Pirate's Cove

Say, do Rolling Stones reporters still go to concerts? Do they make sure their own carbon footprints are zero? I’m just trying to figure a way to start this, because it is an incredibly stupid article, even for Rolling Stone

Travel to Concerts Has a Massive Carbon Footprint, But It Doesn’t Have To

Certain artists are notorious for criss-crossing the world in their private jet, but according to new research, fans’ collective carbon footprint traveling to concerts exceeds that of the performers. Billie Eilish is one musician who is trying to help change the way her fans get to her shows.

Before stops on her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, she sends an email to concertgoers about how to get to her shows by public transit, biking, or walking. For her Phoenix and Los Angeles performances, her team organized shuttle buses from designated spots, which allowed fans to reduce their carbon footprint by traveling together. She even worked with Google Maps to help fans know about more fuel-efficient ways to get to her shows.

How big is her stage? How many fossil fueled trucks does it take to move the production? Does she travel in a nice fossil fueled bus? How much electricity do her concerts use? How much food and shirts and stuff?

Eilish is a supporting partner in a recent study from the nonprofit REVERB that found the vast majority of fans — 94 percent — think it is important for fans, venues, promoters, and artists to take “significant action” to lower their carbon footprints.

Then they shouldn’t go to concerts.

REVERB, founded in 2004, has worked with Dave Matthews Band, Dead & Company, Tyler Childers, My Morning Jacket, Odesza, the Lumineers, Paramore, Fleetwood Mac, and other artists to make their concerts more sustainable. They focus on engaging fans to take action and waste reduction. For example, they donate excess food to local food banks and try to compost or recycle where it’s possible. They also create water stations and have eliminated more than 4 million single-use plastic water bottles.

Can’t we just watch a concert in peace, without being given a side of climate cult? On the bright side, I don’t get this crap at metal concerts.

The REVERB study surveyed 35,000 fans at more than 400 concerts. It found that carbon emissions of fan travel to an average show equals 110 homes’ energy usage for a year, or 527 metric tons of carbon emissions. Fan travel exceeds band and crew travel, hotel stays, and gear transport by 38 times. But the good news is that almost 90 percent of fans would potentially be interested in more climate-friendly travel options if better infrastructure, incentives, and information were available.

So, then the poptart stars should hold their concerts in empty arenas and stream it to fans. That’s for the best, right?

“A big part of all of this is the community of fans and artists and even industry leaders coming together around these issues,” he adds. “I’ve seen this firsthand as a musician who’s been touring for 34 years now, asking fans to do these things. Originally, I was like, ‘Oh, gosh, just a distraction, or maybe this is gonna be a buzzkill,’ but if you approach it in the right way, which is, here’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to have a lighter footprint, and here’s how you can help be a part of it, and this is what we care about… it only enhances their concert experience.”

First, I’ve never heard of Guster. Second, funny how he’s asking fans to do these things. Why is it always about Other People, never themselves?