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This is what a green musician looks like.
Courtesy of Ryan Mintz
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When your eco-system belongs on the endangered species list, every choice is under evaluation. Even making music—something that typically brings joy and inspiration to the world—cannot be taken for granted. That's where musicians like Ryan Mintz come in. A self-described "vegetarian, car-free, recycling eco-freak," Mintz approaches his music career with the same set of values.
Through his songs, his car-free touring, his community building, his public speaking, and his upcoming book, Ryan Mintz is giving life to his mission: that his green message will spread through the music industry like a #1 single, so musicians can help the planet live in hi-fi organic harmony.
Ryan and I recently had a chat about his passion for all things green and musical.
WATCH VIDEO: "Instrumental" on Planet Green
My Conversation With Ryan Mintz
Planet Green: Assuming you identified as a musician before you went green, I'm curious to know if there was an "a-ha" moment for you in terms of recognizing the urgency of our environmental issues and deciding to blend this issue with your music...or did it evolve slowly?
Ryan Mintz: Actually, the environmentalist came first. It started back in 7th grade when my science teacher explained how the rainforests were disappearing, and helped us organized a car wash to raise funds for the forests! Since then, I've evolved slowly into more and more eco-conscious choices. I started recycling in my teens before there was curbside pickup, I became vegetarian and car-free in my 20s, I started shopping at a local food co-op in my 30s, and this year I finally got in the habit of buying thrift store clothes. For me, it's all about keeping an eye on the environmental news, staying informed, and then trying to make as many life changes as possible without driving myself crazy. So when I started making music professionally, there was a very clear conflict: How can I do this without wrecking the planet? It's such an engrained part of my daily decision-making, that I couldn't NOT consider the environmental effect.
PG: What was the catalyst for introducing your green ethic into your music?
RM: The first time it came up was when I made my first EP in 2006. I wanted very simple packaging, just a clear plastic sleeve, as that was the cheapest option. But after hours and hours of Googling, I couldn't find a single recycled plastic CD sleeve. And since plastic comes from petroleum, I felt awful about this. For my next project, my first full-length CD in 2007, I was determined to do better. Again, it took hours and hours of research, phone calls, and logistics to pull it off. But ultimately I pulled together 3 different vendors for a package that had 100% reused jewel cases, 100% post-consumer recycled paper booklets, and vegetable-based inks. I also purchased carbon offsets and wind credits to make it a carbon-neutral, wind-powered project. I wanted to cross every T.
PG: Have you seen green changes in the music industry since that time?
RM: Nowadays, it's much easier, as duplication houses now offer MANY eco-friendly packaging solutions. And they've become much more affordable in the last year or two, to the point where they're now competitive with the conventional packaging. I've even seen some deals where the eco-packaging is CHEAPER than standard jewel cases. It's really incredible to see how far it's come!
PG: Can you give us what you'd consider to be the 5 greenest popular music acts?
RM: I'd say the 5 greenest music acts today are Jack Johnson, Melissa Etheridge, Radiohead, Guster, and Cloud Cult. But there are tons more acts doing amazing things, so I almost feel bad limiting it to 5! And for your readers interested in hearing it from the pros, Billboard magazine regularly features a "Top 10" list of green musicians in their annual green issue, on newsstands each April.
PG: Touring in a green manner has to be challenging, right? Any suggestions?
RM: There's lots of exciting things going on with green touring. Just in the last 2 years, I've met indie artists who are touring by veggie car, hybrid, bicycle, train, and rideshares. And the bigger acts are greening themselves with biodiesel tour buses, eco-friendly LED stage lighting, and carbon offsets. But surprisingly, it's the fan travel that makes the most pollution by far, not the artists themselves. Think of it this way... there's much more of them traveling to a show than us. So there's also been some interesting work by bands, music festivals, and nonprofits to encourage fan carpooling, whether that's via priority parking spots, discounts and freebies, or rideshare websites to facilitate the process.
PG: How about 5 suggestions for Planet Green readers who may be musicians?
RM:
- Use eco-friendly packaging. Switching to recycled cardboard wallets can cut up to 95% of your packaging's carbon footprint.
- Tour greenly. Try taking the bus or carpooling for one of your tour dates this year. It cuts your CO2 and your gas bill!
- Print on recycled paper. Whether it's business cards, tour posters, or club cards, find a green printer who uses soy inks.
- Download cards. Using 50 times less materials than CDs, download cards can be a great way to release a promo tune or EP.
- Carbon offset. When all else fails, you can always purchase CO2 offsets to carbon neutralize your tours, recording projects, and even your home studio!
PG: I can see why you're writing a book. You have a lot of helpful information to share and it might be best compiled in one place. What's your book's title and what can readers expect?
RM: It's called The Green Musician: The Industry's Guide to Sustainability. Because I had such a hard time figuring out how to be a green musician, I wanted to make it easy for others! Readers can expect a one-stop, go-to source for greening all aspects of our industry, with easy steps, tons of resources, and encouraging advice to make it all feel possible. I'm really excited to give green-minded music professionals a way to act! Readers can pre-order it at TheGreenMusician.com.
Links for Harmony
The Top 20 Eco-Songs of All Time
The Hard Rain Project: Bob Dylan's Classic Song and the Struggle to Stop Climate Change
