http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/04/rock-n-renew-presents-t

On
April 17-19, beloved indie favorite Piebald closed out their 12+ year
existence with three final shows at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA
and the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.  Piebald teamed up with Rock
‘n Renew to make this sold-out final tour a memorable event that
reflected the band’s long-time green ethics.  As drummer Luke Garro
explained, “These events were more than your typical live show. The
goal was to create a unique experience that was as entertaining as it
was educational.”

The band donated $1 from every ticket sale
to Rock ‘n Renew, and the event included an eco-fashion show each night
to entertain the fans. This unusual show featured karaoke singers
(selected from posted youtube audition tapes) decked out in
sustainably-made clothing and shoes from ethical brands Topo Ranch,
Autonomie Project, Birdhead, and Macbeth.  

The founding members
of Piebald — lead singer/guitarist Travis Shettel, guitarist/vocalist
Aaron Stuart and bassist/vocalist Andrew Bonner — cut their teeth while
still in high school in the suburbs of Andover, Massachusetts, debuting
with the 1995 EP, Sometimes Friends Fight.  The band was joined in 2001
by drummer Luke Garro, and recorded many well-received releases
throughout its fruitful career, including When Life Hands You Lemons
(1997), If It Weren't For Venetian Blinds It Would Be Curtains For Us
All (1999), The Rock Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2000), We Are
The Only Friends We Have (2002), All Ears, All Eyes, All The Time
(2004) and Accidental Gentlemen (2007). For those that missed the
shows, the entire event and live set will be released as a DVD
documentary and live CD next fall on Boston labels Sidehatch
Entertainment/Bampf!.

Throughout the band’s existence, Piebald
executed numerous US tours in a bus that ran on 100% straight vegetable
oil (SVO), avoiding petroleum and saving significant money on band
transportation costs.  These tours were accompanied with an alternative
energy education campaign and live demonstrations of the vehicle to
encourage fans and other bands to take action.  Rock ‘n Renew would
like to thank Piebald for their commitment to the environment, their
support for Rock ‘n Renew, and for producing great music for over a
decade.


 















On April 17-19, beloved indie favorite Piebald closed out their 12+ year existence with three final shows at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA and the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.  Piebald teamed up with Rock ‘n Renew to make this sold-out final tour a memorable event that reflected the band’s long-time green ethics.  As drummer Luke Garro explained, “These events were more than your typical live show. The goal was to create a unique experience that was as entertaining as it was educational.”

The band donated $1 from every ticket sale to Rock ‘n Renew, and the event included an eco-fashion show each night to entertain the fans. This unusual show featured karaoke singers (selected from posted youtube audition tapes) decked out in sustainably-made clothing and shoes from ethical brands Topo Ranch, Autonomie Project, Birdhead, and Macbeth.  

The founding members of Piebald — lead singer/guitarist Travis Shettel, guitarist/vocalist Aaron Stuart and bassist/vocalist Andrew Bonner — cut their teeth while still in high school in the suburbs of Andover, Massachusetts, debuting with the 1995 EP, Sometimes Friends Fight.  The band was joined in 2001 by drummer Luke Garro, and recorded many well-received releases throughout its fruitful career, including When Life Hands You Lemons (1997), If It Weren't For Venetian Blinds It Would Be Curtains For Us All (1999), The Rock Revolution Will Not Be Televised (2000), We Are The Only Friends We Have (2002), All Ears, All Eyes, All The Time (2004) and Accidental Gentlemen (2007). For those that missed the shows, the entire event and live set will be released as a DVD documentary and live CD next fall on Boston labels Sidehatch Entertainment/Bampf!.

Throughout the band’s existence, Piebald executed numerous US tours in a bus that ran on 100% straight vegetable oil (SVO), avoiding petroleum and saving significant money on band transportation costs.  These tours were accompanied with an alternative energy education campaign and live demonstrations of the vehicle to encourage fans and other bands to take action.  Rock ‘n Renew would like to thank Piebald for their commitment to the environment, their support for Rock ‘n Renew, and for producing great music for over a decade.


