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We all count on our favorite musicians for entertainment, but an increasing number of them are using the limelight to trumpet their favorite green causes. From biodiesel buses to wind-powered electric guitars and tele-conferenced concerts, there are more ways than ever for musicians to lend their voice to the green world. Here are just a few of our favorites.
Radiohead made waves recently when they stayed home for a performance. No, they didn't cancel a show; instead, they telecommuted for a performance on Conan O'Brien's show, deciding to stay at home in London and "telecommute" rather than hop the pond for the gig. The result of zapping their act? A reduction in carbon emissions equal to taking a car off the road for an entire year. Add to that the band's other efforts to reduce their ecological footprint and frontman Thom Yorke's outspoken attempts to inspire positive change, and Radiohead can safely add "Green Groundbreakers" to their list of accolades.
Cloud Cult hasn't garnered the big-time recognition of a band like Radiohead, but they're a great example of a band that's green because they really believe in it. The Minnesota-based band is led by Craig Minowa, who, when not busy writing, recording and touring with the band, is a scientist for the Organic Consumers Association, so he really knows his stuff. Disappointed by the options available elsewhere, Craig started his own record label, Earthology Records, which along with the band's studio (and Minowa's home) is located on a small organic farm in Northern Minnesota, is powered by geothermal power and wind energy, and the recording studio is built from recycled and salvaged materials. Cloud Cult CD inserts and print materials are on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and printed with non-toxic soy inks by a local, family-owned print shop. Cloud Cult's CD shrink-wrap is not the industry standard toxic PVC; instead, they are packaging all of their materials in a 100% earth-friendly shrink-wrap, made of non-toxic biodegradable corn cellulose. On tour, the band offsets all of its energy use through renewable energy credits, its van runs on biodiesel and even boasts solar panels on the roof, and also plants trees to offset the shipping and other resource depletion incurred when producing their albums. Oh, and Cloud Cult donates all profits, after expenses, to environmental charity work.
Kelley Stoltz, a San Francisco-based singer-songwriter, may not have his own record label, but what he did inspired his label to follow his lead. Kelley was the first artist to record an album with 100% renewable energy; he crunched some numbers, figured out what it cost to run his home studio, and picked up some renewable energy credits equal to what he used. The hipsters at Sub Pop Records were so impressed, they did the same thing for the entire company. Who knew going green could be so cool?
This is just a small taste of the green efforts going on in the world of music, but the point is the same for them all: anyone going green deserves your support. Tell them you like what they're doing by going to see them when they come to your town, or by picking up (or downloading, legally, of course) their records when they come out. It's a win-win: you can consume more good music, and the planet can be a little better off.
Difficulty level: Easy
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