Greening the Music Industry

By: Megan McLaughlin

Everyone loves music; even if you only like one or two bands or artists, there’s no way you’ve never bought a CD. The software and recording industries create CDs in mass quantities and it's not always the most environmentally sound process. A lot of waste is created when manufacturing CDs. Organizations like The Green Disc Project and Reverb, are searching for solutions and finding ways to create CDs in a more environmentally friendly way.

The Green Disc Project was created to find an alternative to CD production that will work with the environment, not against it. According to The Green Disc Project, “Excessive CD and DVD manufacturing has produced an over abundance of harmful chemicals in landfills which is contributing to the demise of the Earth and Environment.” The Green Disc Project, offers customers in the business of creating CD or DVD products an earth friendly, secure solution to an otherwise costly environmentally damaging practice. Once of these companies is Polymer Reprocessor. They recycle 100% of a CD package for use in new applications.

Another organization, Reverb, works with some of your favorite artists and provides many services for music events. They, “Reverb educates and engages musicians and their fans to promote environmental sustainability.” Some of their services include carbon neutral concerts and venues, eco-friendly merchandise, green bus supplies and cleaners and energy efficiency in general. An interesting fact about concerts, provided by Reverb, is that, “Over 80% of a concert’s CO2 footprint is from fans’ commute.” An example of how Reverb is doing wonders for the environment through the music world; “Barenaked Ladies Fans neutralized 8.5 MILLION miles of driving in past 6 months through Fan Offset Program.”

Reverbs 2008 projects included the John Mayer Rock Cruise concert and Summer Tour, The Honda Civic Tour featuring Panic at the Disco, the Maroon 5 and Counting Crows Summer Tour, the Kelly Clarkson Spring Tour and many more. They have been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard and Newsweek.

Although we don’t have immediate control over the greening of manufacturing CDs and organizing major concert events, we do have the power to support groups like The Green Disc Project and Reverb. Attend an event that Reverb sponsors or just be aware that they exist. It just goes to show how many ways we really can take part in greening the future of our earth.