On Tuesday (April 15), numerous individuals from the music sector converged in Hollywood for the second iteration of the Music Sustainability Summit.
Pioneered by the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA), the gathering once more united trailblazers and visionaries across live music, labels, waste management, merchandising, food, design, and production. Discussions and breakout sessions — curated around the event’s theme of “progress through collaboration” — emphasized both the challenges and, more importantly, the numerous existing solutions that can be scaled as the industry confronts the persisting climate crisis impacting touring, events, the supply chain, and the well-being of artists, teams, fans, and the planet.
“Sustainability benefits the Earth and enhances business, and it’s driven by the individuals in this room,” remarked MSA CEO/co-founder Amy Morrison at the day’s outset. “However, we have not completed our mission. There’s additional knowledge to acquire, information to share, and actions to undertake. Let’s face it, this work is becoming increasingly crucial as some political factions retreat from climate commitments and even attempt to sabotage environmental advancements. It falls upon industries like ours to rise up and take charge.”
The day commenced with an inspiring performance by singer and environmental advocate Antonique Smith, followed by an invigorating dialogue with activist Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr., who underscored the necessity for artists to engage authentically with those experiencing the tangible consequences of the climate crisis, rather than merely participating in performative activism. “You must be among the people,” Yearwood Jr. shared with the captivated audience. “This will not only enhance your artistry but will also transform you through the shared experience of the crisis. It will enable you to create exceptional, transcendent art. You will begin crafting not just expressions of sorrow and despair, but potential solutions that could truly alter and preserve this world.
While discussing her efforts in guiding the careers of her children, Billie Eilish and Finneas, towards more sustainable practices and her leadership in the non-profit Support + Feed, Maggie Baird emphasized that the responsibility for driving sustainability should not rest solely on artists.
“Artists can connect with fans effectively, but it’s unfair to expect them to spearhead the initiatives we all need to pursue,” Baird articulated during an intimate discussion about her work. “Ensuring the carbon footprint of their vinyl production, food service, or overall production should not solely fall on artists. If you are in production management, that’s your responsibility. You shouldn’t require an artist’s concern to motivate you to care. I believe that’s where we’ve misstepped.”
The day’s discussions provided invaluable insights into the various avenues the music industry can explore to enhance sustainability and contribute to humanity’s greatest challenge. Panel topics included live music emissions in the U.S. and U.K., the significance of menu considerations at venues, the developing clean energy sector, strategies being adopted in film, sports, and live theater, sustainability in contractual agreements, and more.
Here are five insights gleaned from the conference.
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The Music Industry Could Embrace Sustainability Through Enhanced Planning
During a session addressing production’s role in promoting sustainability, the dialogue concentrated on the significance of planning, highlighting how hasty processes lead to decreased sustainability.
“It’s the timeline that undermines us,” Mickey Curbishley, president of live productions at Solotech, which hosted the event, stated. “[When] everything is finalized at the last second, we resort to air-freighting rather than sea-freighting, or we prioritize air transportation over truck deliveries. This approach is extremely expensive, not only in financial terms but environmentally as well.”
Curbishley went on to stress the necessity of ensuring that every decision-maker in a production understands “that each choice they make carries consequences… I’m uncertain how many artists comprehend that the decisions they endorse have ramifications beyond their personal interests. There’s no fault in that; we’re not accusing anyone of ignorance, but we have a duty to continually remind individuals about the outcomes of their choices, whether it pertains to the products they select [or] the timelines they establish.”
The discourse referenced the logistics of transporting equipment for tours from China to Europe, with Curbishley noting that although air transport is faster, it produces 2.5 times more emissions than shipping by sea. “The sea container will cost $15,000 and take several weeks,” he pointed out. “A 747 will cost $1.5 million… and those expenses will inevitably be reflected in ticket prices.”
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Waste Poses Significant Challenges But Boasts Numerous Solutions
A breakout session focused on waste management during concerts and festivals raised several noteworthy points about the strategies producers implement to manage substantial amounts of waste. Erik Distler, vice president of sustainability at AEG, highlighted that the company’s Crypto.com Arena, which holds 20,000 capacity in downtown Los Angeles, employs a dedicated sorting team that examines every bag of waste generated during its 250 annual events, categorizing it into recycling, reuse, waste, and compost streams. He also mentioned that the venue is obligated to provide organic waste (i.e., compost materials) following the enactment of SB 1383, a state law mandating organic waste collection services for all Californians and businesses.
