If you’re still looking for something to do this weekend to celebrate our nation’s birth, Eco Music Festival might be the place for you. Beginning today, Thursday, June 30th and running thru Sunday, July 3rd, the Eco Music Festival in Snowmass, Colorado includes a variety of music acts and outdoor activities.

Today, the festival kicks off with free sets from the New Mastersounds and Sleeptalk. Fireworks will cap off the night in this beautiful mountain setting.

On Friday, festival-goers have the choice of participating in hiking and biking tours, capture the flag, or yoga. After the day’s activities, everyone is invited to the Sunset Social featuring local music acts and discounted drinks – party for a positive impact.

Saturday marks live music on the mountain. Performances start at noon and don’t stop until around 11pm. Acts include: Tea Leaf Green, Perpetual Groove, and The Disco Biscuits.

Sunday caps off the festival with a relaxing pool party from noon to 4 with a concluding DJ set by Aaron Colbert. (more…)

I think there’s a green message in here somewhere.  Anyhoo…we like it.

I admit it, I like spiders…this steampunk spider sculpture (above) was created from the upcycled remnants of a clock and an assortment of brass and copper wire and various metal parts.

The  piece, entitled ‘RELIC’, was displayed at the Museum of the History of Science Oxford UK’s exhibit, ‘Steampunk – Contraptions + Devices Extraordinaire’.

Featured at CatherinetteRings Etsy shop.

I like my Thievery Corporation…Power Up The Planet, a new compilation CD created by cause-based music company Planetwize, features a flavorful mix of 14 global fusion tracks from top international artists like Thievery Corporation, Brazilian Girls, Zap Mama and Ozomatli.  Sales of the CD raise funds for SolarAid, a project dedicated to bringing solar power to people in underdeveloped nations.  The eclectic mix of English and Spanish language tracks ranging from reggae and Latin to electronic and Afrobeat all tap into Power Up The Planet’s theme of: energy, empowerment, and hope.

SolarAid is about getting power to underprivileged people – currently 1.6 billion people have no electricity – by providing people the skills and technology required to produce enough solar energy to run a radio, mobile phone, or light where previously there was none.  Every download or physical CD sold helps SolarAid (www.solar-aid.org) fight climate change and poverty.  With successful projects in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya, SolarAid brings solar lanterns, mobile phone and battery chargers to rural and remote communities throughout Africa, replacing dangerous and expensive kerosene lanterns with clean, renewable power.

Power Up The Planet is available in digital and physical CD versions @ planetwise.com.  The physical CD comes in completely “green” packaging made of recycled cardboard printed with soy-based ink; the CD tray is made from recycled plastic bottles and the wrap is biodegradable.

An eco-friendly, charitable stocking stuffer?

It’s tough finding listenable alternative music and even tougher to find a decent music video.  Here’s one of our favorite bands, Fujiya & Miyagi, and their funky low-fi video for their tune – “Knickerbocker” – we think it’s a tasty combo.

Designer Francois Royer’s Stanker Collection always features something cool created from reclaimed and rehabilitated shipping containers.  Francois created the custom MixMob mix stand for DJ Martin G.  The base is formed by two recycled steel barrels.

Related:  previously on altCon
Stanker Boozbox (10.7.08)
Stanker Collection Updated (5.7.09)

Today, The Green Children, Whole Foods Markets and its Whole Planet Foundation announced a global campaign to help disadvantaged countries get financial assistance, through music.

The partnership assists disadvantaged countries in advancing financially through microcredit — a lending program designed to promote entrepreneurship and monetary growth.  (more…)

The Mercury Prize winning U.K. band, Klaxons, is recording their next album at the U.K.’s only solar-powered studio, The Premises, in London.

The band is also backing the U.K.’s “We Support Solar” campaign to lower carbon emissions by creating more solar energy.

for a taste of the band check out Klaxon’s Golden Skans video off their last lp, “Myths of the Near Future”

via: nme.com

Here’s another unlikely addition to that ‘all things wooden’ collection of yours.  You will almost definitely make friends and influence people when you strap on these eco friendly earbuds from Skullcandy.  Sustainable wood trumps plastic anyday.

these eco audio accessories will run you a somewhat pricey $99 @ urbanoutfitters.com