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

Something we’re listening to…

The off-center, eco-conscious rock band, Cake, is recording their 6th album totally on renewable solar energy.

The band worked with Borrego Solar to erect a sparkling new solar array atop their recording studio.  The band also supports such non-rocker behavior as car-pooling, sweatshop-free t-shirts, voting and using re-usable shopping bags, which they sell for 5 bucks on their website. The album will drop in summer 2009.

Beginning this Friday, Jersey City’s Liberty State Park will be the harbor-side setting for a 3-day bacchanal of live music, green fans and environmental awareness.  Rain or Shine.  Each day, tickets go on sale at 11a and gates open at 12noon. Kids 5 and under, free. With 5 separate staging areas, there’s a lot to catch…and it’s all @ apwfestival.com.

Big Stage Acts include

Radiohead – Fri & Sat  8:30p
Underworld – Fri 6:30p
Kings of Leon – Sat 6:30p
Jack Johnson – Sun  8:30p
Ben Harper – Sun  6:30p
Rodrigo y Gabriela – Sun  3:30p

(more…)

Whether you’re a music loving geezer with a stash of vinyl gold like myself, or an upstart DJ with a taste for the past, you may need to get your retro-tunes from vinyl to digital.  This portable turntable from Ion will get your old Buzzcocks, James White and the Blacks, and Squeeze discs out of the closet, onto your laptop – or pumping through your stereo at your next geezer-fest. A USB cable and easy-to-use software can get the music to your desktop whilst the built-in speaker can have you listening to your audio heirlooms in a low-fi jiffy.   Plays 33, 45 and 78 rpm records, runs off either batteries or AC and has line level and headphone outputs.  Software included.

$129.99 @ ion-audio.com