'We the Planet' travels the nation to promote working together and confronting issues

Fixing the planet's problems as a world community is the focus for a group of activists, writers and musicians who will bring the discussion to Iowa State Sunday evening.

"We the Planet" is a solution-based tour currently traveling the nation promoting coming together as a community and confronting issues relevant to society.

"We want to let people know what is going on in their backyards," said Sarah Haynes, president of Spitfire agency, the group putting on the tour.

The idea for the tour came from activist and best-selling author Julia Butterfly Hill, who gained notoriety by inhabiting a 200-foot redwood tree for two years to prevent it from being cut down by loggers.

Hill said the tour includes a combination of discussion and music about issues plaguing the environment, no matter how inconsequential they seem.

"People are really hungry for a message, other than what they see on TV," Hill said.

Hill said the mission for the tour is to "redefine cool." It features a lineup of world-famous musicians and activists including Tracy Chapman, Howard Lyman and Ames-based activist Patti McKee. Each of the speakers will emphasize the importance of local activism.

Also supporting Hill on the Iowa leg of the tour will be Howard Lyman. Lyman is a fourth-generation Montana farmer who gave up modern farming techniques in favor of using organic methods.

Hill and Lyman will be joined by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman, who will play a short acoustic set after the discussion.

Along with nationally known speakers, Omar Tesdell, senior in journalism and mass communication, will be speaking on Sunday. Tesdell, who co-founded Time for Peace, an organization committed to education and action through non-violence, will discuss local social activism.

"I think at Iowa State, we've got a pretty good level of involvement. People don't realize how much is in their control," said Tesdell, who is a columnist for the Daily. "It doesn't have to be a certain issue -- we can all effect change, regardless of the cause."

Hill said she does not want the tour to be labeled an environmental tour, because they will focus on other issues as well.

Two topics in store for Sunday's event are the large quantities of herbicides and pesticides being used on America's produce.

"Healthy, organic food is the right of all people," Hill said.

Hill said they decided the tour was relative now because of events taking place in our world.

"We are dropping bombs on Iraq under the guise of stopping terrorism when it's about controlling resources," she said. "The soldiers are as much the victims as the people of Iraq."

To prove their point, Hill and her guests are touring the country in a bus fueled by vegetable oil. In addition to eliminating pollution, Hill feels it is supporting farmers instead of the government.

Hill said the need for the tour also stemmed from the fact that it is an election year.

"We need to get rid of people who put corporate interest over public trust," Hill said.

The message of the tour is to get people involved in their world by doing anything possible to make it better.

"Each one of us makes a difference in this world," Hill said. "We're being sold a lie, creating a culture of people whose life is about what we can buy."

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