Check out 350.org to find out about the candlelight vigil Dec 11th/12th!

Hey there-
I'm playing a last minute acoustic set with my friend Charlie of Neon Culpa.
Tonight @ 9 Muses 26th st. @ S.E. Belmont-
Low-key-
New songs-
Old friends-
Special Guests-

Can't go wrong-

More about the Rock 'n Renew Ecology Center launch in a few-
Best wishes,
Jonny D
www.rocknrenew.com
www.jonnylives.com

Hey there-
I hope you all had a great summer-
I will be posting pictures and videos from Belgium, Sweden, London, Chicago, Boston, etc.
We just got into the studio to begin recording our 2nd record. We'll be recording the album in NYC, L.a and Portland over the next few months. I'll be posting some demos in a week or so-
I had an incredible time at The Download Festival with Rock 'n Renew and The NRDC.

We are one of the 50 lucky groups to be involved in the launch of Think.com Mtv's version of myspace, but way different- This will all focus on you doing GOOD things while online- learning about social action, and what you can do to help fix up the world around us.
If you'd like to be one of the 50 people that i get to invite to be in the launch (the night of the MTV music awards)
write to me-
jonny@rocknrenew.com


Here is my summer re-cap-
August 18
Download Festival, Boston
Rock 'n Renew partners with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) at the Download Festival, an all-day music concert at the Tweeter Center near Boston, MA to kick off a "Ditch the Bag" campaign. Our activation table hosts hundreds of visitors, gives out 350 eco-bags that visitors are able to design themselves, and presents an interactive question-and-answer session with Adam Gardner of the band Guster. Our goals at the festival were to empower the audience and the festival's artists to reduce their environmental impact while at Download, and to raise awareness about the importance of recycling, green products and simple ways to reduce carbon impact.
Jonny interviewed Modest Mouse, Guster, Wolfparade, and a few other bands on the topic of Sustainabiliity.

August 31
Q101 The Morning Fix, Chicago
Jonny Dubowsky, founder of Rock ' Renew, and lead singer/guitarist in Jonny Lives! spends the morning on one of the top 10 morning rock-radio shows. Jonny performs songs from his debut album Get Steady, and discusses at length the role of music in environmental awareness and the ability of the music industry's artists and executives to help stop global warming.

September 2
Download Festival, Chicago
Rock 'n Renew again partners with NRDC to bring an interactive environmental education experience to fans at the Download Festival at the Charter One Pavilion near Chicago, Illinois. Eco-bags, trivia quizzes, Second City comedians, and Q&A's promote "green" lifestyles for music fans at the event and while continuing to underscore the "Ditch the Bag" campaign: replacing plastic and paper bags with reusable canvas ones.
Jonny interviewed Minus The Bear and a few other bands.

September 14
The Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin TX
Jonny D interviews select bands for the Rock 'n Renew Broadband Channel (The Kaiser Chiefs, Jesse Malin, and others)




September 17
The Rock 'n Renew ARCH Garden in Bayonne, New Jersey launches its first project with students from NYC's Browning School, The Grand Street School, and local schools in the Bayonne area.

September 29
The Race Against Global Warming
Jonny D will host and perform at The Race Against Global Warming in Santa Cruz, California. The 5k Walk/Run Fundraiser and all-day Climate Solutions Awareness Event will also feature Summer Rayne Oakes (fashion model and founder of consulting company SRO), Simran Sethi (Treehugger.com contributer and host of The Green on The Sundance Channel), Dr. Wallace J. Nichols (renowned speaker, author and marine biologist), and Fred Keeley (CA environmental policy-maker).

October 1-5
Los Angeles
Jonny D and Ben Greenberg (Rock 'n Renew Director of Artist Relations) to meet with several LA-based artists. A concert is being planned for this week.
Jonny D will also meet with Laurie David's team from stopglobalwarming.org to continue their partnership with Rock 'n Renew on targeted outreach projects.
Jonny D will be recording a song for the upcoming Carbon Neutral/Rock 'n Renew Records release.

