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While drilling for oil in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest region, Texaco - which merged with Chevron in 2001 - operated without concern for the environment or local residents. The company deliberately dumped billions of gallons of toxic wastewater into rivers and streams, spilled millions of gallons of crude oil, and abandoned hazardous waste in hundreds of unlined open-air pits littered throughout the region. The result is widespread devastation of the rainforest ecosystem and local indigenous communities, and one of the worst environmental disasters in history.

Due to Chevron's toxic contamination of their soil, rivers and streams, and groundwater, local indigenous and campesino communities continue to suffer an epidemic of cancer, birth defects, miscarriages, and other ailments. Chevron has never carried out a meaningful clean up of the mess it is responsible for, and its infrastructure continues to poison the communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

In February 2011, after an 18 year-long David vs. Goliath battle for justice, local people won a judgment against Chevron, with the court in Ecuador ordering the company to pay more than $9 billion to clean up widespread pollution, and provide potable water and health care for affected communities. Unfortunately, while people in the area continue to suffer and die from cancer and other oil-related illness, Chevron has declared that it will fight to avoid paying to clean up its mess "until hell freezes over."

Since 2002, Amazon Watch and our Clean Up Ecuador Campaign has been working with shareholders, consumers, and other concerned people to support justice for the communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

We're trying not to make a habit of it, but this month's update is going to be slightly delayed. Peter is filming his piece at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas Texas today - Peter and the New Blood Orchestra are on stage there this evening, so forget the web and get there for the live full moon experience if you can.

Assuming we can get the WiFi working at the venue the video should be back at Real World soon and then shortly after, available to view...

We'll keep you posted.

Enjoy the show if you are in Dallas.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of The Elders appeared on BBC Radio 4's news program Yesterday announcing a key initiative of The Elders. (You can listen to the piece again below)

The Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke of his intentions to start an alliance against child marriage, after spending time in Ethiopia where many young girls leave school to get married.

Peter, arranger John Metcalfe and conductor Ben Foster spent yesterday talking New Blood in front of 3D cameras from Eagle Rock with comedian David Baddiel on hand to tickle out some of the details.

The interviews will be seeing the light of day around the release of the recently filmed Hammersmith show. Hot from the cameras everyone rushed off to continue packing - New Blood arrives in Berkeley at the start of it's North American journey on Friday - in fact that may be Peter overhead right now.

Photograph: York Tillyer

Congratulations to the winners of our Hot Sound Package competition (see winners below). We will be in touch with further details via email.

Venue	Winners
Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA	Shauna Berquist de Marquez & Reef Roberts
Santa Barbara Bowl Santa Barbara, CA	Sheila Bixler & Pat Beemer
Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO	James Farrelly & Jeffrey Ballard
Verizon Theatre Grand Prairie, TX	Tracy Hemminger & Shelli Pendergrass
Cynthia Woods Pavilion Spring, TX	Alberto Del Vallea & Valentina Castro
Starlight Theatre Kansas City, MO	Theresa Ingram & Amy Clift
United Center Chicago, Il	Christopher Gillespie & Anne Gillespie
Molson Amphitheatre Toronto, ON	John Robbins & Sharon Robbins
Comcast Center Mansfield, MA	Paula R Sirois & Kira Sirois
Susquehanna Bank Center Camden, NJ	Michael Magri & Theresa Magri
Saratoga PAC Saratoga Springs, NY	Carolyn McAuliffe & Chris McAuliffe
Marcus Amphitheatre (Summerfest), WI	Ruta Braziunas & Rita Bieliauskas

Peter will be performing classic songs from his repertoire with his 46-piece orchestra - this is guaranteed to be an intimate and captivating experience.

Some tickets are still available for selected North American dates.