This Sunday, April 20th, an environmental organization called Green Apple sponsored a large environmental action celebration to celebrate Earth Day and increase public awareness of environmental issues facing our planet. The event took place at Lincoln Park Zoo, one of only three, major zoos in the United States that offers free admission.
The event featured a variety of musical acts and speakers, all there to convince the crowd to pay attention not only to their own actions and how they affect the earth, but to think of the politicians they're voting for and the companies they support with their purchase. Chicago area neo-hippies showed up in droves, somewhere between 15 to 20 thousand people. The musical acts didn't fail to entertain the crowd or to get them into the true spirit of 4/20, if ya know what I mean.
With acts such as Michelle N'degeocello, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Three (a three piece featuring Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzman, bassist Otiel (from Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit), and a talented guitarist unknown by me. These acts kept the collective spirit of Earth Day running through the air and
fans dancing their Birkenstocks off. Three even kicked out several Grateful Dead songs, including Eyes of the World, which could not present a more perfect message. Overall I must say that I was very impressed by the music, especially for a free concert to kick off spring in Chi-town. However, the festival did seem to be an oxymoron to me.
First things first, this was an environmental festival to promote Earth Day. With all of the stages in public areas in Chicago, they chose to hold the festival at the zoo. Now the zoo has concerts all summer long, but they aren't really in the zoo by the animals, they have it in a rather open grassy space outside the area of the zoo where the animals are housed. In this case, however, the concert was held inside the zoo perhaps 100 yards from the big cat house. How can you hold a festival that encourages showing respect for the environment when you disrespect the animals that are stuck living in the zoo? These animals are already being confined outside of their natural environment. Do we need to blast music into their new homes at say 90 to 105 decibels? Aren't animals' ears much more sensitive than ours? Won't this concert negatively affect them?
Seeking answers to these questions, I headed out through the crowd to find park representatives to answer my question. When talking to a park docent, he tried telling me that the animals in the park aren't really bothered by such noise. After I pointed out that his statement was bullshit, using the park's wolves as an example of animals bothered by loud music, the park docent changed his tune. He told me, "This is a free park, when we fill it like this, people purchase drinks, food, and gifts, which really helps the park out." So just like the companies that the speakers were harassing from the stage, the promoters of this Earth Day event were more than willing to throw concerns about our planet's other creatures aside to reach that all too consuming goal of making money.
As the concert ended, the futility of Green Apple's environmental efforts became rather obvious. Even with several reminders to leave the zoo in better condition than when you arrived, fans poured out of the area leaving trash all over the place. My group of friends and I spent an extra 15 minutes or so picking up the countless cigarette butts and cans from shitty beers. Thanks for trying Green Apple, but next year please get some intelligent help in your planning.
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