October 5-8
Portland, Oregon
Jonny D will be working with friends on a musical project for the Rock 'n Renew Records release. Jonny will also be meeting with several local environmental groups and sustainable businesses to work out the further sustainable building plans for the Rock 'n Renew ARCH Garden. Rock 'n Renew is working with the nation's leading sustainable real-estate developers and builders, as well as experts in the field of renewable power to conceive this project. Rock 'n Renew will be involved in the first major East Coast projects to be built "off-the-grid."

October 17
Wilmington College, Ohio
Jonny Dubowsky will give a lecture and sit on a panel at Wilmington College's Westheimer Peace Symposium. Jonny's lecture will focus on "Peace and The Environment." Other speakers include: Kartar Khalsa (of Peace Cereal) and author Elizabeth Royte (Garbage Land).
Jonny will also perform select solo-acoustic pieces for the symposium.

October 18
University of Illinois-Springfield, Ohio
Jonny Dubowsky will lecture on sustainability and discuss The Rock 'n Renew Foundation and its associated curriculum. Jonny will also give a solo-acoustic performance.

November 13
University of Nebraska Chlorine-Free Products Association Seminar
Jonny Lives! will perform.

January (TBD)
University of Miami Chlorine-Free Products Association Conference
Rock 'n Renew will activate our network of college students in the area to obtain local volunteers for the conference events and to spread awareness of the environmentally-friendly goals of the conference.

These are the confirmed dates as of September 7, 2007.



In addition, Between September 7 and October 20 (with the exception of the dates listed), Jonny Dubowsky will be in New York City. During this time, Jonny will be working with students from NYC's Browning School (K-12), and The Grand Street School (9-12) on the ARCH GARDEN AND SUSTAINABLE FARM MENTORING CENTER. In addition, Rock 'n Renew staff will be working with NYU to launch the NYU Gallatone Record Label/Rock 'n Renew Carbon Neutral Compilation Album featuring Rock 'n Renew artists. Rock 'n Renew will also be working with SUNY Southampton's brand new Sustainability Degree Program to create a series of projects for the freshman class. Jonny D and the Rock 'n Renew staff will finalize the launch of Rock 'n Renew's new website, and will be working with NRDC and The Campus Climate Challenge on preparations for several winter events (including the Campus Climate Challenge Summit in Washington D.C. and other college lectures). Rock 'n Renew will also be attending various music events in NYC at this time to continue adding artists who care to our growing roster.
The organization will also continue to curate fine-art shows that showcase artists commited to sustainability and to produce sustainable events throughout the fall, as well as begin the creation of our own public art project that will highlight Street-Level Recycling in New York City and Bayonne, New Jersey.


Talk to you soon!
Best wishes,
Jonny D

Catch Jonny Dubowski, lead singer of Rock 'n Renew band Jonny Lives! on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" today @ 3.05pm EST!!! The interview will also be broadcast on BBC1. Listen to a stream of the interview on NPR.com after 6pm EST today. Check it out!

BECOME A ROCK 'n RENEW BAND- ARTIST-FAN- Or ACTIVIST
Joining the ranks of The Kaiser Chiefs, Debbie Harry, The Mooney Suzuki, Jesse Malin, Everclear, The Fountains Of Wayne, Morningwood and many other great bands and artists, We've decided to bring Rock 'n Renew's punk rock message of Sustainability For The Planet, to you... our friends and fans. As Rock 'n Renew artists, we are making a pledge to cut down our own carbon footprint, and to do everything we can to help stop the climate crisis that this planet is facing. It's no small task... so we're asking for your help as well. Go to Rock 'n Renew's Myspace Page- Add Them As A Friend!

Go to Rock 'n Renew's Website-Learn The Facts-Find Out What You Can Do About It!

Rock 'n Renew will be in London, Madrid, Stockholm, Belgium, Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago, and pretty much everywhere else you'd imagine over the next few monthes. Come out to an event and help us to bring the monthly art series to your town!