 

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/04/rock-n-renew-videos.php

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/04/download-festival-bosto

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/04/barack-obama-campaign-r

On Super Tuesday, Rock ‘n Renew was asked to help make Barack Obama’s
California Primary Day Rally a sustainable and successful event.  Held
at the Avalon Ballroom, across the street from Capitol Records in
Hollywood, the event welcomed 1,500 campaign supporters who gathered to
watch the results and celebrate their hard work on the campaign.  In
between addresses from leading California politicians and VIPs, guests
viewed election returns, enjoyed music and cocktails, and had their
photo taken in a booth specially designed for the event. 

Rock
‘n Renew had the opportunity to speak to the large group of press
assembled at the event about the importance of environmental
initiatives and the need for every political candidate to address the
issue of global warming.  And, as always, we helped the crowd rock…and
renew. 

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/04/la-fashion-trade-show-s

   


With the motto “Green is the New Black,” Rock ‘n Renew stepped in to make the LA Fashion Trade Show CLASS in Santa Monica an eco-friendly, sustainable event.  Hosted by CLASS, the three-day show brought buyers and press together with 60 of the best brands in the business, including sustainability pioneer Linda Lowdermilk and other environmentally-conscious labels like Topo Ranch, Pure Play, and Re:Volve.  All participants were given the option to offset their CO2 with a donation to True Offsets, Rock ‘n Renew’s own carbon offsetting program, with the goal of making the show a carbon-neutral event.

Rock ‘n Renew helped implement green initiatives into every aspect of the tradeshow, including:

•    A green-powered generator to power outdoor tents
•    Canvas bags and reusable water bottles for distribution to each guest
•    Healthy, filtered water provided on-site by I love my H2O, eliminating the need for wasteful plastic bottles
•    Fresh, organic meals from FOOD+LAB served on biodegradable dishware
•    Recycled carpet and reusable signage at the venue
•    Recycling of all paper, glass and paper waste
•    Hybrid vehicles made available for rental with a special trade show discount
•    Fruit smoothies made on-site with bikes powered by 100% renewable, human-powered energy
—and much more.  

The show’s eco-initiatives generated a lot of press attention and praise from the fashion community.  (Click here for characteristic coverage of the event.)  With Rock ‘n Renew’s help, the trade show proved that being good to the environment is also good for business.  

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/02/the-rock-n-renew-founda

Carbon Offsetting in collaboration with The Rock ‘n Renew Foundation-
Our planet’s resources are diminishing rapidly, and the effects of global warming are no longer in question.  As we work on more permanent solutions to carbon emissions and alternatives to fossil fuel, there is a way to take responsibility for your impact on the planet today.

True Offsets are an essential part of the transition towards a sustainable planet.  

In partnership with ecological and botanical experts, True Offsets implements the world’s most efficient natural carbon absorption model on the Hamakua coast of the Big Island of Hawai’i. True Offsets fulfills your carbon offset by planting fast-growth, native species trees every month. Our mission is three-fold:  to ease the burden on our warming planet, to restore the health of a damaged local eco-system, and to provide job training and mentoring for inner city youth interested in a green career.  

The CO2 burden on our planet is increasing daily, and the consequences are dire.  Take responsibility for your carbon emissions with a method that is responsible, immediate, and real.  

You can’t save the world all by yourself, but together we can be true to our future.

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/01/alternative-spring-brea

The Rock 'n Renew Foundation will be hosting an Alternative Spring Break Sustainability trip to the Big Island, Hawai’i. Participants will work with a number of experts and leaders in a variety of fields including carbon absorption, sustainable forest management, science, art, music, natural resources, architecture, business management, marketing, alternative medicine, culinary arts,  and more. The Alternative Spring Break will show the next generation of thinkers, artists, business owners, and leaders, how to be sustainable in their work and their life. The college students will then apply these methods and sustainable systems towards helping the local community in Honoka’a further develop their own sustainability efforts. Local students will work with the college students and mentors, as well as with other local experts to begin a lasting connection between generations and locations.Over the course of the two week program, we will plant 150,000 native trees!Stay tuned for more details.For more information email info@rocknrenew.com

Mahalo!
Jonny Dubowsky

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2008/01/jonny-dubowsky-to-lectu

