Linkin Park Brings Light to Haiti

Linkin Park, the Grammy Award-winning band from Agoura Hills, is looking to bring solar powered light to Haiti this holiday season as part of the United Nations’ 2012 International Year of Sustainable Energy for All campaign, according to the web site Defend Haiti.

“We chose Haiti for this project because the country faces severe energy poverty,” Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park’s lead vocalist, told defend.ht.com. "There are 34 million people in the Western Hemisphere who have no access to modern energy; 8 million of them are in Haiti. By helping Haiti the group can make a huge impact."

According to the web site, with a donation of $10 made to Power The World, one solar light bulb will be donated to a family who lives without electricity. Since Haitians have to rely on candlelight or kerosene for light, such light bulbs provide renewable energy and reduce health and fire risks, said the site

"More than 1.3 billion people live without electricity worldwide, so through this campaign Linkin Park is asking to not only provide light, but help clinics provide medical services after the sun sets and give light to families so children can study and parents can continue with their work," the site said.

Defend.ht.com reports that on Nov. 8, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon welcomed members of the band to the UN Headquarters in New York, where they announced their commitment to support the universal energy initiative to give all access by 2030.

According to the site, Secretary-General Ban said during a press briefing, “I don’t know much about rock music. I stopped listening after Elvis! But this much I do know: bands such as Linkin Park reach tens of millions of people.”