BECOME A ROCK 'n RENEW ARTIST-BAND-FAN-or ACTIVIST-

I've always been concerned with the planet's health, and I've often talked about it with fans at shows, but i learned how to truly become an activist after reading Laurie David's book Stop Global Warming- The Solution Is You: An Activists Guide.
After meeting Laurie, it really dawned on me that as artists, and musicians and as fans of art and music, we have all the tools we need to be activists everyday in the fight against global warming.
Go to Stopglobalwarming.org and sign up for the virtual march- Join the 827,851 other people who are DEMANDING OUR LEADERS FREEZE AND REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS NOW.WE ARE ALL CONTRIBUTORS TO GLOBAL WARMING AND WE ALL NEED TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!




Rock 'n Renew is having several parties to celebrate
3 Summer Nights @ The Parrish Art Museum in Southampton, L.I will focus on the theme of sustainability- The first event Project Eco-Vision is a sculpture garden event- with art made entirely from recycled materials. Music by Dawn Landes and D.j ARCID (SOULWAX)
June 30th, July 28th, and August 25th. For more info go to The Parrish Art Museum Website
Jonny Lives!
return to London. After their last sold-out tour, performances with The Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Sonic Youth, The Wu Tang Clan, guest appearances on their debut album by Nick Valensi (The Strokes) and Jody Porter (Fountains Of Wayne), and trumpeting of the NME "SINGLE OF THE WEEK-Pant-Droppingly Brilliant-Raw Power era Iggy" Jonny Lives! are back in London to kick off Rock 'n Renew's year of events in Europe.
Come down, have a drink, learn about The Global Gallery Exchange for artists and musicians. Become a Rock 'n Renew Artist. Learn how you can get a Rock 'n Renew Grant to make your music or art with funding provided by Eco-Savvy companies, and grants for art that has a social impact.
Let's bring back the punk ethos- The d.i.y way is still a powerful tool if we all come together to raise our voices.
For more info email jonny@rocknrenew.com

July 21st at New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Road,
Rocklands, London SE14 6AS -
The New Cross Inn

and July 22nd:
Ben Sherman Presents: Jonny Lives! and The Subliminal Girls Band @
The Proud Gallery

The Proud Gallery is located at-
The Gin House,
The Stables Market,
Chalk Farm Road,
Camden,
London,
NW1 8AH

Rock 'n Renew Artists Jonny Lives! (founder of Rock 'n Renew, Jonny Dubowsky's band)
is on Conan O'brien tonight @ 1am with Jim Carrey
Dig the Stop Global Warming Sticker-

The Parrish Art Museum presents "The Project" Co-produced by Rock 'n Renew- Project Eco-Vision- This Sculpture Garden event celebrates sustainability through the work of the community and special guest artists. The only material restriction is that the medium consist of renewable materials, or found objects. The East End is calling all artists, and bringing back the magic that The Parrish Art Museum has been apart of for a century.

Saturday June 30th
Sculpture Viewing and Community Interaction begins at 6pm

Doors @ 7:30p.m
Rock 'n Renew Headline Artist: Dawn Landes (www.myspace.com/dawnlandes) to perform.
Don't Miss It!

Check Out The Rock 'n Renew You Tube Channel-Kaiser Chiefs, and Students Making A Difference-

Hey there-
Go to www.youtube.com/group/rocknrenew
to see all the exciting video projects that students have submitted, as well as videos by The Kaiser Chiefs, Jesse Malin, Debbie Harry, Art Alexakis, and many others-

Make your own video about helping the planet, and upload it-
Join this channel to get updates on new videos from the Summer Art Series-

9:21 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit -

Global warming is not too big of an issue for you to tackle. There are tons of small things you can do on your own or encourage others to do to help stop the threat of global warming. The important thing is to raise awareness so that everyone takes responsibility NOW to make small changes in their life. Lots of small changes = big change over time. Here are some small changes you can make to your everyday life to do your part to stop global warming.



