So the alt rock group Guster is challenging people to eat local, for their tastebuds and the planet. That’s easy for them to say, though, right? They’re co-founders of the Green Music Group. They know about this stuff. Well, thanks to the power of the Internets and ZIP Codes, you can be an expert, too. And learning this lesson can help you win two Live Nation season passes, and maybe a new car.
We’re very please to welcome the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) as a Green Music Group Partner!
ACE is a national nonprofit dedicated to educating America’s high school students about the science behind climate change and inspiring them to do something about it—while having fun along the way. Their mission is to educate, inspire and activate students to curb climate change and its effects. Check out their Assembly Trailer, and visit them at http://www.acespace.org to learn more!
We invite you to participate in the GMG Challenge! Visit challenge.greenmusicgroup.org to sign up.
Green Music Group was launched in January 2010 by a high-profile coalition of artists, music industry leaders, and respected environmental non-profit organizations with the aim of bringing about widespread environmental change, both within the music industry, and beyond it.
To that end, The Green Music Group Challenge is the first major fan outreach and educational promotion of GMG. This web-based photo challenge encourages members to take positive environmental action via a series of nine bi-weekly challenges, each put forth by one of GMG’s Founding Artists. Launching on April 10th, the GMG Challenge runs for 18 weeks and features video “calls to action” from artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, Maroon 5, Willie Nelson, Linkin Park, and other influential musicians.
During each challenge, participants are will submit a photo illustrating their completion of the action. Each entry will be judged and prizes will be awarded to challenge winners. Additionally, each challenge entry will qualify the participant for an entry into the Grand Prize drawing for a 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid.
As a surfer and someone who likes to spend a lot of time outdoors, clean air, water, and soil have always been important to me. As a member of Dave Matthews Band, protecting the environment has been a part of our band’s ethos since forming in 1991. Among the several causes our band supports, the environment is unique because we can do far more than the traditional ways of lending our name or making a donation—we can directly make a difference by “walking the talk.”
Jan. 30 was a star-studded evening at Jane’s House in Hollywood as the Green Music Group hosted an event featuring performances by Maroon 5, The Roots, Guster and members of the Dave Matthews Band.
An international nonprofit, the Green Music Group is a team of musicians, fans, record labels and music industry leaders seeking to inspire positive environmental change through powerful performances that spread awareness of global issues.
The music industry isn’t exactly known for its sustainability initiatives—and with the combined carbon footprint of tours, concerts, videos, and albums, it takes some major star power to hit the green notes.
Luckily, Guster vocalist/guitarist Adam Gardner and his wife, Lauren Sullivan, were already on the case with the founding of their environmental organization, Reverb—and now they’re taking it one step further with the Green Music Group. With the support of founding members including Linkin Park,Dave Matthews Band, Willie Nelson, The Roots, Sheryl Crow, Guster, Barenaked Ladies, Bonnie Raitt, and Maroon 5; venues like the American Airlines Arena, the Comcast Center, and the Brooklyn Bowl; and labels Brushfire Records and Warner Music Group, the GMG wants to make big changes by targeting small tasks–to “harness the collective power of the entire music community to affect millions of individual actions, bringing about measurable global environmental change,” according to the website.
“If someone says my tour is ‘green,’ what does that mean?”
Adam Gardner thinks about such things on a regular basis. A number of things claim the “green” label, be they light bulbs, electric cars or dog food.
But bands on tour?
The whole packed bus, hotel shampoo, cheap beer, Moons Over My Hammy at 3 a.m. thing? The joyful grind that all bands endure on a path to success?
It has been Gardner’s business to know these things since 2004 when he and his wife, Lauren Sullivan, started Reverb, a Portland-based nonprofit that helps make tours environmentally friendly.
Green Music Group (GMG), a coalition of environmental non-profit Reverb, celebrated its official launch over the last weekend in January in Hollywood, CA. The high-profile coalition brings together musicians, industry leaders and music fans to create widespread environmental change within the music industry and around the globe.
To celebrate its launch, Green Music Group founding members and friends gathered at Jane’s House in Hollywood for live performances by members ofDave Matthews Band, Guster, and Maroon 5. Guests were treated to eco-friendly appetizers and drinks provided by Shin’s BBQ, VeeV, ZICO, Eel River, and Newton’s Vineyard.
Hello GMG!
Adam from Guster here. Just wanted to take a minute to say THANK YOU to everyone who made our launch last weekend such a big success.
Getting to play with some of the other Founding Artists was a blast! I loved the random assortment on stage: Maroon 5, The Roots, Dave Matthews Band and Guster! Combine that with leaders in the non-profit world like Mike Brune from Sierra Club and Reverend Yearwood from Hip Hop Caucus and it turned into quite an eclectic mix. And what was Jason Biggs doing there?!?! Actually, he plays a mean cowbell, he just forgot to bring it.
I’m so excited to move forward with GMG. We have some very cool things in the works, with challenges and calls to action that will create some real, tangible change.
For now, I’d like to encourage you all to sign up for the GMG list. You’ll have a shot at winning one of three guitars signed by Founding Artists. We’ll be keeping you posted on what we’re up to, and we’ll let you know how you can join in on our upcoming challenges. Join us!
Adam