IT would be nice to think that it was the job of the world leaders to take steps to save the planet but, yet again, it looks like it's down to Madonna.

And so it is that the Queen of Pop and pals react to our probable ecological doom with a nice pop concert.

Well, okay, a series of nice pop concerts - seven in fact, taking place in Shanghai, Johannesburg, Sydney, Tokyo, Rio, the US and London.

Instigated by Al Gore, the gigs aim to raise awareness of climate change in the same way that Live Aid raised awareness of famine, only this time they're called Live Earth, which is rather clever because you know, the earth actually is alive - at the time of writing, anyhow.

So far the London line up includes such tree-hugging types as the Black Eyed Peas, Snow Patrol and Duran Duran.

While I am unsure about the environmental ethics of holding seven gigantic music gigs, with all the equipment and travel they will entail, I thoroughly endorse the inclusion of Duran Duran, seeing as it was their combined hairspray emissions of the 1980s which got us into this mess in the first place.

True, it's a bit early to say whether the benefits outweigh the costs, but if watching James Blunt gets a few more people to screw in energy-saving lightbulbs, turn the TV off standby and take the train instead of a plane then I suppose it is worth hearing him warble the godawful lyrics of "You're Beautiful" just one more time. Wearing recyclable earplugs.

One thing's for sure - if life exists on other planets, those aliens are going to be shaking their head in amazement right now at a species who have spent years destroying their home's delicate ecosystem with wanton avarice and now think a bit of singing by Corrine Bailey Ray is what's in order. Still, at least they can eat us when we're barbqued.

Speaking of green matters, a load of old rock and pop stars seem to have got entirely the wrong idea about recycling and have decided to try a spot of make-do-and-mend with their previously-defunct bands.

Week by week, the band names just keep on coming - James, The Police, The Only Ones, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Crowded House have all decided to reform.

It's like TOTP meets Night of the Living Dead.

I can't help feeling that they've all seen the success of Take That's return, heard the distant ker-ching" of merchandise sales, and instantly buried all the really rather good reasons they had for splitting up in the first place. Or perhaps, as they say, it's because they still really love making music. Whatever.

Because that's all very well and good but it is not exactly going to save us from climatic crisis, is it?

Unless, all bands wishing to reform could be forced to sign a contract in which they commit to cycling to all gigs wearing natural hemp bodysuits with miniature wind turbines on their heads.

In which case, can someone get on the phone to G4?