Energy Conservation- the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere appears to be the most important cause of recent warming. How can you help, you ask?

1.) Turn the thermostat down by 2 degrees in the winter. Reduce CO2 emissions by 0.62%.

2.) Stay in town for the weekend. Drive 100 fewer miles per week and reduce CO2 emissions by 4.11%.

3.) Replace the incandescent lightbulbs in your house with compact florescent ones. These use less energy and last longer and cut down on CO2 emissions. It's a win-win-win situation.

4.) Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline or inside on a rack instead of putting them in the dryer.

5.) Only turn lights on in the evening or early morning when the sun doesn't come in through the windows. Turn lights off as you leave rooms.

6.) Going on vacation? Make sure the heat or A/C is turned down and the water heater is turned off before leaving.

7.) Use cold water when doing laundry whenever possible.

8.) Carpool next time you and your friends are going somewhere together.

9.) Unplug! Unplug power strips and appliances that you don't use that often or only at certain times of the day (chargers, cordless tools, etc). Even though they may be turned off, the "standby" energy used is equal to that of a 75 watt lightbulb running continuously.

10.) Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel. Mac users, look for energy saving settings under system preferences in the apple menu.

11.) Configure your computer to "hibernate" automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the computer off in a way that doesn't require you to reload everything when you switch it back on. Allowing your computer to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer from scratch.

Water Conservation- humans can live up to a month without food, but no more than approximately 7 days without water. While there is a LOT of water on this planet, only 3% of it can be used as drinking water. Let's do something now to ensure this lasts us!

12.) Shorten your showers to less than 10 minutes. Already doing it in less than 10 minutes? Make it 7.

13.) Turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.

14.) Leaky faucet or shower head? A dripping faucet can waste up to 2,000 gallons/7,600 liters of water a year. Check the plumbing in your house and repair the leaks as soon as possible.

15.) Ask your parents if they'd like to invest in low-flush toilets, shower heads and faucet aerators. You'll save thousands of gallons of water each year and your parents' water bill will be lower!

16.) Call your water utility and ask for a copy of their latest water quality report. Public water utilities regularly test the quality of the drinking water they provide to customers.

17.) Lawn and garden pesticides and fertilizers can pollute the water. Reduce your use of pesticides and fertilizers and look for safer alternatives to control weeds and bugs. For example, geraniums repel Japanese beetles; garlic and mint repel aphids; and marigolds repel whiteflies.

18.) Make the most of the water you use outdoors by never watering at the hottest times of the day or when it's windy. Turnoff your sprinklers when it's raining. On average, 50% - 70% of household water is used outdoors for watering lawns and gardens.

19.) Have a garden? Use mulch in it to help conserve water (the earth stays moister longer).

Pollution Prevention- We all know that we are supposed to reduce, reuse, and recycle, but what exactly does that mean? It's not just putting your soda bottles out every week and using grocery bags as lunch bags. Here are some other ideas that are easy enough for you to do and encourage others to do as well.

20.) Reuse bags and containers: brown paper bags are great for wrapping packages. Wash out plastic containers and glass jars you buy food in and use them as Tupperware.

21.) Use old newspapers as wrapping paper and jazz it up with pretty ribbon or a bow. If you're lucky you might get Sunday's color comic section.

22.) One person's trash is another person's treasure. Instead of throwing out old clothes and toys, donate them to a local shelter or a secondhand store like Goodwill or Salvation Army.

23.) Organize an in-home recycling center and teach your family how to use it. Have separate bins for glass, plastics, and newspaper/cardboard. Make a deal with your family that if they put their recyclables in the bins that you'll take them to the curb.

24.) Be fancy! Replace the use of paper napkins at dinnertime with cloth napkins. You can wash these a couple of times a week, or whenever they are dirty. Use dish towels to wipe up messes instead of paper towels. These, too, will help cut down on the amount of garbage your household produces.

