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Friends of Live Earth: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Click here to download/view as a PDF.

What is Live Earth?
Live Earth is a for-profit organization founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Live Earth seeks to leverage the power of entertainment through integrated events, media, and the live experience to ignite a global movement aimed at solving the most critical environmental issues of our time.

What is the climate crisis?
No human challenge is so potentially uniting as the climate crisis. Our human drive to invent and build has led to extraordinary advances and great technological promise. It's also had grave, unintended consequences. And unless we face the climate crisis with ingenuity, resolve, and a sense of urgency, much of the world as we know it will begin to unravel before our eyes.
The warning signs are plain to see. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Mountain glaciers are fading on every continent and the sea ice is melting. The seas have begun a slow but menacing rise.

This explanation and the below subsections can be found at www.wecansolveit.org

What is global warming?
The science behind global warming is often portrayed as enormously complex, but some of it is quite simple. It begins with a ray of light, shot through space from the staggering inferno of our sun. That sunbeam delivers energy to earth, giving us light and warmth and life.

As some of this energy radiates back toward space as heat, a portion is absorbed by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere that create an insulating layer. Without the temperature control of this greenhouse effect, the Earth's average surface temperature would be 0°F (-18°C), a temperature so low that the Earth would be frozen and could not sustain human life as we know it.

The most abundant of the greenhouse gases is water vapor. In addition, there are other powerful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide. Each of these is a natural part of the never-ending cycle of life, death, and decomposition on Earth. But since the onset of the Industrial Revolution humans have been pumping out more and more of these and other greenhouse gases.  Scientists are clear: human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases. Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air. The second most important addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is related to deforestation, mainly in the tropics, as well as other land-use changes.

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is now 380 parts-per-million (ppm), 100 ppm higher than at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. But we can look back even further. By drilling into the deepest glacial ice we can measure CO2 deep into time. And this ice library shows more carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere than at any time in last 650,000 years.

As a result of the build up of gases, the temperature is beginning to rise. Adults today have already felt the average global temperature rise more than a full degree Fahrenheit (0.8°C) during our lifetimes. We expect another degree F by 2020 due to past emissions. Based on modeling by an international body of experts studying the climate crisis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the temperature could increase by more than 7°F (4°C) by the end of the century in the absence of meaningful efforts to rein in global warming pollution.

What happens when the global temperature rises?
For a global system that is delicately balanced, the rise in temperatures will pose serious threats:

  • Rising sea levels, leading to more coastal erosion, flooding during storms, and permanent inundation
  • Increased drought and increased incidence of wildfires
  • Severe stress on many forests, wetlands, alpine regions, and other natural ecosystems
  • Impacts on human health as mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects and rodents spread diseases over larger geographical regions
  • Disruption of agriculture in some parts of the world due to increased temperature, water stress, and sea-level rise in low-lying areas such as Bangladesh or the Mississippi River delta

Other projected impacts include increased intensity of hurricanes; the long-term destabilization of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, leading to much greater sea level rise; the acidification of the world's oceans; and a vastly increased rate of species extinction. Wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon could collapse under the weight of just a few more degrees. And hundreds of millions of people may be forced from their homelands as the climate shifts, creating increased political and economic instability.

What are the economic costs of the climate crisis?
The projected economic costs of the climate crisis are extraordinary. By mid-century, extreme weather alone could cost 0.5 - 1% of the global economic production. A seminal study led by a distinguished British economist, Sir Nicholas Stern, suggests that under business-as-usual scenarios climate change could reduce overall economic activity in the range of 5 to 20%-more likely on the high side of this range. Think Great Depression, or world war.

Can we solve it?
We can - and must - act urgently if we are to limit and eventually halt the impacts of global warming on human communities and natural ecosystems. The greater the magnitude and rate of warming, the greater the chances are for truly devastating - and potentially irreversible - changes in the Earth's climate system. Even by acting today to reduce our emissions from cars, power plants, land use, and other sources, we will see some degree of continued warming for a period of time because past emissions will stay in the atmosphere for decades or more. But, the window for effective action is closing fast and responding to the climate crisis will take commitment and ingenuity. The actions we take in the next several years will determine the kind of world our children and grandchildren will inherit. Click here to read about solutions.

How much will it cost to solve?
The IPCC has estimated that stabilizing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that will limit long-term temperature rise to a few degrees will slow the rate of global economic growth by only about a tenth of a percent per year. Based on the expected growth rate of the global economy, that is about equivalent to the world reaching the expected 2030 economic levels in 2031 in return for preventing the worst effects of the climate crisis.

