Billboard.com just released their annual Top 10 list of musical artists who are doing their best to make a difference on environmental issues.  Some of them are surprising, others aren’t, but it’s great to see the diversity of initiatives that are being spearheaded.

Leading the list is Jack Johnson who has not only helped contstruct a new recording studio insulated with denim and powered by solar panels, but on his tours has gone as far as requiring show venues to reduce waste and recycle, emphasize locally grown and organic foods, and fuel the tour’s trucks and coaches with biodiesel, probably supplied by Willie Nelson himself.

That’s right, the outlaw country singer is number two on the list with his BioWillie biodesel fuel brand already being sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, California and Tennessee.  His latest project includes the biggest “Green” truck stop in the United States that will also feature, among 26 gas pumps, two restaurants, a saloon, gift shop, performance hall and an XM Satellite radio station to boot.

Other artists on this year’s Green list include Radiohead, Mana, Pearl Jam, The Dave Matthews Band and KT Tunstall.

Usher continues to make headlines as he became just the second artist this year to top the 400,000 sales mark, moving 443,000 copies of Here I Stand to take the top spot. That figure trails only the 463,000-unit bow that Mariah Carey enjoyed in back in April with the release of her E=MC2 album. Still, that doesn’t compare to Usher’s previous album debut which initially sold 1.1 million copies.  Makes you wonder on the effectivness of digital downloads…

On the “smacking-my-head-against-the-desk-because-I-can’t-believe-they-are-making-a-reality-show-out-of-this” news bin, rapper T.I. is headed to a TV screen near you with an MTV reality series that will chronicle his everyday life.

The show will document the time period between his recent house arrest release through his return to jail in early 2009. He told EW.com, “The show basically documents the road of redemption that I’ll be traveling the next few months. I think it will be a great way for people to get to know me as a person, not just someone that you read about and see on TV. It will show that I’m someone who made a mistake, but I’m in no way going to let that define me or my future. I’m going to accept responsibility and stand up and move forward.”

His new album, Paper Trail, drops in August.