With her groundbreaking new release, Billie Eilish takes eco-consciousness to the next level by centring the physical production of her album around the use of recycled vinyl. This innovative approach champions environmental responsibility; a sustainability plan has also accompanied the release. With Elish being one of the world's most prominent artists, it's promising to see that sustainability and the album's overall impact are a big part of the release plan.
Vinyl has made a huge comeback, with sales increasing by over 10% globally and numbers reaching the highest level since 1990. In the UK alone, there were 5.9 M units sold in 2023. (Source: The Guardian https://lnkd.in/dUspT7xq)
Researchers at Keele University estimate that vinyl records typically contain around 135g of PVC material with a carbon footprint of 0.5kg of Carbon Dioxide. Based on that calculation, the UK's vinyl habit produced 2,700 tonnes of CO2 before considering transport and packaging. That is the entire footprint of almost 560 people per year. (Source: BBC https://lnkd.in/ep4tN2vB)
This isn't Eilish's first attempt to improve her carbon footprint. She has previously powered her festival sets from temporary solar farms installed nearby and released fewer, better-quality merchandising items. When she performed six shows at the O2 Arena in London in 2022, she persuaded the venue to serve only plant-based food.
She is not the only artist who has made strides towards sustainability. Coldplay famously installed kinetic floors at their concerts, creating energy powered by the dancing of fans and helping power the show. Biofuels were used in all transportation, reducing their carbon footprint by 75-95%. Solar panels are installed at each venue, and all power from primary sources is renewable. This also follows donations to environmental nonprofits and using their platform to raise awareness about issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
Other musicians bringing sustainability front and centre in what they do include Pearl Jam, Bjork, and Radiohead.
These musicians and bands are inspiring examples of how artists can use their platform to advocate for sustainability and positively contribute to people and the planet. By embracing eco-friendly practices and raising awareness about environmental issues, they are helping to create a more sustainable future for the music industry and beyond.
We hope this leads to more musicians and bands following suit, looking at their overall impact and how they can reduce it. We also hope this leads to the release of complete sustainability reports highlighting results and the areas they'll focus on next to mitigate and improve.
Billie, if you are reading this, we applaud your efforts and look forward to hearing the album!
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