Over the weekend, 24 hours of live concerts being played in all 7 continents were all beating the same drum. Scores of revelers attended nine concert venues and scores of top class bands and musicians donated their time. All in the name of reversing the effects of human pollution and saving our planet.

John Mayer penned this optimistic view on his own blog prior to the shows;

I woke up this morning with hope. Excitement, even. Live Earth is taking place in 48 hours, and I’m starting to feel the first ripples of what could become a revolution.

You mean a revolution like Woodstock? Where people dissed authority, smoked more than enough pot and generally rebelled against a society so that social freedom’s could be enjoyed. The outcome of all that was the oft quoted, “If you can remember Woodstock – you weren’t there.”

So, will Live Earth have made a difference in a generation that will eventually inherit the management of our precious globe? Or, was it just a good day out?

Maybe this next generation will adopt the message and alter their disposable habits – one they’ve discarded their Motorola Razr for the new iPhone, that is. They’ve pledged not to use disposable nappies, use chemicals to wash their clothes and won’t drink bottled water. They have even vowed to replace their incandescent light bulbs with low energy substitutes and take shorter showers.

However, I’m cynical that this has made an ounce of real difference.

By nature, we’re a people of comfort. And comfort can only be achieved through convenience. Why is McDonald’s so successful? Because people can’t be bothered cooking. Why do fruit & veg grocers exist? Because we can’t be fagged growing our own and having to barter with a neighbour for our own sustenance.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved the idea of Live Earth and thoroughly enjoyed the music. It’s put a message out there and focused the attention of our young people. But a revolution…..?

Bild am Sonntag, Germany’s best-selling Sunday newspaper, put it best;

The bottom line is that if nothing else, the issue of climate protection was a lot of fun for two billion people for one day.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk