THIS YEAR?S ?Earth Day Jam? will stay true to its advocacy by being even more eco-friendly.

?There will be no plastic cups backstage,? singer-songwriter Lou Bonnevie told the Inquirer at the media conference for the event held last week at the Hard Rock Café in Makati City. ?We?ll also ask musicians to cut back on their smoking,? she added.

?Earth Day Jam? is an annual concert that gathers musicians to help promote environmental awareness. The show is a tribute to and a celebration of the worldwide Earth Day movement which pushes for the protection of the environment.

Quezon City will once again host the extravaganza as it has done in the past four years. The Tomas Morato Avenue strip will transform into a concert venue tomorrow, starting at 7:30 p.m., for the seven-hour music marathon.

But there will be only one stage this time, unlike in the previous years where there were multiple setups. Bonnevie believes this will cut not only the costs, starting with the consumption of electricity.

Bonnevie quoted environmentalists, who say electricity consumption means more carbon emissions. Carbon gases are said to be the leading cause of global warming, which results in climate change.

Gov?t officials

Earth Day Network Philippines, a non-government organization promoting the Earth Day celebration, will discuss environmental issues along with officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Quezon City local government during the concert.

Joining Bonnevie in the roster of performers are Barbie Almalbis, Bembol Rockers, Bloomfields, Callalily, Cynthia Alexander, Pinikpikan (now called Kalayo), The Dawn, Delara (formerly Mojofly), Hale, Itchyworms, Noel Cabangon, Rivermaya, Rocksteddy, Sinosikat?, Sugarfree, Nina, The World Drum Project, among others.

For spearheading the annual ?Earth Day Jam,? Bonnevie has been conferred the Fr. Satur Neri award for Environmental Heroism. The recognition was given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Unesco, the Climate Institute and the Department of Education.

Bonnevie was part of ?Earth Born??the predecessor of ?Earth Day Jam??which was held in Subic in 2000. The concert, which also included Parliament Syndicate and Barbie?s Cradle, inspired her to gather more musicians to promote environmentalism.

In 2002, Bonnevie successfully mounted ?Earth Day Jam? at the Hard Rock Café with Martin Nievera, Jaya and other artists.

Bonnevie said she did not expect the event to become the massive musical gathering that it is today. But she hopes to continue organizing the concert yearly and attract more musicians and spectators to the cause of nature.