May 2007

A Green Scene at GW

University Hosts ‘Stop Global Warming’ Tour with Sheryl Crow and Laurie David

By Maureen Ryan

Calling global warming “the most urgent challenge of our lifetime,” producer Laurie David and a group of entertainers—Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Carole King, Larry David, and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—set out on a college tour to educate college students about the issue. The tour’s final stop took place at GW on Earth Day, April 22, at the University’s Charles E. Smith Center.

The free concert featured musical and comedy performances, along with clips from the Academy Award-winning An Inconvenient Truth. David, who produced the documentary, spoke passionately about the need to take action against global warming. “Two thousand scientists from 150 countries have all concluded that global warming is happening now, and it’s happening even faster than they expected,” she said. “We now have less than 10 years to slow global warming down or else we set ourselves on a course we will not be able to correct.”

Crow told the audience, “To quote the great Tim McGraw, ‘it’s not about
sacrifice, it’s about change.’ Unplug your computer, get a smart strip and just turn it off at night, and unplug your phone charger. Use light bulbs that use less energy and last longer.”

“You are key to this issue,” said King. “We want everyone in this country to spread the word, and let your members of Congress know that you expect them to work to make this problem go away.”

The entire group joined Crow on stage for the finale, a crowd-pleasing rendition of the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out.”

The tour made 12 stops across the country, beginning in Dallas with Southern Methodist University. It was sponsored by MSN, Phillips, and Elle Magazine and supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu