And All That Jazz

We are in a jazz band called In Black. We are Carson, Christian, Langston, Lati, and Lauren, and we're all ages 14 to 16.

In Black is a youth jazz band trying to save the world. More realistically, we are trying to reach people throughout California by giving them easy, individual solutions and attracting them to us through our music. That's what the Solutions Tour is all about. We hope to convince everyone to contribute to solving the problems of climate change, including ourselves! We are all still working toward being as green as possible, and each of our families is trying to come to it in their own way. But, hopefully, we'll all end up at the same place. We'd also like to hear what everyone's ideas are about solutions to climate change. That's why we have our Solutions Form, which people can fill out to tell us their solutions to global warming. We'll post as many as possible on our website, as well as some on Grist. If anyone wants to send us their ideas for solving the problem, .

The Solutions Tour is our major project right now; that and just being teenagers and students. We're starting to think about college; band members Christian and Langston are the closest to going away to college, and they are getting more serious about choosing which college and what major. Other than that, our major projects involve just learning as much as we can and having a good time doing it.

We are all independent study/homeschooled, except for Lauren, who was homeschooled but now attends a Waldorf high school. We have many activities and classes. Langston, Christian, and Carson have been taking classes at Santa Rosa Junior College. So, to get to these places, we all carpool or use public transportation as much as we can. Lati, along with her entire family, uses biofuel. The other three families are considering going to biofuel or a hybrid, but it involves the purchase of a new car, so they're all still looking into it. Lati's family is definitely leading the way.

Carson, Langston, Christian, and Lauren were born in California. Lati was born in Indonesia. All currently live in Sonoma County, in Northern California.

As a group, we all feel that the most infuriating event against the environment was when Marin County, the county between Sonoma County and San Francisco, voted against a proposition that would have established a train running all the way from San Francisco to the northern part of Sonoma County. This was just a year or two ago. The proposition passed in Sonoma County, but lost by a couple of points in Marin County. This would have saved countless gallons of gas, removed tons of CO2 emissions, and made transportation to San Francisco much less of a hassle. It's ridiculous, because the track is already laid, all the way at least through Mendocino County, and there are even existing depots that are just sitting there, unused. We played at the San Francisco Zoo on Earth Day this year, and someone in the audience told us that long ago, when the Bay Area Rapid Transit was being built, Marin wouldn't allow BART to stop there, and that's why there is no BART service in Marin County. It's really shortsighted.

Al Gore, for creating an effective way of informing people about the problems of climate change.

We use our heaters in the winter, during heavy -- and cold -- rains. And, of course, our families driving non-alternative-fuel cars (all but Lati, that is). But that will change, hopefully, within the next year.

Locally grown, organic strawberries.

We believe that stereotypes lead people to judge without cause -- but if we had to pick one, it would be that we avoid listening to anybody else and talk as much as we can. Loudly. (This is just a joke. We only do this to our families. Also a joke -- really!)

Tahoe, for the snow -- which is disappearing as temperatures and CO2 emissions continue to rise.

We would have everyone use biodiesel.

Well, none of us is 18 yet! But as of right now, it's hard to pick just one. But probably it would be Herbie Hancock, because he has had such a big influence on jazz and wrote many of our favorite songs. Also, Lauren loves Elvis, and we all tease her about that.

Well, we probably couldn't agree on a favorite movie, but the one that has had the most impact on us all has to be An Inconvenient Truth (obviously).

Carson: Alan Alda.

We would have you turn off your lights, right now, and turn your computer off. And blow up your car, using gasoline from the U.S. And shoot your TV. Please.