It's going to be a busy two days! Focus The Nation takes place on January 30th and 31st. Jonny Dubowsky is giving a lecture and performing at C.W Post at 7pm on January 30th (Long Island, N.y) to coincide with this incredible two day event. On January 31st The Rock 'n Renew Foundation will be running the awareness activities at The University Of Miami Coral Gables (At the Student Center Patio) for The Chlorine Free Products Association "Greening The Supply Chain" event, and a full day of Focus The Nation participants will have the opportunity to clean up the local beaches and communities through a series of art and music activities that also highlight the power of our collective purchasing power. For more information or to take part in the beach clean-up efforts and art show, contact ben@rocknrenew.com

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2007/12/happy-holidays-from-the

Give Something Good

 

We’ve decided that the holidays have a personality disorder.  On one hand, this time of year says “I will bring you a warm, peaceful glow, lovely music, pretty winter scenes, and nice, happy times with your loved ones.”  Before too long, another side of the season rears its ugly little head.  Instead of peace and joy, you find yourself listening to hours of in-store Christmas jingles, running around another faceless mall in a desperate attempt to check everyone off your list, and, finally, making awkward small talk with distant relatives while dressed up in an itchy reindeer sweater wondering if your Aunt Edna will notice that the ceramic bear cookie jar you bought her is a piece of crap. 

 

Sound familiar?  We’ve always had an inkling that the vast majority of gifts exchanged in this country are a waste of time and money, not to mention a major cause of stress and annoyance, but now we have proof this is the case—thanks to some math-and-stats heavy lifting done by a researcher named Joel Waldfogel back in 1993.  Waldfogel (no, we’re not making that name up) put some facts and figures together on the gifts swapped around the holidays to come up with the concept of the “dead loss of Christmas.”  The dead loss of Christmas is the amount of money spent every year on gifts nobody wants or needs.  Waldfogel discovered that the dead loss generated by the U.S. Christmas season alone is an estimated 4-13 billion dollars every year. 

 

Let’s go back to that cookie jar you bought your aunt.  It turns out, in return dear Aunt Edna bought you next year’s itchy sweater that you will hate and only wear once; the problem is she paid $40 for it.  The kitschy cookie jar put you back $25, and just like that we’ve added $65 to the dead loss of Christmas.  Say you get something you like?  After all, your girlfriend knows your taste and picked you up a stack of CDs from bands she knows you love.  The only glitch:  you’ve already bought a lot of that music on iTunes and would never pay $17.99 for a whole CD.   Dead loss gets a bite again, as it does every time someone spends more money than you would have spent on the same item.  Even if—miracle of miracles—Aunt Edna upgrades this year to a sweater you actually like, she will almost always pay more for it than you would (by not taking time to shop around for a good price or simply by buying at the height of price inflation right before the holidays). 

 

So, what is the point of rushing around spending lots of money and getting burnt out in the meantime?  We’re not sure either.  If the point of the holiday season is to spend time with people you care about, to reflect on the joy of the occasion, and to take a moment off from your regular hectic schedule, frantically swapping gifts that no one wants seems counter-productive. 

 

Here’s one alternative to exchanging vast piles of tchochke—the Rock ‘n Renew Sustainability Bag, which we have filled with things that will actually get used, will help the earth instead of adding to its burden, and whose proceeds go to support an important cause.  More details on the bag are below.  There are many other ways to escape the dead loss of the season:  simply call for a gift-buying moratorium in your family or friend circle (you will be surprised at how many people greet this idea with joy and relief).  Plan an event instead—a wintry outdoors activity, meeting for a movie, drinks, or hot cocoa.  Or decide jointly to give the money you would have spent on gifts to a cause you want to support. (Imagine what a global impact could be made for $4-13 billion dollars.)  On Christmas Day itself, encourage your family to focus less on gift-exchange and more on enjoying the day and each other.  Remember that the dead loss generated just by the holidays in the United States is an estimated 4-13 billion dollars every season.  Opt out of that mess and give something good this year. 

 

 

A donation of $135 or more to the Rock ‘n Renew Foundation will give you the Sustainability Gift Bag to keep for yourself or give as a gift. (tell them where to click to buy it on the website or better yet have a button right after this blog entry).  The proceeds will go towards building the Rock ‘n Renew Ecology Center in Bayonne, N.J., a sustainably-constructed center with an organic garden, facilities to teach school kids in the area about ecology and conservation, and a small outdoor pavilion for cultural events in the community that will highlight our responsibility to our planet and its people. 

Click Here To Shop Green

 

http://www.rocknrenew.com/mt-blog/2007/11/the-movement-begins-bri