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Rockin’ in the Green World
The Music Lover’s Guide to Going Green

Rothbury – The Greenest Music Festival of Them All?

Photo via Rothbury

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the greenest music festival of them all? This year I’m placing my bets on Rothbury. Now in its second year, the music festival – which just wrapped up its four-day stint yesterday in Rothbury, Michigan – calls itself a “party with a purpose.”

True to its tagline, Rothbury does all the important green event stuff like reducing waste, recycling, composting, using clean energy, promoting carpooling, and more. But what sets this music festival apart from its peers is the Think Tank, an event within the event that offers concert attendees the opportunity to discuss pressing environmental problems and potential solutions with scientists, scholars, writers, politicians, corporate leaders, activists, and artists. This year’s theme? Joining the new green economy.

It’s not all talk either. In addition to panel discussions, Rothbury features how-to workshops that covers topics like finding a green job, making your home and office energy efficient, growing your own organic food, and becoming an eco-fashionista.

For those of you interested in the  music – and why wouldn’t you be with superstars like the Dead, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson topping the bill- you can view photos and watch videos of the festival’s highlights here.

How To: Break Free from CDs

Photo by sun dazed via Flickr

You’ve taken the first step and found new homes for all your old jewel cases. Now you’re admiring binder after binder of CDs on your bookshelf and scratching your head thinking, “when was the last time I actually played a CD?”

Um, probably a looong time ago. Digital downloads, computers, and iPods have made the CD virtually obsolete. You now realize your CDs are just taking up precious space. But what’s the best way to get rid of them?

CDs are made of petroleum-based plastics, metals, dyes, and lacquers. Not something you really want sitting around in a landfill, or worse yet, burnt to a crisp in an incinerator. Because they’re made of so many different materials, CDs are also hard to recycle.

But all hope is not lost. If you’re thinking about parting ways with some or (gasp!) all of your CDs, follow these simple tips for a smooth, eco-friendly transition into the digital age:

1. Create a digital library. Okay, kids. I am not going to insult your musical intelligence and will assume you’ve heard of a little thing called iTunes. For you nonconformists, there are plenty of music management alternatives out there like Songbird, JetAudio, and Rockbox that will convert your precious Bikini Kill and Dead Kennedys CDs to mp3s without having to sell out to the man. For most of us, though, it’s a simple matter of finishing what we started. So get going!

2. BACK IT UP! Uploading CDs to your computer is time-consuming and not particularly pleasant. Do you want to do it all over again if your computer crashes? Didn’t think so. Do yourself a favor and buy an external drive for about $100 and back up your digital library. Just remember to repeat the back-up process periodically so any new music you amass is accounted for.

3. Make some cash. The greenest thing you can do for the environment and your wallet is to sell your CDs to someone who is still stuck in the ’90s. Sometimes it’s easier to go straight to the middleman and get some cash for your old CDs at your local music store. If you’re too embarrassed to hawk your Backstreet Boys CDs to a real live person, try online resellers like SecondSpin and Half.com.

4. Get crafty or donate. CDs can be the building blocks for iPod docks, solar cookers, and 10 lb dumbells. Try out a few DIY CD projects yourself. Post your leftovers on Freecycle or Craigslist for others to salvage. Heck, if you find a DIY idea you really dig but don’t think you have the skills to pull it off, commission someone else to make it for you.

5. Recycle. As a last resort, ask your city or county solid waste office if there are any recyclers in your area that accept CDs. Don’t forget that Greendisk will also take up to 20 lbs of your old jewel cases, CDs, and other electronic waste for $7 (plus shipping).

The most important part, however, is putting yourself on a CD-free diet from this point forward. It’s okay to cheat sometimes – for that box set you just gotta have or to support a small indie band. But for the most part, buy digital whenever possible.

Serve Your Drinks on the Rocks (& Roll) With Album Cover Coasters

Photo via Etsy

Husband and wife team INOUDID’s Attic are purging their old record collection by repurposing album covers into coasters and LPs into bowls. Before you vinyl fanatics start having panic attacks, let me reassure you that I am sympathetic to your cause (see related posts here and here). Fortunately, so is INOUDID’s Attic.

The couple did right by LP connoisseurs by putting their old records up for sale. Strangely enough, they had a hard time finding people that needed to have Hall & Oates’ Big Bam Boom, Ratt’s Out of the Cellar, or the Pointer Sisters’ Break Out on vinyl.

They also had a ton of records that were too damaged to be playable. Instead of doing the easy thing – chucking them in the garbage – they came up with this eco-friendlier solution.

The album cover is divided into nine coasters that are affixed to 3 3/4″ by 3 3/4″ by 1/2″ birch plywood, then protected with a clear moisture-resistant finish. The best part? You can arrange the puzzle-like pieces to recreate the album artwork!

The record itself is heated and reshaped into a shallow bowl. Perfect for holding the coasters, your 325+ remote controls , or whatever else is currently cluttering your coffee table. And when you knock over your drink while excitedly telling your house guests about your new purchase, both the coasters and the bowl can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

INOUDID’s Attic has quite the selection, but once a coaster & bowl set is gone, it’s gone. Don’t let someone else beat you to Ted Nugent’s Weekend Warriors, and remember: “This can’t last forever…doesn’t get much better, no better than this.”

