squirm. That and seeing that stupid picture of a pensive Leonardo DiCaprio on the cover of Vanity Fair with a Photoshoped polar bear cub at his feet taken in Greenland by Annie Lebovitz.

Here are the issues with this kind of celebrity self-petting that I see.

First, how does a 7 continent concert tour help anyone? By raising awareness? No not really. Press coverage of a concert is not awareness. Awareness about the state of our planet and how to protect it turning into action happens at the community level with education.

How much gas and other resources will be needlessly wasted to ship Al and his celebrity friends all over the world to sing about change and for whom will they sing? Who on the other six continents gives a shit about Al Gore and Cameron Diaz and their pet causes? Will the penguins in Antarctica be beguiled by the television cameras, masses of people, bottled water, shipped in food, and weird noises coming out of objects that they have never seen? Or will they just be slightly traumatized? What gets left behind there? Tons of human waste? Even a little waste there is too much.

And the best question of all is, who decided that this was the best way to reach the people who can actually make changes in our governments? Are the organizers of this event counting on the stupidity and weird star fascination of the American public to drive home the message that something must change?

Stop wasting valuable resources on useless self interested causes. Think about how much money was wasted flying Leo and his crew and Annie and hers to Greenland to do a Vanity Fair photo shoot. It was a lot, I can guarantee you, all of it was paid for by the ad dollars generated by the magazine for products that are made in large part by harming the earth and its inhabitants.

Get real about things like the 7 continent tour. The state of our planet isn't helped at all by these kinds of self gratifying awareness raising events. Seriously, all of that money and time could be so much better spent cleaning up a beach or a park near your own house and leaving the creatures of Antarctica blissfully alone.