Hi everyone and Happy Earth Month! This month we will have a series of blog posts dedicated to different topics in sustainability. They will build on each other and hopefully offer you some new ways of thinking about the Earth and our place in it.
To start us off we are going to be talking about how to make concerts more sustainable. There has been a trend recently of major artists taking steps to reduce the footprint of their performances, and organizations like Canadian Live Music have pushed for greater sustainability efforts. For more information about this, you can refer to the resources we’re listed below.
As with most things, there is a scale to the actions you can take with this, depending on the capacity you have. As your capacity changes over time, maybe you will take on more of these actions. Remember that small actions make a difference too and can build over time.
Smaller scale actions:
- Giving important event information out in advance
- Ensuring your event materials are accessible (i.e., readable fonts, colour contrast, screen reader compliant)
- Having an option to scan the program to reduce the amount of paper printing
- Encourage carpooling or public transit on the way to the venue
- Clearly marking recycling and compost options in your venue
Larger scale actions:
- Having only vegan or vegetarian food at your concert
- Conversations with your venue and its energy output
- Have reusable options for food and drink in the space
- Organize with other performers or groups to advocate within the industry for more sustainability efforts
Come back next week to learn what you as an individual can do to be more sustainable.
Resources
Canadian Live Music Association. (2025). Sustainability Hub.
Connolly, M., Dupras, J., & Séguin, C. (2016). An economic perspective on rock concerts and climate change: Should carbon offsets compensating emissions be included in the ticket price? Journal of Cultural Economics, 40(1), 101–126.
Live music is a major carbon sinner — but it could be a catalyst for change. (2024). Nature (London), 633(8028), 8–8.
McCarthy, P. (2024). Concerts can become more sustainable: Here’s how. Triple Pundit.
Piperni, A. (2024). Sustainability in music: How the industry is going green. Recording Arts Canada.
Translated by Content Engine LLC. (2022). The new era of sustainable concerts. In CE Noticias Financieras (English ed.). ContentEngine LLC, a Florida limited liability company.
Ziesel, H. (2023). How to plan an eco-friendly concert. Passage.