Get it Here:  INOUDID’s Attic on Etsy ($30)

Musicians Go “Blue in the Face” Fighting Climate Change

Photo by Rankin via Oxfam

We’re increasingly understanding that the environmental movement is not just about hugging trees and saving the whales, it’s about people too. That’s why musicians like Fatboy Slim, Jarvis Cocker, VV Brown, and Little Boots are lending their faces – painted blue – to Oxfam’s “Blue in the Face” campaign.

The new campaign urges world leaders attending the climate summit in Copenhagen this December to address the needs of poor communities dealing with the impacts of global warming. From the destruction of homes to limited access to clean water to food shortages, the poor are especially hit hard by the effects of more frequent and severe natural disasters caused by climate change.

Photographed by fashion photographer Rankin, these celebrity pics are just the beginning of an online photo gallery of supporters. That’s right! You too can join in the face painting fun and “take action on climate change until you’re blue in the face.”

Oxfam will be at festivals all over the UK to help with face painting and photo snapping. They’ll present the petition to the UK government just in time for the summit, asking for reduced global carbon emissions and funds to help poor areas adapt to environmental changes. The big kickoff starts this weekend at Glastonbury.

Kickoff Summer With a Solio Solar Charger

Photo via Solio

Summer’s officially here! And the sunshine it brings with it means good news for outdoor concerts, backyard dance parties, and powering up your iPod or iPhone with a free source of energy.

Solio may look like a prop from the latest Star Trek movie, but it’s actually a solar-powered charger. Spread out the blades to expose the photovoltaic cells and soak up the sun – whether outside or through a window.

Even if you live in a place like…Portland, for example, where the sun can be so scarce that you sometimes doubt its very existence, Solio can still be a practical choice. It only takes one hour of sunshine to produce enough power to talk for 20 minutes or listen to music for 50 minutes.

When the clouds roll in, you can charge Solio by conventional means (i.e. plugging it into a wall socket or computer USB port). As an added bonus, it can charge multiple gadgets at once, including iPods/mp3 players, iPhones/cell phones, and cameras.

Better Energy Systems, the creators of Solio, put a lot of thought into how to design their product as eco-friendly as possible at each stage of its lifecycle. Besides using solar power, these chargers contain recycled plastics, are RoHS compliant, and have a long-life replaceable lithium ion battery.

The battery, as well as the entire device itself, can be sent back to the company for recycling. Better Energy Systems also plants trees to offset the carbon emissions produced by the manufacturing process, making Solio a green standout.

Get it here: Solio (H1000 $80, Classic $100, Magnesium $200)

Paul McCartney Launches Meat Free Monday

Photo via Meat Free Monday

It’s Paul McCartney’s 67th birthday! And what Paul wants most is not for us to sing “(na na na na na na) you say it’s your birthday,” but to show our support for his newest endeavor, Meat Free Monday, which officially launched this week.

Paul, a longtime vegetarian and advocate for the ethical treatment of animals, recognizes that not everyone is willing or ready to make the switch to a completely meat-free diet. Instead, he’s asking us to forgo meat for just one day a week:

“I think many of us feel helpless in the face of environmental challenges, and it can be hard to know how to sort through the advice about what we can do to make a meaningful contribution to a cleaner, more sustainable, healthier world. Having one designated meat free day a week is actually a meaningful change that everyone can make, that goes to the heart of several important political, environmental and ethical issues all at once.”

Sir Paul is encouraging us to go veggie not only because it’s healthy and animal-friendly, but also because it helps fight global warming.

Huh? What’s the connection between eating meat and climate change? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the livestock industry accounts for upwards of 18% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Eating meat is so energy intensive, in fact, that Compassion in World Farming estimates that the average UK household can reduce more emissions by cutting their meat consumption in half than by cutting their car use in half.

He’s making it real easy for us to skip the meat by sharing vegetarian recipes from his dearly departed wife Linda’s cookbook each week. The UK’s top chefs are also contributing their favorite meat-free dishes.

Hey Paul? I signed up. “I’m glad it’s your birthday. Happy birthday to you.”

Ben Sollee’s Bike Ride to Bonnaroo

Image via Pedaling Against Poverty

Although this year’s merrymaking has now officially come to a close, I wanted to bid farewell to Bonnaroo 2009 with an interesting story about one musician’s 330 mile journey to the festival…on a bike…with cello and 60 lbs of equipment in tow.

His name is Ben Sollee, and in an effort to reduce his carbon footprint as a musician, he took to the road not in a CO2-emitting van or tour bus, but on an Xtracycle extended-frame bike. An Xtracycle is a bike with a trunk of sorts, allowing riders to haul groceries, luggage, or cellos, apparently.

Ben, who hails from Lexington, Kentucky, embarked on a week-long trek to Bonnaroo in his neighboring state of Tennessee, stopping to perform shows along the way. Ben also promoted Oxfam America’s good work on poverty, hunger, and social justice issues at each gig. Talk about a sustainable tour.

