LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — In an effort to implement a more sustainable event production model, members of the Live Earth Green Team will provide global concert venues with the tools and guidelines necessary to continue environmentally conscious activities after the event itself is over. This legacy initiative is just one component of the Live Earth commitment to inspiring over two billion people worldwide to make smarter decisions to lead a more energy efficient lifestyle.
Despite various cultural, venue and logistical challenges, the Live Earth Green Team is taking thoughtful steps towards ensuring that the environmental impact of the eight official concerts worldwide is significantly minimized. From waste management programs activated at each venue to transportation solutions aimed at reducing concertgoers’ travel emissions, the stage is set for Live Earth to be a major catalyst of a global movement aimed at creating change.
“Live Earth is about engaging a global audience with solutions to the climate crisis, and providing these legendary venues with the knowledge that will allow them to continue their environmental contributions,” said John Rego, environmental director, Live Earth and a senior consultant for Brand Neutral. “Improving sustainability is a long-term goal and we are proud to be contributing to a greener future for these cities.”
In addition to recycling or composting plastic bottles and containers on-site at all locations, the Live Earth venues will optimize lighting to reduce energy consumption and exchange inefficient bulbs for efficient ones. A combination of solar, wind and biofuel generated power will be sourced to power all energy sources including lighting, air circulation, musical equipment and amplifiers. Effective waste management is another essential component of the venue greening, and Live Earth has introduced a variety of ways to reduce the garbage produced by the shows.
Specifically, Giants Stadium will instate a triple-stream system, likely its first in its 30-year history which combines waste, compost and recycling and aims to more than double the diversion rate of materials that will avoid landfills on the day of the show. In an effort to reduce waste generated at the concert, official partner, Pepsi Co. estimates it will recycle more than 200,000 bottles and cans – preventing at least 10 tons of waste from going to landfills and saving enough electricity to power 5,110 homes for a 24 hour period — the same amount of time concerts will last. In addition, a partnership with web-based invitation provider Evite will offer Live Earth ticket holders the resources to meet up with friends and organize carpools to and from the concert http://www.evite.com/app/cms/ideas/live-earth. Biodegradable tableware provided by Aramark will be used for food and beverage services, and any signage present in the venue will be made from bio-material that will eventually be composted or reused.
In London, several environmental education programs are in place to support Wembley Stadium’s progress to become a greener venue. On June 28, Wembley plans to brief members of its management team about the environmental initiatives already underway as well as advise them of all of the green changes to come. On-site generators are currently being tested to run on 99 percent biodiesel on July 7 while all aluminum cans collected from the Live Earth event will be recycled and a payment of .025 pence will be aggregated and donated to local nonprofits, which is a system Wembley stadium put in place earlier this year. Wembley’s long term goals even include plans to recycle used chewing gum to help resurface children’s playgrounds long after Live Earth.
Live Earth staff has managed to reduce the impact of affiliated transportation surrounding the shows as well. Concessionaires in many locations will source food locally, wherever available to cut down on vehicle emissions from trucking. The largest source of emissions, the travel of concert goers, is being reduced by an upcoming education outreach that provides individuals information about and encouragement to use public transportation and carpool to reduce harmful air pollutants. To further offset the carbon produced by the shows, Live Earth will purchase enough carbon credits to zero out the carbon emissions created by the overall event. While each Live Earth venue will have a variety of green initiatives it is activating, the events as a whole aim to demonstrate a collective effort to instill green practices in the everyday lives of individuals.
Live Earth’s 24 hours of music across seven continents will deliver a worldwide call to action and the solutions necessary to answer that call. Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve the climate crisis. Live Earth is partnering with the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group, Stop Climate Chaos and other international organizations in this ongoing effort. Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, a worldwide executive producer of the Live 8 concert series in 2005, and is supported by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
smart is the world's only automaker serving as an Official Partner. Unlike any other vehicle, the new smart fortwo combines a modern, individual lifestyle with environmental protection by setting the standard in urban mobility and offering the lowest CO2 emission of any vehicle on the market. smart responds to environmental demands with innovative, technologically sound solutions and as a result produces positive and credible answers to the question of ecological driving.
Philips, as the world’s leading lighting supplier, joins Live Earth as an Official Partner. Philips was the first to introduce the energy saving light bulb in 1980 and has put environmental product improvement at the heart of its business with its EcoDesign program since 1994, increasing its green product range year by year.
Live Earth is partnering with companies on a local level who share the commitment to helping people live a more energy efficient lifestyle. PepsiCo, an Official Partner of Live Earth, is committed to making a difference with eco-friendlier packaging, energy and water conservation and waste reduction. It’s all part of PepsiCo’s commitment to Performance with Purpose — to do better by doing better.
Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal auto insurance company, joins Live Earth as an Official Sponsor and is the latest extension of Esurance's efforts to conserve energy and preserve the planet's precious resources. For more than seven years, Esurance policyholders have helped save thousands of trees by buying their auto insurance online and using electronic documents.
The Absolut Spirits Company, an official Live Earth partner, is working to reduce its carbon dioxide impact by focusing on sustainable agriculture, reducing impact on climate change and optimizing use of natural resources as mandated by V&S Group, the parent company of Absolut Vodka and one of the leading international spirits companies.
–Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
