Photo by
Butch Worrell
Actions Speak Louder then Drums
By Colleen McSpirit
When it comes to protecting the ocean, Bill Kreutzmann believes being hands on gets a lot more accomplished than writing letters, waving flags, or donating money.
Kreutzmann, best known as the Grateful Dead's original drummer, is actively involved in various ways to protect the ocean and its marine life.
His activism began in 1994, 250 miles southwest of Baja while Kreutzmann was with a friend making an underwater documentary. Towards the end of his stay, poachers came along and killed all the manta rays they had filmed. "We got film of the people killing the mantra rays," he said. "Murdering all the animals we were just swimming with a few days before was the blow that put me over the edge."
Liking to take direct action, Kreutzmann hooked up with Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Watson, a co-founder of GreenPeace, left that organization as it was not hands on enough, explains Kreutzmann. Watson then formed Sea Shepherd.
"It is screwed up out there. Whaling is banned around the Antarctic, yet they take over 2,000 whales and dolphins." Sea Shepherd's ship, MV Steve Irwin, recently managed to save 500 whales, said Kreutzmann. "One whale dying is too many," he added.
The Japanese are allowed to take 1,000 whales in the safe-zone for scientific purposes. Sea Shepherd, GreenPeace and other organizations still call it poaching and question why endangered species whale meat has turned up in Japanese fish markets. Kreutzmann's activism doesn't stop with the saving of marine animals. He is also involved with protecting their environment.
"All the plastic in the world that was ever made still exists," he said. He then goes on to talk about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. "There is no wind or current there. The garbage patch is the size of Texas and is located 200 miles west of California and 200 miles north of Hawaii. It is made mostly of plastics. Plastic made in 1950 is there."
"We need to stop using plastic bags and water bottles," said Kreuzmann. "Read your labels carefully - many products claim to be made of recycled plastic, but in fact are only 10% recycled and 90% new plastic. We do not need more plastic."
Kreutzmann said, "This is real new stuff. We don't know how or if we can reduce the size of the garbage patch but we can reduce any future amounts."
In general, he is very conscious about his footprint on the planet and what he can do to reduce his and help stop global warming. He drives a hybrid car and his house uses solar energy. "I don't want to use up Mother Earth," Kreutzmann said. "What scares me is the corporations fighting (President) Obama's Clean Air Bill. It is not going to work keeping oil and coal as our main sources of fuels. It is the curse of the dinosaurs. We are basically poisoning our land and air."
He also avoids all chemicals on his lawn. "It is a type of wild grass. We don't do anything to it and I keep it cut close," he said.
Oh yeah the music --
Kreutzmann has three more gigs coming up before he enjoys summer in Hawaii. The Dead are playing July 4 as part of the Rothbury Music Festival in Rothbury, MI. It is their only show of the summer and the last one off 2009. Or is it the last one?
"I am not avoiding the question," he said, "Honestly there has been no conversations about touring or not. We did have a lot of fun. Mickey (Hart) and I are as close as were ever been and I think we sounded really good." He added he had a lot of fun, which is always a goal. "I play music to have fun, and for the fans to enjoy it and have fun too." His own band, BK3, will perform July 10 at the Oregon State Fair in Venata, OR and July 12 at the All Good Music Festival in Masontown, WV. The current line up includes Scott Murawski, Hutch Hutchinson and Tara Nevins. "Right now we are four and not three," said Kreutzmann adding that the BK3 line up will always be himself and Murawski but the rest will change based on artist availability and wanting to tour. Last year bass player Oteil Burbage joined Kreutzmann and Murawski. "But the Allman Brothers are touring a lot more now. Hutch Hutchinson is one fine bass player," said Kreutzmann.
When asked which he prefers, The Dead or BK3, he said, "The contrast of the two is the high. They are just different and I like playing with different people."
Finally, the next time you see Kreutzmann play check out his t-shirt. Chances are that nautical design on it is one he designed himself.
Small changes can make a difference
Plastic never goes away.
It photo degrades, which means it crumbles up into tiny pieces. These tiny pieces enter the food chain ,starting with jelly fish and ending stored in the human liver. Every human living in an industrial nation has contributed to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (You don't really think the Atlantic Ocean is safe do you? That plastic patch just hasn't been discovered yet) We all throw out plastic, one way or another.
