Ten Ways to Be a More Environmentally Responsible Musician October 15
Today is Blog Action Day 2009. This is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Their aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion. This year’s topic is climate change.
We all try to make small changes in our lives to be kinder to the earth. As musicians, there are plenty of things we can do within that realm to be environmentally responsible. Here are ten things I came up with. If you have more ideas, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
Power Your Tour Bus with Biodiesel OK…you probably don’t have a tour bus. Some musicians who do, like Michael Franti, have taken this step to reduce the carbon footprint related to constant touring. If you’re just a small band driving across the state, you can still make a difference. If the drummer’s car has the best gas mileage (and still fits all of your gear), take that instead of the singer’s gas guzzler.
Write A Song About Mother Earth Jimi Hendrix once said “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”
Back in 1971, Marvin Gaye included the song Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) on his “What’s Going On” album. If you’re taken in by the soft melodies of this tune, you might miss the weight of Gaye’s lyrics, including “Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury” and “Radiation under ground and in the sky…Animals and birds who live nearby are dying.” This was nearly 40 years ago.
The Wiley One, a Phoenix band, has just released a song called Go Green. This is another band that powers their tour bus with biodiesel. A great example of living what you preach. You can download Go Green at the iTunes Store. Here’s a great list of other songs written about the environment.
Just Say No To Aqua-Net If you’re primping for your Friday night gig in your ‘80s cover band (or perhaps you’re still stuck in the ‘80s!), please lay off the aerosol can. I know you need your bangs to stand at attention through the third encore, but chances are some Dippity-do will keep your hair reaching for the stars, and do less damage to the ozone.
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