You can read all about it on his blog (complete with videos), Pedaling Against Poverty, and in this informative interview with Jeff Biggers at the Huffington Post.

And the music? I downloaded Ben’s latest album, Learning to Bend, to have a listen for myself. Wow. Although classically trained, he applies some unconventional techniques to this old-school instrument, giving it a folksy, bluesy edge I didn’t know it had. And he’s got a soaring, soulful voice to boot. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering Mr. Sollee was named one of National Public Radio’s “Top 10 Unknown Artists of the Year” in 2007.

And this isn’t just a one-time thing. Ben is recording a new album, set to be released in fall 2009, that will raise awareness about the environmental dangers of mountaintop removal strip mining, a cause Ben has helped out with in the past. He’s still touring beyond Bonnaroo, so check to see if he’s performing near you – and pedal to the show on your own bike to show your support!

Toy Instruments Reincarnated as Giraffes and Cowboys and Cats (Oh My!)

Photo via Etsy

Artist Cat Bishop has set quite the goal for herself: to create 1,000 pieces of what she terms “assemblage art.” Cat scours flea markets and thrift stores for materials, which range from kitchenware to cameras to clocks. Characters – human, animal, and even robot – emerge from cleverly mixing and matching objects.

From an interview with the artist on Etsy:

“My inspiration really comes from the vintage objects that I work with and the thrill of finding them…I can get way too excited over old painted croquet balls or a trashed motorcycle gas tank that I know just needs to [be] reincarnated into a duck. I also love the shapes, lines, and colors of 1950s design. It’s so stylized and easily recognizable…”

Lucky for us music lovers, there are quite a few creations that incorporate instruments – mostly of the kiddie variety, but that’s way more fun, right? Pictured here is my personal favorite, “Slim the Cowboy,” one of many carnival-themed items in Cat’s collection. With a rainbow xylophone torso, croquet ball head, and porcelain boots, he’s one colorful and crazy dude. Plus, he can be posed!

If you’re looking for something to hang on the wall, check out “The Lounge Singer,” whose xylophone aesthetic is similar to Slim the Cowboy’s, or Piano Cat, constructed from a red toy piano, art deco car dashboard clock, and yarn spindle. For something a little less flashy, there’s Giraffe Girl (made with a neutral-toned xylophone, wooden cigar box, and doll legs) and her mate Giraffe Boy (crafted from a trumpet, spinning drum head, and sewing machine drawer).

Cat’s sculptures are very affordable, but if you love what you see and your budget is a little tight, you can also buy prints of her artwork.

Get it Here: Artsy on Etsy (Sculptures $28 – $324; Prints $14)

Bonnaroo Gets Even Greener This Year

Photo via Bonnaroo

I am looking at the schedule for Bonnaroo and lamenting just a ‘lil bit that I’m glued to this computer rather than enjoying the likes of MGMT, Band of Horses, Elvis Perkins in Dearland… Shall I go on? Of Montreal, Neko Case, Okkervil River…

Besides boasting an amazing lineup, the four-day festival – which runs from June 11 to June 14 in Manchester, TN – is one of the greenest festivals around. Last year’s eco efforts earned Bonnaroo an Outstanding Greener Festival award, making them one of only six festivals in the world to receive this highest honor bestowed by the Greener Festival Awards.

Here are a few ways Bonnaroo is aiming to lead by example again this year:

Empowering Staff & Volunteers. All staff are issued a Greening Manual – electronically, of course – full of tips to make their jobs greener. Bonnaroo’s volunteer team of Green Ambassadors are also on hand at the event to answer questions about the festival’s green initiatives.

Buying Sustainable Stuff. All kinds of green products are used to construct and prettify the site – from VOC-free paints to FSC-certified lumber to reusable decorations and second-hand furniture. 

Keeping It Waste-Free. Food scraps and biodegradeable serviceware will be composted, diverting over 10 tons of waste from the landfill. At the Clean Vibes Trading Post, Roo’ers can exchange empty cans and bottles for prizes like autographed merchandise, eco-friendly goodies, and even tickets to next year’s festival.

Powering Up Locally. This year, 80% of electricity will be sourced directly through the local grid, significantly reducing the amount of biodiesel needed to run generators. Additionally, the festival will purchase green power offsets from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Kicking the Bottled Water Habit. Thanks to a partnership with Stanley ninteen13, Bonnaroo will launch its new Less-Bottled Water Program this year. They’ll be selling nifty reusable bottles with Bonnaroo’s logo and offering free water stations throughout the site where thirsty folks can fill up.

Reducing Carbon Footprints. Carbon Shredders, a group that urges people to think about how their everyday actions affect climate change, will be enlisting willing patrons to pledge to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% in the next year.

Bringing the Message Home (Literally). Roo’ers can catch a show at the solar-powered performance stage and learn more about environmental and social activism at Planet Roo, the festival’s green village. The green pod will be back again as well, offering info about how to go green once the festival’s over.