Viktor

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, consisting of the world's leading climate scientists, has issued a report calling on all governments of the world to deploy the full range of renewable energy technologies. The special report covers the 6 most important renewable energy technologies and their integration into present and future energy systems. They believe that if these steps are taken, 80% of the world's energy could come from renewable sources in the next 30 to 40 years.

120 researchers state in the report that the rising penetration of renewable energies could lead to cumulative greenhouse gas savings equivalent to 220 to 560 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO2eq) between 2010 and 2050. They also say that a cut of around a third in greenhouse gas emissions could assist in keeping concentrations of greenhouse gases at 450 parts per billion.

In a press release, Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, Co-Chair of Working Group III said, “With consistent climate and energy policy support, renewable energy sources can contribute substantially to human well-being by sustainably supplying energy and stabilizing the climate."

For more information on IPCC and the Report go here:
 http://srren.ipcc-wg3.de/
 

Ginny Vogel Zanger, a former schoolteacher, is using her artwork in a campaign to help protect the ocean from pollution, such as the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. She once painted calm, underwater scenes, but after the spill she switched to showing scenes of oil bubbling up from the ocean floor.

Ginny has been involved before with activism involving immigrant rights and education, and now wants to fuse her passion for the issue of protecting the oceans, with her passion for reaching people through her art.

“I want people to walk away with some sense of the shimmer of the light, the flow of the water, the magnificent colors and the other worldly textures and forms, as well as the threat that this corporate greed and carelessness is posing to our ocean world,” she said.

To view some of her images, please visit:
http://www.ginnyzanger.com/index.html

A new book, titled "33 Revolutions Per Minute" by author Dorian Lynskey chronicles the history of protest songs and music in America and around the world, from Holiday’s “Strange Fruit," Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Ohio,” to Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”.

He writes about these songs, “the political content is not an obstacle to greatness, but the source of it. They open a door and the world outside rushes in. The song’s message, smuggled into the commercial strictures of mass entertainment, is the grit that makes the pearl.”

 Rock Against Poverty is a organization that aims to "mobilize local musicians and artists to inspire action and raise funds to fight poverty and support climate change mitigation projects to save Mother Earth", their website says. They recently held a concert on Earth Day in New York, featuring Lorenz, a long-time collaborator with singer Mariah Carey, with 10 other musical artists.

Rock against Poverty is the brainchild of Dennis Ramdahin, executive director of the Vihara Foundation, a nongovernmental organization addressing poverty and climate mitigation issues.  Economist Albert Gyan and musician Dale Stephens are co-founders of RaP.

Ramdahin said, "Rock against Poverty through globally interconnecting art, music and culture, will support real science, real solutions, real-time intervention and real action to make this world a better place. The world can do longer wait to decide our children's and planet's future. Urgent action must be taken now."

Tom Morello, from Rage Against the Machine fame, has recorded and released a pro-union album and will donate the proceeds to a labor organization. Tom Morello has been very active when it comes to music and activism, including his work with Audioslave and Street Sweeper Social Club. Below is a video of the title track from the album, and you can download the song for FREE here:

Here is Tom Morello and friends performing at a pro-union concert in Wisconsin.

The new EP, titled "Union Town" will contain eight pro-union songs, some of the songs he was inspired to write after his experience in Madison, Wisconsin attending the pro-union rallies this past February. All the profits from the sale of the EP will go to benefit The America Votes Labor Unity Fund. For more information, visit SaveWorkers.org.

Tom Morello : The Nightwatchman Union Town Track Listing:
1. Union Town
2. Solidarity Forever
3. Which Side Are You On?
4. A Wall Against The Wind
5. 16 Tons
6. This Land Is Your Land
7. I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night
8. Union Song (Live - Capitol Square, Madison, Wisconsin Feb. 21st, 2011)