The following piece was written by one of our interns, Meg Cunningham:
In my opinion, there's nothing better than hearing music live. Seeing your favorite band play with the hopes that they might revisit some old songs, the experience of the lights, theatrics, and being surrounded by other fanatics - it's what makes concerts so enjoyable.
But from an environmental standpoint, it gets overwhelming when you think about all the non-recycled bottles, paper plates, plastic cups, and overpriced merchandise that is overlooked at the different venues. It gets depressing when you realize that this action is repeated nearly five times a week when bands tour through the city.
Luckily, Guster’s lead vocalist/guitarist, Adam Gardner, and wife, Lauren Sullivan, have decided to change the way the music industry approaches the environment. By founding the non-profit organization, REVERB, they have been able to connect with many mainstream bands and artists to educate them and their fans on the importance of conserving while on tour.
Some of the services REVERB offers are connecting tour buses with biodiesel and bio-gradable catering utensils, recycling bottles and cans, providing green merchandise such as old guitar strings to be used as necklaces, and educating the fans about sustainable living in their “Eco-Village” camps.
However, as much good as REVERB does for the many bands it partners up with, there is an aspect of touring that even the band can't control: pollution. According to REVERB's website, nearly 80% of the CO2 footprint produced while a band is on tour can be traced to the fans. In an effort to reduce the amount of CO2 released by traveling fans, REVERB works closely with groups like The Barenaked Ladies and The Dave Matthews Band to promote their Fans Carbon Offset Programs. The bands promote online awareness and encourage their fans to carpool or take advantage of public transportation whenever possible. The program will also sell eco-friendly merchandise with proceeds going towards REVERB and other eco-conscious programs.
But from an environmental standpoint, it gets overwhelming when you think about all the non-recycled bottles, paper plates, plastic cups, and overpriced merchandise that is overlooked at the different venues. It gets depressing when you realize that this action is repeated nearly five times a week when bands tour through the city.
Luckily, Guster’s lead vocalist/guitarist, Adam Gardner, and wife, Lauren Sullivan, have decided to change the way the music industry approaches the environment. By founding the non-profit organization, REVERB, they have been able to connect with many mainstream bands and artists to educate them and their fans on the importance of conserving while on tour.
Some of the services REVERB offers are connecting tour buses with biodiesel and bio-gradable catering utensils, recycling bottles and cans, providing green merchandise such as old guitar strings to be used as necklaces, and educating the fans about sustainable living in their “Eco-Village” camps.
However, as much good as REVERB does for the many bands it partners up with, there is an aspect of touring that even the band can't control: pollution. According to REVERB's website, nearly 80% of the CO2 footprint produced while a band is on tour can be traced to the fans. In an effort to reduce the amount of CO2 released by traveling fans, REVERB works closely with groups like The Barenaked Ladies and The Dave Matthews Band to promote their Fans Carbon Offset Programs. The bands promote online awareness and encourage their fans to carpool or take advantage of public transportation whenever possible. The program will also sell eco-friendly merchandise with proceeds going towards REVERB and other eco-conscious programs.
3 comments:
Wow, you never really think of how much damage concerts can do to the environment! While it sound like there is no easy solution, it's great the REVERB is working to try cut down on this as much as possible.
Solid posting. Definitely check out our Greening Sites for DMB (http://www.reverbrock.org/dmb/) and John Mayer (http://www.reverbrock.org/johnmayer) that just went live.
And definitely contact us if you'd ever like to volunteer at the Eco-Village when one of our sponsored tours rolls through Philly.
Cheers,
Elliott from the Reverb Crew
Thanks, Elliott. We'd definitely like to get involved at an Eco-Village and it would be great to connect with you all in general to chat more about green resources and tips. It sounds like we could learn a lot from REVERB for our film project. If you don't mind, shoot me an email when you get a chance: info@futureweathermovie.com.
Cheers!
Jenny
Producer-Director, Future Weather
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