Tracy Chapman will perform at Pease Auditorium

We The Planet is a two-month-long tour to raise environmental awareness.
As Julia "Butterfly" Hill ascended atop a 1000-year-old redwood tree in December of 1997, she wasn't merely climbing a tree.

She began a movement that successfully imposed upon the anticipated destruction of the Headwaters Forest, home to Northern California's most ancient and scarce redwoods.

Hill was the "queen pin" among hundreds of activists exercising civil disobedience as a means of protest against The Pacific Lumber Company, which was hired to log the forest.

Despite fear, grueling winters and harassment, Hill vowed to live on a platform installed into the tree named Luna until they (Pacific Lumber) agreed to spare Luna along with the remaining portion of the endangered forest. 738 days later, they did.

Hill's foot didn't touch the ground until after a deal was proposed that ultimately spared the sacred forest.

Afterward, Hill founded the Circle of Life Foundation, a group focused on raising critical awareness of global issues, presenting and discussing solutions to improve the condition of our world today and simply redefining the meaning of "cool."

"Why is everything good for us considered the alternative?" Hill said. "More than ever, people are realizing that consciousness is cool."

The commencement of Circle of Life will be celebrated with a daylong festival dubbed "We The Planet."

An event powered solely by bio-diesel fuel generators and solar panels, We The Planet was held this past April in San Francisco and featured popular acts such as De La Soul, Alanis Morissette and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In response to the concert's overwhelming success, We The Planet has now launched into a two-month-long nation-wide tour that has presented a plethora of well-known celebrities such as Alicia Silverstone, Alice Walker and Woody Harrelson, to name a few.

Courtesy of a special invitation from Campus Life, WTP will spread their eco-friendly vibes at Eastern Michigan's campus at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Pease Auditorium. The event is free, but tickets are required.

This event will feature discussions from Hill herself, agribusiness activist Howard Lyman, local environmental activists and a brief acoustic set by Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman, who is most recognized for her 1988 hit single "Fast Car."

Traveling on a unique bus powered strictly by vegetable oil and bio-diesel fuel, WTP has made immense efforts to remain organic. They have arranged for all promotional materials to be printed on recycled paper and for all event food to be either organic or vegan.

Student opinions regarding the anticipated outcome of WTP has illuminated both sides of the spectrum.

"The majority of the people on campus probably don't recognize most of the people on the tour, and most people only respond to mainstream celebrities or party themes. Since this is an environmental issue, it will draw less attention," said Jonathan Desir of Redford.

"I think that anything that can raise awareness is positive," said Rachel Ungarter of Canton, who is co-coordinator of the student-based organization GREEN (Gathering Resources to Educate about our Environment and Nature). "This is definitely something that has an opportunity to raise a lot of awareness."

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