No one knows if the plastic can be removed from the oceans, but we can reduce the amount that ends up there. If each of us becomes more mindful of our plastic consumption, we can make a difference. If you are not ready to switch to a wood toothbrush and only buy Waldorf toys, there are simple things you can do to reduce the amount of plastic you use and discard.
Here are 12 ways to make a difference:
1) Switch to metal or glass refillable water bottles - Probably the number one most wasteful use of plastic is bottled water. Not only are you paying corporations' exorbitant prices for water not much different then most tap water, but this trend is one of the biggest causes of plastic ending up in the ocean. Get a metal refillable bottle. Support companies who use glass to bottle their beverages, such as Arizona Teas, Snapple, Joe's Tea and Honest Tea. Save the bottles and refill them. Same 16 oz serving size, easily washable in the dishwasher or by hand. I carry a couple with me when I am out and about. I refill them not only with water, but also with ice tea or lemonade.
2) Use cloth grocery bags. Probably tied with water for the most wasteful use of plastic. Worse when they hit the water - marine animals often are choked by bags when they confuse it for food. Get a bunch of cloth bags and use them for everything, not just groceries. They even now sell smaller reusable bags for items such as produce. Forget your bag? If it is a small enough purchase, say no to the bag, even if it is paper, anyway. At the very least reuse your plastic shopping bags. San Francisco has banned the use of plastic bags. Other cities, such as Los Angeles are following suit. Sadly such measures failed to pass in New York City and Philadelphia. The U.N. urges an global ban on plastic bags to save marine life. Of course the plastic bag industry is fighting such measures. But if we just don't use plastic bags, the politicians don't need to be involved and the plastic bag people will not have anything to fight against.
3) Repair, donate, sell or trade up electronics. Electronics are made with quite a bit of plastic. Women's shelters and other charity organizations often will gladly accept outdated computers, cell phones and the like. Stores such as Staples will recycle such items for you for a small fee. Independent computer stores can often upgrade your existing model. The options are endless and with a little research you can find a way to pass on your old electronics.
4) Donate or give away toys. One man gathers what another man spills. Donate your unwanted items to women's shelters and the like. Or put an ad on Craigslist or Freecycle. Sell collections of toys on Ebay. Chances are there is a new home waiting for your item.
5) Clean up area water ways - For as long as I can remember, I've cleaned beaches, marshes, streams and even the street with my parents to keep garbage of all sorts out of the waterways. Today I do it with both my parents and my own children. It is easy enough to pick up the trash littered, washed up or put there by the breeze. I have always been amazed with the amount of stuff we collect, even on the seemingly "woodsy" and not-very-populated street on which I currently live. I often wonder where all the garbage we take out of the both my stream and pond comes from? Which brings me to the next one...
6) Don't litter. Seems simple, but our highways and byways are full of trash. It is an easy enough task to make sure your garbage is disposed where it should be - in a garbage can or a recycling bin. If you don't, it will eventually find its way to a body of water.
7) Buy recycled plastic products. While not the be all end all answer, as it is still plastic, at least we are doing something with the plastic we already have. The downside of these products is the amount of oil it takes to not only recycle the plastic to begin with, but also to make the new product. Products range from "cloth" shopping bags to plastic lumber products.
8) Buy in bulk. Buying items in bulk reduces the amount of packaging used. Two packs of cereal, large bags of rice, etc use less packaging.
9) 100% biodegradable dog waste and garbage bags. This is where I am most guilty and need to improve! Biobags makes 100% biodegradable bags both for picking up dog waste and to use as garbage bags. Amazon.com sells both types for a very reasonable amount.
10) Use refillable products. By using refillable plastic you not only save money but use less plastic. Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and WaWa are just a few of the coffee companies that allow you to bring your own mug. Or at the very least purchase one of theirs to refill everyday. Some, like Starbucks, even give you money off your purchase. Refill your liquid soap dispenser instead of buying a new one each time. Some cosmetic companies such as Avon's Mark offer refillable cosmetics.. My eye shadow and blusher are stored in a plastic case I have had for at least five years. The colors themselves though come in metal tins.
