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Dear musicians,
I understand your affinity for touring. As a musician, I know that nothing quite compares to the thrill of playing a live show and doing so consecutively for weeks on end is even more thrilling. With the music industry being in the state it is (very, very poor), touring is one of the only ways to make money these days as a musician. Since so many people have grown partial to downloading music instead of buying cds (and really, this is a good thing when you think about the environmental repercussions of cd-production and decomposition), getting paid for live performances and earning money through on-site merchandise sales seem to be the best income-generators for musicians these days. So tour. But make sure you're touring as green as you can.
- Choose an eco-friendly vehicle
Electric and solar-powered vans are now on the market. They are still, however, pricey. (Which doesn't mean they aren't worth the investment, by the way.) But if you can't afford to invest in one of these vehicles, consider the following: You can convert your van to run on vegetable oil/bio diesel. - Book your tour wisely
All too often I come across musicians whose tours make no sense. Whether you're working with a booking agent or scheduling your tour yourself, make your dates and locations make as much sense as possible. Why drive from Boston to DC and then New York? Make a point not to back track and try to book your shows within hours of each other to avoid unnecessarily long drives. - Ditch the bottled water
Tons of musicians I know are in the habit of keeping cases of bottled water in their vans while on tour. Don't do this. Instead, keep a reusable bottle around for each person on tour and keep a jug in the car that can be refilled at rest stop water fountains.
- Eat greener
Many touring musicians have adopted poor eating habits while on the road. Stopping for fast food isn't only bad for your body, but it produces way more waste than necessary. Schedule time to stop at grocery stores once every few days instead. This way you can stock up on healthy food choices that come without packaging, like fruits and veggies, and you'll be stopping for food less often. - Keep track of your gear
There's nothing green about needing to re-purchase all of your gear if it's stolen, right? While we hate to imagine our gear being stolen, the fact of the matter is that it (sadly) happens all of the time, so keep an eye on your stuff as much as humanly possible. But, if you have the serial numbers written down for everything you've got, the police will have a shot at tracking down your gear if it's stolen. Most stolen gear is later turned into a pawn shop or music store for cash or exchange. If the local pawn shops and music stores know which serial numbers to watch out for, you'll have a good chance at getting your stolen gear back and saving yourself the money involved in replacing gear. - Print your cds and merchandise responsibly
Luckily for all of us eco-minded musicians, more and more companies these days are offering green printing options. From cd packaging to t-shirts, we can promote our music and make money doing so with great eco-options. - Avoid the standard hotel
Most touring musicians have crashing with friends in towns along the way down to a science: this is probably a greener option than staying in a hotel. However, if you are going to stay in a hotel, try to find one that employs eco-friendly practices.
Touring can be a pretty anti-environment practice if approached the traditional way. Following these seven tips, however, will help to green up your touring experience in no time.
More on being a green musician:
How To Reuse Your Concert Bracelets
