As regular gig-goers here at Bring The Noise UK, we love to experience the thrill of live music and to have the opportunity to see some of our favourite artists in the flesh.
However, with the spotlight honed in on climate change and what we can all do as a nation to reduce our carbon footprint, how sustainable are live music events?
Artists including Coldplay and Radiohead have made headlines in recent years for their proactive approach to reduce carbon emissions whilst touring. For instance, Radiohead have championed the use of bio-diesel vehicles to help reduce carbon emissions on tour.
These are all positive steps that the industry are taking. However, the sheer impact of touring alone is colossal. According to a combined study involving Energy5 and The University of Glasgow, approximately 540,000 tons of Greenhouse Gasses are released by the music industry as a whole every year. To put that into perspective, it is the equivalent to 60,000 households over a 12 month period emitting the same amount of gases. The emissions mainly coming from tour vehicles used in the industry.
Many of the problems come from the often relentless touring schedules bands are made to cover, and limited options in terms of sustainable transport. Therefore, the quickest and most direct routes are the ones the artists and crew are forced to take. This usually involves multiple flights and long hours on the road.
A journey that some famous musicians and bands make on a regular basis is to America, often by private jet. However, it terms of the level of carbon emissions this journey produces, it is the equivalent of a 35km daily commute for 12 months in a Toyota Prius. One tonne of C02 emissions per passenger.
Still, there is a long way to go. A study from The Alliance Center states that; “concerts and festivals can require massive amounts of electricity equivalent to the energy consumption of hundreds of households.”
Is it enough to mention climate change in the line of a song? Billy Ellish’s All Good Girls Go To Hell does just that, featuring the consequences of an inactive approach and environmental degradation. Or do artists that tour multiple counties have to commit to doing more to reduce the emissions they make?
Influential figures within the industry are taking the steps to reduce there impact on the planet. Rockers The 1975, are currently using bio-desiel to power the use of tour vehicles and equipment, with climate conscious Radiohead following suit. Further to this, The 1975 have also incorporated additional recycling and waste management systems, with fans often finding designated recycling units at there shows.
Although not directly linked to carbon emissions, famous faces such as Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams are opting for sustainable fashion choices to reduce the impact on waste that fast fashion causes.
It seems that artists and influential figures within the industry are all doing there part to go green. Even if it isn’t a direct approach to climate change, mentioning the problem in lyrics can achieve the right outcome and spread the message that we all need to do our bit for the planet.
Clearly there is a long way to go, but the seeds are being sewn for a greener gig-going experience for current and future generations alike.
Written by: Ben Gilligan
