Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, stirred by the message of 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, wanted to do Fight Climate Change to improve the world.
Last week, David Gilmour auctioned off his personal guitars, including the black Fender Stratocaster that used to create Dark Side of the Moon and Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
He said goodbye to the 12-string Martin behind Wish You Were Here. In all, he raised $21.5 million and donated the amount to Fight Climate Change.
He gave the proceeds from the most valuable auction of musical instruments in history to a nonprofit that fights climate change.
“The global climate crisis is the greatest challenge that humanity will ever face,” Gilmour tweeted. “We need a civilized world that goes on for all our grandchildren and beyond in which these guitars can be played and songs can be sung.” And then, in a video, he strummed a placid instrumental.
Gilmour donated to a charity called ClientEarth, which takes legal steps to combat climate change.
His grand gesture, applauded worldwide, may have a broader impact, persuading others to swap their mementos for cash to help solve our climate emergency.
The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years, there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human civilization.
Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that changing the amount of solar energy our planet receives.
Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on a global scale. This body of data, collected over many years, reveals the signals of a changing climate.
Readers, what ideas do you have for those of us who don’t have $21.5 million in guitars to help fight climate change? Please write in the comment section.
Image credits: David Gilmour