Live Earth concert - Call for volunteers

The Endangered Wildlife Trust has been selected as the “green team” volunteer co-ordinator of the upcoming Live Earth Concert which will take place at the Coca Cola dome on 7 July 2007. Johannesburg is one of 9 cities on seven continents selected to host an event.

The concert is next Saturday and we have not yet filled all the volunteer shifts.

What will I get as a volunteer?

As a Live Earth volunteer, you are entitled to certain privileges. All volunteers will receive a limited edition city specific Live Earth organic cotton volunteer t-shirt. Volunteers will also receive access to enjoy the concert either before or after each shift, and will have access to specified hospitality areas where snacks will be available. If you choose to work more than one shift, you will receive a green gift bag with great green products from South Africa.

How long do I need to volunteer for?

On the day there are five shifts. A minimum requirement is that you work one shift, but there are perks if you choose to work more than one shift. The concert ends at 23H30.

How do I volunteer?

Log on to www.liveearthvolunteers.org/johannesburg/ and fill in which shifts and tasks you are able to volunteer for or contact Puleng Thabaneng at the EWT or (011) 486 1102.

Green team volunteers will serve the most important of roles. Not only will volunteers help to divert landfill, but they will also serve as educators to the thousands of concert attendees who may have never been exposed to concepts like composting, recycling, landfill diversion, and resource recovery.

One of the things that will make the concert at Johannesburg both unique and very special to the country is the use of biodegradable plastic service ware. These products are made from corn and potato starches and will completely biodegrade in compost in less than 90 days, as opposed to traditional plastic service ware which can persist for over 450 years in the natural environment.

By using these products alone, we can divert as much as 50% of the concert waste stream and turn it into fertilising mulch for farmers and gardeners across the region.

By composting, recycling and reusing everything that we can, we hope to be able to divert 75% or more of the waste stream produced by this event.

To see what the volunteering process as part of the “green team” will entail visit the following site http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid716696042/bctid443670898

What is Live Earth?

Live Earth is a 24-hour, seven-continent series of nine concerts taking place on 7/7/07 that will bring together more than 150 music artists and two billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis.

Live Earth will reach this worldwide audience through an unprecedented global media architecture covering all media platforms - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels.

Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group and other international organizations to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve global warming. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is the chair of the Alliance and partner of Live Earth.

Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, the worldwide executive producer of Live 8, an event that brought together one of the largest audiences in history to combat poverty. Wall formed a partnership with Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection to ensure that Live Earth inspires behavioural changes long after 7/7/07.

Live Earth will stage concerts at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro; Coca Cola dome in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg; and Inonu Stadium in Istanbul.

With support from the U.S. Green Building Council, creators of the LEED Green Building Rating System, Live Earth will implement new Green Event Guidelines. All Live Earth venues will be designed and constructed by a team of sustainability engineers who will address the environmental and energy management challenges of each concert site, as well as the operations of sponsors, partners and other Live Earth affiliates. Each venue will not only be designed to maintain a minimum environmental impact, but will showcase the latest state-of-the-art energy efficiency, on-site power generation, and sustainable facilities management practices.

Live Earth is a project of the SOS campaign , which is using a powerful multimedia platform - films, television, radio, Internet, books, wireless and others - to move people to combat the climate crisis.