25.) If you're having a party and want to use disposable plates and cups, skip the plastic and get paper ones. These break down easier in the environment and don't deplete the ozone layer as much (although it's better to nix the disposables and use washables!).

26.) Ask the dry cleaners if they will take back their wire hangers and use them again.

27.) Paper or plastic? Neither! When grocery shopping, take your own reusable canvas or cloth bags (or ask your parents to).



Sources:

The Environmental Protection Agency

The days of deliberate and interminable debauchery are diminishing for Lower East Side-based rock band Jonny Lives! The wild carelessness of its first record, "Get Steady" - a genre-bending effort that channels a bit of classic rock, a bit of pop and a bit of Iggy-inspired punk - has evolved into an understanding of the need for social action in art.

Lead singer Jonny Dubowsky began as an activist while enrolled in NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. "I feel like my life has come back around almost full circle to my college way of thinking," Dubowsky said. "I always really loved actually being in school when I was at NYU. Being in that world of ideas is definitely a luxury."

Studying existential and physical awareness from the perspective of a performer, Dubowsky developed the lofty colloquium title "The Integration of Mind and Body in the Performing Arts" and "tried to figure out how to not be a lunatic musician living in New York" while in Gallatin.

"I definitely remember being at the studio all night long and then going right to class and reading some very intense piece of writing as I was walking down the street," laughed Dubowsky, who juggled his time between his music, his recording-studio internship and his studies at NYU.

Gallatin's interdisciplinary approach is apparent in Dubowsky's latest project: an environmental-awareness program called Rock 'N Renew, a nonprofit organization and environmental education series. Dubowsky came up with Rock 'N Renew because of his interest in environmental issues - particularly the high gas prices he faced while his band was on tour with Everclear.

Singer and guitarist by night and classroom lecturer by day, Dubowsky is using his position as a rock artist to educate today's youth about the importance of renewable energy by hitting the road in a bio-diesel van.

"When I created the Rock 'N Renew program, I really used my Gallatin education to look at the issue of global warming from an outside perspective," Dubowsky said. "I'm not a traditional environmental activist or teacher, but somehow that is what my role has suddenly become."

As he studied environmental problems further, Dubowsky became concerned about the disconnect between people having access to information about renewable resources and the fact that they continued to do nothing about it.

What resulted was a plan of action he hoped students and their families would use on a daily basis. He wanted others to remember simple habits, like not carrying goods in plastic bags at the grocery store and unplugging electrical appliances when they are not in use.

Since then, Dubowsky has lectured thousands of students and partnered with organizations like the Campus Climate Challenge and Focus the Nation. He boasts support from "An Inconvenient Truth" producer Laurie David as well as an assortment of musicians, including Debbie Harry, the Kaiser Chiefs, Everclear, Morningwood, and Fountains of Wayne..

The students Dubowsky has spoken to thus far have responded positively to his teachings, a reaction that has affirmed and re-inspired his desire to expand Rock 'N Renew.

"It's nonpartisan, it's nonjudgmental, and it doesn't even matter if you believe global warming is a major problem," Dubowsky said of the program. "All we are doing is showing people ways that they're wasting energy."

Of course, that's not really all he's doing. Dubowsky isn't ignoring Jonny Lives! for the glory of environmental activism. The band's current set of dates is appropriately titled the "Rock 'N Renew Tour" and Dubowsky will lecture students ranging from first-graders to graduate scholars, while continuing to rock through the night in the gritty bars and clubs of his past. Dubowsky plans to begin recording a second Jonny Lives! album this summer.

Dubowsky was forced out of the East Village because of rising living costs and cited the closing of CBGB as a "melancholy metaphor for the transition that I'm taking as a songwriter." Dubowsky said his next artistic effort will document the changing landscape of New York City and the planet as a whole.

"I sit here before you, 29 years old, the owner of an environmental nonprofit," Dubowsky said. "My life has taken an interesting turn, and I see the necessary role of pop culture to help shape our social landscape."