Being green is on everyone’s mind these days. With Global Warming in the headlines so often people from all walks of life are working hard to cut down on their carbon footprint. Musicians are not immune to this. In fact, creative types often embrace the green movement with more enthusiasm and passion. Of course all the standards apply. Recycling, driving fuel efficient vehicles, and using energy efficient appliances. Still, there are some more ways that musicians can help save the planet.
Strings
Guitarists and Bassists go through a lot of strings. Some will change their strings after every gig. Some will change them once every few weeks. The waste generated by restringing can be hefty. From the strings themselves, the paper pouches, and the plastic pouch the whole set comes in, all of this ends up in the trash at some point.
To alleviate this guitarist can try to use string sets from manufacturers who cut down on the packaging. Some companies are eliminating the individual paper pouches and bundling the strings together in one plastic bag. Some string manufacturers are also using some recycled material to create the new strings.
Batteries
Most musicians take pedals to a gig. Many musicians have large pedal boards with multiple pedals. It goes without saying that you should power your pedals with a good regulated power supply. Using one power supply for your pedals will eliminate the use of multiple batteries. If you must use batteries, use rechargeable batteries whenever possible. You will not only save the planet, but save some cash as well.
Compact Discs
Everyone has stacks of CD’s that they no longer listen too. Maybe your band burned a bunch of demos that you are no longer giving out. Maybe you have bad CD’s that never got finalized in the burning process. Maybe you just want to get rid of that one hit wonder CD you bought when you were a kid. You don’t have to throw them away anymore. The material in CD’s can be recycled. Search the web and you will find places that take old CD’s and use the plastic to make new products.
Saving Gas
A five piece band all driving to the same place in five different cars is a waste of gas. Try coordinating a carpool with one of your band mates. If you’re the singer this is easy since you have the least amount of gear to carry. Most bands don’t have to bring a ton of gear to a gig so you could probably get the guitar players rig and the keyboard in the same car. Every band is different but this is a great way to easily cut down on some vehicle emissions.
You don’t have to do everything here but try them out and see what works for you. If every musician worked a few of these ideas into their life, the impact could be very noticeable. There are certainly many other ways for musicians to be more eco-friendly. Try to think outside the box and find ways to save the planet while making your music.