Drumming organizations and festivals that participate in Drummers
Against Global Warming
Several drumming organizations and festivals participate in Drummers Against
Global Warming by including information about DAGW on their web
sites, information brochures, and registration material. DAGW encourages
all drummers who care about this issue to support these groups and their activities.
If you want to add a link to this website, you can use any of the the images provided
here or just add a text link. Don't forget to let
us know.
Special thanks to:
Moira Ashleigh and Duncan Eagleson
for the rockin' design and graphics.
Global Warming
Let's skip the sugar coating and cut right to the chase. Average global temperatures
are expected to increase by 1 to 5 degrees over the next century, bringing
with it a melting of polar ice caps, a rise in sea level, flooding of coastal
areas, the outright elimination of many island nations, an increase in the
number and sizes of hurricanes, the reversal of the Gulf Stream in the northern
Atlantic Ocean, and an increase in the extinction rate of plants and animals.
I won't belabor the details here. If you want to explore the science behind
what I'm saying, check out any of the information sources listed at the right
hand side of this page.
Why is it happening?
Primarily because of a rapid increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere. And where is it coming from? From the burning of fossil fuels,
especially gasoline, coal, and jet fuel. That means that it is coming from
you and me every time we get in a car or an airplane.
If you are a drummer, like I am, then this reality probably makes you feel
a little uneasy. We all enjoy traveling to festivals, gatherings, drum-and-dance
events, rituals, and whatnot, but all the while we are burning fossil fuels.
At the same time, however, many of the people who attend these kinds of festivals
have a deep and abiding love for the Earth, thereby making the consequences
of global warming a travesty that should be prevented.
What's a drummer to do?
Well, you could just ignore it all. Or you could claim that there just isn't
anything you can do about it and simply hope that someone else solves the
problem for us.
Fortunately, you now have a third choice. You can adopt a philosophy of action
that will allow you to directly counteract the carbon dioxide you pump into
the air by your travels. This philosophy is called "carbon neutrality." What
this means is that in response to your actions that put carbon dioxide into
the air you take actions that either (a) remove carbon dioxide from the air
and lock it up for a time (like planting trees), or (b) help reduce carbon
dioxide emissions from other sources (such as supporting renewable energy
sources, like solar and wind).
Working towards carbon neutrality means working towards the balancing of
life.
Obviously, it isn't likely many of us are going to start planting trees or
building wind generators. But we can do the next best thing: we can donate
money to organizations that do. This is the mission of Drummers Against
Global Warming. Our goal is to make it easy for anyone to donate to effective
organizations the amount of money necessary to offset the carbon emissions
created by their travel to drumming events.
(Clearly, this philosophy can be applied to all the other aspects of one's
life as well.)
How to pay for your carbon offset
You can make your donation in one of two ways:
The first is to send the money yourself directly to an organization that
promotes carbon offsets. Several organizations are listed to the left. (We
are always interested in hearing of others, so if you know of one that is
not listed, drop us a note.) By donating the money yourself, your contributions
might be tax deductible, depending on the organizations you send it to.
The second is to send the money to Drummers Against Global Warming,
which pools the money that comes to it and the splits 100% of it equally into
two funds. The first fund goes to an organization that plants trees. Currently,
this is Trees for the Future.
The second fund goes to an organization that promotes renewable energy production.
Currently, this is Clean
Air-Cool Planet.
At the present time, DAGW is not a legally-recognized not-for-profit
organization; therefore, donations to it are not tax deductible. However,
those who practice carbon neutrality through DAGW will receive a decorative
pin that will allow you to proudly display your love and commitment to Mother
Earth.
Either way, you can drum with the sure knowledge that you are walking your
talk, helping the human race live more respectfully with the Earth, and showing
the world that drummers are part of the solution!
Statement of Guarantee
Drummers Against Global Warming promises that
100% of the money sent to it goes directly to offset carbon emissions. Its
record books can be inspected at any time on request. However, donations to
help the organizers cover the costs of the pins, postage, and web-site maintenance
are gratefully accepted. DAGW is sponsored by The
Village Green Rhythm Collective of western Vermont.
