Freddie Mercury, eco-pioneer?
AP Photo/Fabrice Coffrini
Sure, Queen is still around long after Freddie Mercury's death— even touring with Paul Rodgers as front man—but one of the good things about being my age is that I got to experience classic rock before it was called "classic." Case in point: Seeing Queen live at New York's Beacon Theater on the Night at the Opera tour. Unbeknownst to my fellow Freddie fanatics at the time, the British rockers had a hidden agenda: when I played my Queen albums backwards, I could hear this, as clear as a bicycle bell:
"Write for Planet Green. Save the eco-system. Write for Planet Green. Save the eco-system."
WATCH VIDEO: Check Out "Instrumental"
While Freddie Mercury's legacy lives on through his amazing music and through projects like building an orphanage for kids affected by HIV/AIDS in Khayletisha, Cape Town, all these years later, I'd like to share the covert eco-messages I received from one of rock's greatest acts.
6 Eco-Lessons from Freddie Mercury and Queen
1. Another One Bites the Dust
With over 100 plant and animal species going extinct each day, this song is clearly about extinction.
Freddie sez: Learn more about how you can reverse this trend
2. You Take My Breath Away
Nothing takes our breath away like man-made air pollution.
Freddie sez: See "Bicycle Race" below
3. Liar
Planet Earth is begging for help but the liars out there are claiming climate change is a hoax.
Freddie sez: Learn how to talk to deniers
4. Bicycle Race
The greenest transportation option: Choose two wheels, not four.
Freddie sez: Get on your bikes and ride...
5. Keep Yourself Alive
Going green is the best way to ensure the future of our species and our eco-system.
Freddie sez: Recognize the urgency of our situation
6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
If we love ourselves, our fellow humans, and all living creatures, it becomes impossible to stand by and allow this crisis to continue.
Freddie sez: Connect with others and nature
