Let's hand it to Al Gore: Last year, he helped the average American [0] become more aware about global warming [0] and climate change.

This year, he's likely to spread the message to the rest of the world.

Yesterday, Gore launched Save Our Selves [1] (SOS) – The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis, and announced a world concert spectacle [2] called Live Earth [3]. It'll be held on seven continents, including Antarctica on 07.07.07.

On July 7, a series of concerts -- scheduled so far in Shanghai, Sydney, Johannesburg, London, Rio, Kyoto, and a city in the U.S. -- will be broadcast via the web, TV and radio. Organizers (the folks behind "Live 8") expect more than two billion people in 120 countries to tune in.

Already, the line-up is impressive; more than 100 acts [4] have signed on. Among them are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, Snow Patrol, the Black-Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, John Mayer, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Fall Out Boy, Pharrell, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Melissa Etheridge, Korn, Fall Out Boy, Akon, Pharrell, Enrique Iglesias, AFI, Damien Rice, Corrine Bailey Rae, and it sounds like that's the just beginning.

Meanwhile, the SOS campaign also seems poised to leverage the event to educate people on how to live a greener life. For instance, 07.07.07 could be designated as no-drive days [5] for several cities.

The concerts themselves will be used to establish a Green Event standard [6], that involves using renewable energy sources for electricity, biodegradable plastics for the snacks from concession stands, sustainable light design practices, air travel through carbon credits, and other steps.

Personally, I believe that awareness is the first step towards change, and pop culture is a great medium to do connect with people. These concerts will reach a staggering number of people and that itself is an amazing feat.

Let's just hope that the concepts -- and not just the music -- make a lasting impression on the audiences.