11) At the very least recycle - A lot of plastic is recyclable. People either don't know it is or don't do it because it is not convenient. For example, city officials estimate Los Angeles consumers use 2.3 billion plastic bags each year, but only an estimated 5% of plastic bags are recycled statewide. There is the basic recycling offered by your municipality. Sometimes curb side pick up, sometimes you have to bring it to a central location. Either way just do it. Having a hard time with recycling certain products like computers or crocs? Many counties or states hold municipal household waste days in both spring and fall to accept and recycle products such as computers, batteries, and paint. Check with your town. As for crocs if you ship them to Soles United, owned by the people who make the rubber shoes, they will make sure they get to feet who need shoes.
12) Just say no. - When bringing home take-out food say no to plastic forks and other utensils as well as no to ketchup, soy sauce and other condiment packs. Use your metal fork and own larger size ketchup!
For more information about environmental issues and actions you can take, please visit our partner sitewww.greenearthlive.com.
The long awaited In the Attic DVD is here!
by Colleen McSpirit
If you read the Life Thru Music home page you are aware In The
Attic played a major role in my journey to getting to this place after
being "just" a mom and wife for so long. It gave me my divorce song,
Rachel Fuller's "Shine", as well as giving me the opportunity to once
again be passionate about music without anyone saying "turn that off." I
look back at the eight American shows with such happiness I was almost
afraid to watch the DVD. Would it be as I remembered? Would the magic
still be there? I was so nervous about losing that magic I put off
watching it until now.
I held my breath, grabbed a cup of coffee, and popped it in.
I was far from disappointed. In The Attic was filmed and edited
by Justin Kreutzmann. (Yes, he is the son of the Grateful Dead drummer)
Kreutzmann kept true to the feel of In the Attic. All the special little
moments are there. Ben Harper saying "I want this moment to last a long
time" while singing with Pete Townshend, and Joe Purdy's delight over
Townshend fixing his dad's microphone. Kreutzmann doesn't over edit or
use special effects. He kept it pure and in doing so he kept In The
Attic as it should be.
On the DVD Townshend said he enjoyed In the Attic because it
was a place where he could be himself. Kreutzmann captures such moments
on film, but what is missing from the DVD are all the stories Pete would
tell. I suppose it is a time factor or trying to keep to the music, as
the artists' performances are also cut. The DVD features the best of each
artist's performances.
Fuller says during a Hotel Cafe performance "We are the Brad and
Angelina of the music world. We find all kinds of fab people and adopt
them into our family." That sentence explains In The Attic best. What I
loved about the shows was not only seeing Townshend in a venue that
never held more then 250 people, but also the talent of others he brought to
us. Some I knew, Ryan Adams, Lou Reed and Ben Harper for instance.
Others such as Joe Purdy and Rachel Yamagata were new to me; I enjoyed
their performances so much to this day I have been following them.
Overall I love the DVD as much as I loved the actual
performances. I truly hope at this moment Kreutzmann is busy editing the
other six shows for future releases.
In The Attic is the brainchild of singer-songwriter and
classically trained musician Fuller. The musical and conversational
roundtable grew out of a collaboration between Fuller and childhood
friend/fellow musician Mikey Cuthbert, which was sparked by free form
jamming in her attic. Fuller invited her life and songwriting partner
Townshend to be the featured guest on the first online version of In The
Attic, which webcast live from the Who legend's southwest London studio
Oceanic in September 2005. They were often joined by Pete's brother
Simon. In The Attic moved to an Airstream trailer that Fuller and
Townshend toured across Europe following the Who's 2006-2007 tour. With
The Who playing at festivals, Pete and Rachel would invite many acts to
come join them in the trailer for a jam and chat session. When The Who
toured America, the format of In The Attic changed and became a live
musical showcase. It is two of the eight live shows that are captured on
the DVD, which also includes two CDs for a total of almost three hours
of music. The set features the shows at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles
and Joe's Pub in New York City with appearances by Lou Reed, Ben Harper,
Tenacious D, Jimmy Fallon, Amos Lee, Rachael Yamagata, Joe Purdy and
Alexi Murdoch. The CD/DVD set is available only at Best Buy and is
priced at $11.99
Rothbury is the true Live Earth Festival
photo by Michael Wintrob
The four-day Rothbury Festival held from July 2-5 in Rothbury, Michigan, has goals bigger then being the only place where The Dead will play this summer or where String Cheese Incident's only 2009 performance will be held.