Moderated by Michael Martin, the founder of the reuse company r.World, the panel featured Donna Westmoreland, COO of I.M.P., who discussed the difficulties encountered in managing the portfolio of venues, including Merriweather Post Pavilion. When queried, she pointed out that, in terms of genre, indie rock fans are the most engaged with venue reuse programs, while country fans show the least participation, with other genres falling somewhere in between. “The drunkenness of a customer severely impacts their likelihood to participate,” she added.
Westmoreland also expressed that backstage waste management remains a significant hurdle. “One of our main difficulties has been encouraging crews to refrain from the habit of discarding water bottles carelessly,” she explained. “We’re striving to present a selection where they can pick their preferred water bottle style—whether it’s a pour, a straw, or a squeeze. It will carry the 9:30 Club branding, and hopefully, they’ll use them. However, this is quite a challenge.”
Distler underscored that artists play a crucial role in driving changes at venues, citing Jack Johnson as an example of an artist who stipulated that he would only perform at AEG’s Cali Vibes festival if specific sustainability measures were enacted. “Artists wield substantial influence,” Distler emphasized. “[Johnson’s team] didn’t dictate our actions, but they participated in the initial discussions, prompting us to present our plans. That allowed us to address everything from energy efficiency and water use to artist involvement and management … the artist’s effect is critical.”
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Merch Provides Significant Opportunities for Artists to Enhance Sustainability
A panel discussing the reimagining of merchandise examined how artists can select sustainably sourced materials to provide fans with durable, memorable items that won’t end up in landfills.
Jillian Clark, founder/CEO of Roboro, elaborated on the company’s collaboration with Chappell Roan to shift her current merchandise towards more sustainable and ethically sourced options.
“One of her primary goals was to greatly enhance her fans’ experience,” Clark explained. “She didn’t want to merely solicit support from her fans with, ‘buy my merch.’ Instead, she wanted to offer them something of value, whether that’s a service, an experience, or an emotional connection to her products. She also aimed to avoid contributing to excess ‘brandfill’ in the world.” Clark detailed how Roan, her team, and Roboro began with upgrading Roan’s signature “Midwest Princess” camo trucker hat, which initially was 100% polyester.
“We switched to a hat made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester, still not perfect, but a step in the right direction that her current supply chain could accommodate in the necessary quantities.” Clark also mentioned plans to collaborate with vintage clothing brand Beyond Retro to sell vintage pieces at Roan’s concerts, a move that is sustainable and aligns with Roan’s well-known passion for thrifting.
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Tour Routing Is Evolving as Weather-Related Events Affect the Live Industry
DeMille Halliburton, principal at EPIC Entertainment and Sports — which provides insurance for live events and large gatherings — highlighted the necessity for events to secure insurance ahead of time before adverse weather conditions arise.
“When it pertains to weather, securing coverage well in advance of hurricane season is vital, because once a storm is named, it automatically becomes excluded from coverage,” Halliburton said. He also pointed out that as extreme weather increasingly disrupts a growing number of live events in the U.S. and elsewhere each year, bookers and promoters are becoming more strategic about routing.
“What we have observed, particularly this past year… is that artists are avoiding scheduling dates in the Southeast during hurricane season. Similarly, they are steering clear of California and other regions during fire season. When underwriters assess this, they regard it more favorably, resulting in better rates because they recognize the team is organizing a tour with these factors in mind.”
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K-Pop Fans Are Advocating for Sustainable Practices Within the Genre
The conference featured a notable presentation by 18-year-old South Korean K-Pop enthusiast Nayeon Kim, who helped launch an initiative known as KPOP 4 PLANET. Kim informed the audience that the project aims to mobilize one of K-Pop’s largest fan bases, young Asian women, to advocate for enhanced sustainability practices throughout the industry. This includes eliminating greenwashing in brand partnerships, transitioning to 100% renewable energy for South Korean digital service providers, and halting marketing strategies that push fans to purchase multiple copies of the same album solely to collect merchandise, considering the considerable waste generated by this trend. Kim shared that over 880,000 individuals have signed various KPOP 4 PLANET petitions to date.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
