I have always been torn about the concept of "Earth Day". On one hand it brings environmental issues to the forefront and gets the message out to those who may not have been paying attention. But on the other hand it cheapens environmental responsibility by compressing what should be practiced all year into a single day. And driving to an Earth Day event to consume and create trash once a year doesn't exactly get to the heart of the matter.
Earth Day was founded in 1970 and falls on April 22nd in America each year. It has grown in popularity over the decades and is now even celebrated by "light green" environmentalists who may volunteer for a clean up, donate to an environmental cause, or simply make a renewed pledge to live more gently.
Being that artistic types tend to be more in tune with environmental issues than the population at large, it's no surprise that many environmental songs have made their way into the popular culture. Musicians have been selling green since the 1960's when the environmental movement first entered the collective consciousness -- until today, when global climate change can be found on page 1 of the news instead of page 15.
This playlist features an extended double-CD-sized sampling of the most inspiring and/or hard-hitting environmental songs ever recorded. If you don't have anything planned this year for Earth Day spend some time with this playlist and renew your dedication to doing your part for the environment. Whatever that may be.
Earth Day Playlist
1. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye
2. Don't Go Near The Water - Johnny Cash
3. Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
6. Shapes Of Things - The Yardbirds
7. If A Tree Falls - Bruce Cockburn
8. My City Was Gone - The Pretenders
10. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) - Neil Young
11. Cement Octopus - Pete Seeger
12. Living In The Future In A Plastic Dome - Country Joe McDonald
14. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
15. Don't Go Near The Water - The Beach Boys
16. Global Warming Day - Breaking Laces
17. To The Last Whale: Critical Mass/Wind On The Water - Crosby & Nash
18. The Lone Rhinoceros - Adrian Belew
20. Whose Garden Was This - Tom Paxton
23. Don't Kill The Whale - Yes
24. Earth Blues - Jimi Hendrix
25. Earth Crisis - Steel Pulse
26. I Remember California - R.E.M.
27. Earth Song - Michael Jackson
28. My Dirty Stream (The Hudson River Song) - Pete Seeger
30. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
31. Out In The Country - Three Dog Night