Fortunately, we have the tools we need to start on the path to a stable climate. Fuel-efficient vehicles and higher efficiency appliances; advanced wind turbines, next-generation solar photovoltaics and other renewable energy technologies; proven strategies to protect threatened forests; communities making it easier for people to walk and bike. These are just a few of the common sense solutions that will not only reduce global warming, but can save us money and create new business opportunities.

What should I do to help?
We have lacked full global leadership and political will to implement these solutions as if our future depended on it. But now we need to insist that businesses and governments all over the world join individuals in taking the steps needed to get the job done. We need to help citizens everywhere understand how the choices they make in their daily lives can make a real difference, and we need to provide incentives for all of us to make better choices.

The climate forces we have set loose are great indeed. But the world we build as we move forward to meet this challenge will be a sight to behold. This is our opportunity to come together to make a real difference. Add you voice today.  Or start taking action for solutions.

What is Live Earth’s history?
It began with a concert heard – and seen – around the world! On 07.07.07, “Live Earth: the Concerts for a Climate in Crisis” created unprecedented global awareness for the climate crisis and was the “Most Watched Online Entertainment Event Ever.” The concerts were hosted on seven continents, broadcast in 132 countries, and inspired 2 billion people worldwide to engage with the issues and solutions surrounding the global climate crisis.

What is Friends of Live Earth?
Friends of Live Earth gives local communities, NGOs, and individuals the opportunity to join in by hosting small or large, public or private events, with Live Earth content including broadcast feeds and video and graphic assets.

Last year, there were 10,413 events in 132 countries. This year, Friends of Live Earth is returning, for our India concert. Upon sign-up, you will receive a toolkit, updated and enhanced from the 2007 version. Our hope is that you will host a green event in your community, at your school, or at your home with friends and family.   Some think you can do to take part:

  • A free public screening of the Live Earth concerts
  • A local concert for the community
  • A “Green Talk” discussion group among the community/ organization
  • A viewing parties or pot-luck on the day of the concerts
  • A letter writing party, sending messages to local politicians, news outlets, or utility companies about the need for more green practices
  • A presentation of “The Inconvenient Truth” slideshow from the Climate Project
  • Plant a tree – organize a tree-planting event / get resources through an organization like the Isha Foundation

How can I get involved with Live Earth/ Friends of Live Earth?
Registering an event with Friends of Live Earth is a great way to help our cause.  By hosting an event, you can spread our message and get others involved.  To register please visit: http://liveearth.org/friends.  Another way to participate is by donating to our charity organizations like Lighting a Billion Lives.  See below for donation details.

How do I register my Friends of Live Earth event?
Having trouble or need help registering? Below is the step-by-step process of signing up for Friends of Live Earth India. Complimenting pictures are under each direction.

1.    To register your event, visit on http://liveearth.org/2008/09/friends-of-live-earth-terms/ and click “Register your event here”

2.    The next section is “Create Your Own Event” step 1 of 3.  Simply select your country and enter ZIP or Postal Code.

3.     The next page, you can either sign in if you already have an account or create a new account.  The information should already be there, if you are creating a new account, just select a password to sign up.

4.    In step 2 you can tell us the details of your event.  What’s the name of your event? Describe the event in a short paragraph and choose the appropriate date, time and contact information. Create event! You can always go back and change anything if needed.

5.    Your event should be created now and the information should be located in the blue box.

How do I log in/ manage my event?
1.    To log in/ find an event or manage your event visit: http://www.joinliveearth.org/page/user/login?eu=L3BhZ2UvZXZlbnQvY3JlYXRlX2RldGFpbHM=

2.    The top box is the sign in box.  Your email should already be there, just go ahead and enter your password.
3.    Here, you can manage your event and edit any content that you feel doesn’t represent your event.

What if I lost my login/password?
If you forget your password, just go to the login page
http://www.joinliveearth.org/page/user/login?eu=L3BhZ2UvZXZlbnQvY3JlYXRlX2RldGFpbHM=
and click “forgot my password.” Enter required information and your password will be sent to the e-mail address you used to register

How do I cancel my event?
After you sign in to the login page you have the option to cancel your event.

Where can I watch the concert if I’m not in India?
You can view the event online at MSN and more broadcasts are coming soon.  Please check back soon.

When and how can I purchase tickets to Live Earth India?
Please check back soon for announcements.

How do I subscribe to emails updates?
Underneath the logos on the main www.liveearth.org page there is a “get updates and be part of the solution” sign-up.  When you sign up here you are requesting to receive our bi-weekly emails containing new events that are happening and what Live Earth has accomplished.

On the same page, down and to the right, you will find “LE blog updates.” Signing up here will give you a daily blog that will be sent right to your email address.

How do I unsubscribe to emails?
Click on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email update you receive.

Where can I purchase Live Earth merchandise?
Please check back soon for announcements.

[...] One step to do just

[...] One step to do just that, is to get know the facts and get involved. [...]