With more and more companies going green, it's no wonder that Earth Day has become an even bigger celebration. This past April we asked you to show your Earth Day love through the Music For The Earth Contest. You brought your best and truly made Earth Day a special one. Here's a press release from our friends at Earth Day Network on all your amazing contributions and the contest winner, Paulo Lara:
MUSIC FOR THE EARTH CONTEST BRINGS OUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPIRIT
Brazilian Artist Paulo Lara Wins Earth Day Network Contest
WASHINGTON, DC — JUNE 17, 2011 – Earth Day Network and Sonicbids announced today the winners of the 2011 “Music for the Earth” talent competition. Hundreds of artists entered for a chance to inspire millions of listeners worldwide with their brand of environmentally-themed music. Brazilian singer/songwriter Paulo Lara captured first place for his song “Better World.” Second place went to Steve Elci and Friends for their song “Earth Day,” followed closely in third place by The Wheel Workers for their song, “Chemicals.”
“Music has the power to educate and change society for the better,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. “’We’re delighted so many talented songwriters are inspired by Earth Day and we hope their music will help us address the urgent environmental challenges our planet faces today.”
Earth Day Network partnered with Sonicbids, the leading matchmaking site for emerging bands and music promoters, to produce the “Music for the Earth” contest. Bands submitted using the Sonicbids platform and were included in the “Earth Day: Music for the Earth” microsite, which featured downloads from the artists who participated. Artists were judged by the number of fan downloads and the top 20 most downloaded artists were then reviewed by a panel of judges to determine the winner.
Paulo Lara, the first place winner, was granted a “green” Gibson Jackson Browne Model 1 Acoustic Guitar crafted from renewable English Walnut and Red Spruce woods that was donated courtesy of Gibson Guitars and Musician's Friend and is valued at nearly six thousand dollars.
Links to all three winning songs can be found at: http://www.earthday.org/blog/billion-acts-green/2011/03/23/music-earth or http://earthday.sonicbids.com.
About Earth Day Network
Earth Day Network's mission is to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement, driving action year-round. Earth Day Network does this through advocacy, education, public policy, and consumer campaigns (www.earthday.org).
“Music for the Earth is part of EDN’s Arts for the Earth™ program, an innovative education program to teach sustainability and environmental education through museum and arts community networks and to feature artists who have incorporated environmental themes into their works.