Sustainable Sounds

With bands selling out stadiums and festivals in full swing all over the UK, we explore the new trend for sustainable tours and events that reduce their impact on the environment.

The British summer is a fantastic time for music fans. Not only do some of the world’s greatest bands pack their bags for lengthy tours, but festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds bring together hundreds of thousands of people to stand in a field and enjoy the latest sounds.

But while the act of listening to music is a simple and longstanding human pleasure, the environmental impacts of large tours, festivals and production can be huge. Whether it’s transport, energy use, merchandise, vinyl records or even plastic glasses, music can come at a big cost to the environment. Fortunately, it’s something that many bands are aware of and are doing something about it.

1. Lowering Transport Emissions

For the world’s top bands, a tour often means at least a year of travel around the world, not just for those in the band but also the many people employed to set up the equipment, sort the sound and lights, and organise every aspect of a successful tour night after night. Travel can be the largest source of carbon emissions so artists such as Coldplay and Billie Eilish have brought in ways to reduce these emissions including the use of electric and biodiesel-powered vehicles, plus more efficient tour plans that cut down on the amount of travel required.

1. Eco-Friendly Venues

As one of the world’s largest and most famous festivals, Glastonbury has a long history of sustainability and has a large number of measures in place to reduce its impact on the environment. These include composting toilets, a ban on single-use plastics, all energy coming from renewable sources, and significant donations to environmental charities. Many other festivals and venues are now following its lead and have introduced initiatives such as reusable cups, carbon offsetting and environmental education.

1. Sustainable Merchandise

While merchandise is often a significant source of revenue for a band, it can be damaging to the environment because of its materials, packaging and production methods. However, many bands now use organic cotton, recycled materials and biodegradable packaging to minimise its impact. In addition, bands are producing merchandise in smaller batches to prevent overproduction, while some are moving towards on-demand printing and digital-only products. The 1975 even encourage fans to wear old merchandise to cut down on unused clothing.

1. Green Vinyl

With vinyl returning to popularity, there’s an increasing focus on the materials used in records and their packaging. Of course, the cardboard sleeve has sustainability built in, but the use of recycled cardboard plus sustainable inks and production processes has increased that sustainability. The key area for improvement is the record itself, which is traditionally made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a form of plastic that’s very difficult to recycle. However, artists are now exploring new ways to manufacture vinyl records, including the use of recycled materials and bioplastics. Camila Cabello’s first single from her 2024 album ‘I LUV IT’ was even made using sugarcane.

1. Increased Awareness And Activism

Bands and artists have a long history of speaking out about certain issues, whether those issues are political, cultural or environmental, with many donating to causes and charities that work to improve the environment and reduce climate change. Artists such as Billie Eilish have also introduced areas at venues on their tours for fans to connect with local organizations to enable them to find out more about what they do and how they can help.

To find out more about Billie Eilish and her sustainability initiatives, go to www.shopuk.billieeilish.com/pages/sustainability