The main goal is to gather the energy of the live music community into a durable social movement towards an important cause: Climate Change and Clean Energy Alternatives. In addition to a diverse and incredible line-up of over 70 bands, that include not only The Dead and String Cheese but Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson & Family, The Black Crowes, Les Claypool and more, Rothbury hosts a Think Tank and Epicenter Fair exploring this important cause. Recognized as a leader in the evolving art of making large scale events sustainable, Rothbury’s 2008 green initiatives garnered A Greener Festival Award. Most of the same practices that earned the festival the award last year will again be in place.
The effort to make the attendees aware of global warming starts with the purchase of the ticket. Rothbury offers Green Ticket Options for attendees, who could choose to add $3 to the $285 ticket price to offset the carbon for their travel to the festival, or $7 to offset and also donate directly to Rothbury's Solar Schools Program. The Rothbury Think Tank, an event within the event offering various buzz sessions and roundtables between leading scientists, scholars, writers, progressive political and corporate leaders, youth leaders, entertainers and fans will promote education and dialogue on the topic of Climate Change and Finding Energy Independence. All with an "we can create change" attitude, the Think Tank will feature Dr. Eban Goodstein, Paul Stamets, Billy Parish, Tanner Watt, Bud Ward and many more.
Reducing the amount of trash left after each set was an accomplished goal last year. In fact, many regular music festival goers were surprised with the lack of trash left laying around. To achieve such levels of cleanliness there is a full-time Green Chief with 20 “greeners” on staff, 250 clean up crew dedicated to zero-waste recycling, and 500 unpaid Green Team volunteers. Personal ashtrays will be distributed to staff, artists, and fans to reduce cigarette butt waste and encourage personal responsibility. Recycling was encouraged by matching every “landfill (trash) can” with a recycle can and compost can. The bags inside the cans used to collect the trash are BioBags and 100% biodegradable. Volunteers man compost stations inside the festival venue to educate attendees and eliminate “tainting,” last year resulting in 94% Waste Diversion Rate within the festival site. A lesser but still impressive 55% of waste was diverted in the campground areas in 2008. The festival offset carbon for all waste that could not be reduced.
Rothbury requires all festival vendors to use only compostable cups, plates and utensils. All which will actually be composted on site them with the help of Michigan based Morbark, who bring their 1300 Tub Grinder to the site. Last year, the compost was then processed in Grand Rapids.
The water bottle fad is an environmental problem the organizers will face head on. Three or four free water refill stations are located throughout the venue and in the campgrounds. Attendees are encouraged to bring refillable bottles. The artists will also be expected to drop the water bottle habit. Refillable water will be offered in the backstage area and bottled water will be provided to performers only when directly requested. All beer is served either draft or in aluminum bottles.
The green efforts don't stop there. Festival organizers utilized 100% post-consumer recycled materials for all printing (tickets, programs, smaller signage, etc). All on-site signage with re-use in mind, no “one-time” items. And to show recycling doesn't have to be practical the featured art installations throughout the festival site are created entirely from native and reclaimed materials.
The power sources also avoid the traditional fuels and instead utilize B99 biodiesel and solar power for stages, light towers, sponsor power sources, golf carts and more.
Staff invited to Ragweed Festival at The Farm
by Colleen McSpirit, Founder
The
Ragweed Days Festival brings out the best of The Farm, and the Life
Thru Music staff has the privilege to cover it this coming July!
The
event will feature three nights of killer music, “Meditation Meadow”
with founder Stephen Gaskin on Sunday morning, and a new stage that has
to be seen to be believed.Two stages will be used to host the party and
dancing. Ragweed Days is unlike any family reunion ever attended. In
addition, annual projects are completed to showcase what is ongoing in
the community and best of all, we will be there to cover all the fun!
For me this was the invite of the year! Founded in 1971, The Farm was
at one time the largest "hippie community" in the world, and today it
is still one of the most significant. I have always been somewhat
fascinated by The Farm. Both Women.com and SFGate were founded by people who once lived there. I have also long been a fan of both The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook by Louise Hagler and Dorothy R. Bates, and Spiritual Midwifery
by Ina Mae Gaskin. Both these books shaped the way I raise my children,
and as a result I have dreamed of getting to visit since pregnant with
my oldest child.
I have to keep pinching myself to believe I will be there!
